Exit Codes

ACLI tools MUST use semantic exit codes. Generic 0/1 is not sufficient for agentic retry logic.

Standard exit codes

Code	Name	Meaning	Agent action
0	SUCCESS	Command completed successfully	Proceed
1	GENERAL_ERROR	Unclassified error	Inspect stderr
2	INVALID_ARGS	Wrong arguments or flags	Correct and retry
3	NOT_FOUND	Resource does not exist	Check inputs
4	PERMISSION_DENIED	Insufficient permissions	Escalate or skip
5	CONFLICT	State conflict (already exists, locked)	Resolve conflict
6	TIMEOUT	Operation timed out	Retry with backoff
7	UPSTREAM_ERROR	External dependency failed	Retry or skip
8	PRECONDITION_FAILED	Required state not met	Fix precondition first
9	DRY_RUN	Dry-run completed, no changes made	Review and confirm

Tool-specific codes

Exit codes 10–63 are reserved for tool-specific codes, which MUST be documented in .cli/README.md.

Why this matters

Agents use exit codes to decide their next action without parsing error messages. A TIMEOUT (6) triggers a retry with backoff, while INVALID_ARGS (2) triggers argument correction. This structured feedback loop enables autonomous recovery.