CLI

From a repository checkout, run the CLI with pnpm dirwell. The examples below use that form. dirwell is the executable name when the package is installed.

Command	Result and use
dirwell [directory]	Starts serve, the default command, to browse a changing local folder.
dirwell build [directory]	Writes static files and exits so you can publish them.
dirwell serve [directory]	Watches and reloads browsers in a foreground server.
dirwell dev [directory]	Alias for serve when your scripts use dev naming.
dirwell daemon start [directory]	Starts a detached server that stays up after the terminal closes.
dirwell daemon status / stop	Reads or stops that server.

The positional [directory] defaults to . and takes precedence over config root. Pass the intended source path explicitly. Paths in config resolve from --cwd, whose default is the current working directory.

Build once

pnpm dirwell build ./public -o ./dist

build writes a deployable tree. It defaults to SSG, relative URLs, and dist/ output. A successful build replaces the generated output tree, so do not put unrelated files there. Existing source index.html or index.htm files remain; their directory explorer page uses _dirwell.html when free.

To publish beneath a fixed URL prefix:

pnpm dirwell build ./public -o ./dist --mode mpa --base /downloads/ --urls base

Set --base to the path where the output will actually be served. See deployment choices for SSG, MPA, and URL trade-offs.

Watch locally

pnpm dirwell serve ./public --host 127.0.0.1 --port 4173

serve defaults to .dirwell-preview/ output, host 127.0.0.1, and port 4173. It watches source changes, rebuilds the explorer, and reloads connected browsers. --port 0 requests an available port.

Shared options

Option	Input and effect
[directory]	Source path; default .. Directory to scan; overrides config root.
--cwd	Directory path; default current working directory. Finds dirwell.config.ts and keeps daemon state here.
--mode	ssg or mpa; config or default ssg. Selects the output mode.
--urls	relative, base, or html-base; config or default relative. Selects generated link form.
--base	Root-relative path or HTTP(S) URL; config or default /. Public prefix for base and html-base URLs.
-o, --outDir	Directory path; default dist/ for build or .dirwell-preview/ for serve. Sets generated output location.

serve, dev, and daemon start also accept:

Option	Input and effect
--host	Hostname or address; default 127.0.0.1. Sets the listening interface.
-p, --port	Integer from 0 to 65535; default 4173. Sets the listening port; 0 chooses an available port.

For host and port, a CLI option wins over HOST or PORT, then config server.host or server.port. The environment variables let a process supervisor assign the listener. Other behavior such as include, exclude, sort, and theme belongs in configuration.

Detached server

pnpm dirwell daemon start ./public
pnpm dirwell daemon status
pnpm dirwell daemon stop

daemon defaults to start. State and logs live under .dirwell/ in --cwd. Use the same --cwd for status and stop that you used for start. A stale state file is reported as stopped and may be replaced by a new start.

For exact spelling and installed-version options, run dirwell build --help or dirwell serve --help.