@claude-flow/cli-core

Status: alpha (pre-release). Tracking ADR-100. Don't depend on this in production yet.

Lightweight core CLI surface for Claude Flow — memory + hooks commands only. Designed to load fast on a cold npx cache so plugin skills don't race Claude Code's 30 second MCP-startup timeout.

Why a separate package?

Issue #1748 #3 documented a silent failure mode for new users: npx claude-flow@latest mcp start from a cold npx cache regularly exceeds 30 seconds (1.8 MB / 999 files), Claude Code's MCP startup timeout fires, zero tools register, and the user observes "Ruflo is broken — no MCP tools available."

@claude-flow/cli-core is a ≤250 KB packed subset containing only what plugin skills actually call: memory store/list/retrieve/search/delete/init and the hooks family (route, model-outcome, post-edit, pre-task, etc.). On a cold cache, npx @claude-flow/cli-core@alpha memory store ... should complete in under 5 seconds — well under the timeout.

Install

# Pre-release alpha
npm install @claude-flow/cli-core@alpha

# Or just npx-invoke directly from a plugin Bash block
npx @claude-flow/cli-core@alpha memory store --key x --value 1 --namespace patterns

What's included

What's NOT included (use @claude-flow/cli for these)

• swarm, hive-mind, agent, task, coordination — multi-agent orchestration
• neural, embeddings, intelligence — full ML surface
• federation, claims, aidefence — cross-installation features
• browser, wasm, rvf — sandbox + browser automation
• init, migrate, doctor, daemon, deployment — lifecycle management
• performance, security, providers, plugins, config — admin surface

For any of these, install @claude-flow/cli@alpha (the metapackage that re-exports cli-core and lazy-loads everything else).

Compatibility

@claude-flow/cli-core@3.7.0-alpha.x ships in lockstep with @claude-flow/cli@3.7.0-alpha.x. Once promoted from alpha → latest, the two packages will continue to share the major.minor line.

Verification

# Cold cache test — clear npx cache first
rm -rf ~/.npm/_npx
time npx @claude-flow/cli-core@alpha memory store --key smoke --value test --namespace test
# Expected: <5 seconds wall-time on typical broadband

Documentation

• ADR-100 — cli-core split — design rationale
• MIGRATION.md — concrete diff + env-flag pattern for switching plugin scripts
• Issue #1748 — the bug this package addresses
• Issue #1760 — alpha tracking issue (status, benchmarks, fire-by-fire progress)
• Main @claude-flow/cli README — full feature list

License

MIT