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Dora CLI Mode

Dora CLI mode is a special execution mode of the Dora engine executable. When the command-line arguments include cli, the executable switches from running the normal engine startup flow to running the minimum required Dora game development helper environment.

In this mode, Dora does not start the normal game runtime. It only loads the CLI Lua script and the minimum helper capabilities needed for command-line development tasks. It is intended to work together with a running Dora SSR engine and Web IDE.

CLI mode is supported on Windows, macOS, and Linux only.

Use Dora in the examples below as the Dora executable name. If it is not on PATH, replace it with the full executable path.

1. Start Dora SSR​

Start Dora SSR normally and keep the Web IDE available. Most CLI commands call the Web IDE HTTP service, so pass the host shown by the Web IDE if it is not 127.0.0.1.

If you are working with the local engine and the service is not running, doctor --fix can start the native Dora engine for the current desktop platform. If the Web IDE is not connected, it waits briefly for an existing browser tab to reconnect before opening http://localhost:8866 in the local browser.

Dora cli --help

Use --asset as a global option when the CLI should use a different Dora asset root. The option can be placed before or after cli:

Dora --asset /path/to/Assets cli status
Dora cli status --asset /path/to/Assets

Common connection options:

--host 127.0.0.1
--port 8866
--timeout 10

Check the local service:

Dora cli status
Dora cli doctor
Dora cli doctor --fix

status reports the current service state. doctor reports the same core state with recovery hints. doctor --fix can start the local native engine and open the Web IDE when needed.

Read the latest engine logs:

Dora cli log
Dora cli log -n 100

log prints the latest 100 log lines by default. Use -n to choose another positive line count.

2. Command Reference​

The command list from Dora cli --help:

Usage: dora cli <command> [options]

Commands:
  ts install [-p project] [-l zh-Hans|en]
  wa install [-p project]
  build [-p project] [-f file] [--lang all|ts|yue|tl|xml|wa|yarn]
  run [-p project] [--entry init.lua]
  buildrun [-p project] [-f file] [--lang ...] [--entry init.lua]
  stop
  status [-p project]
  doctor [-p project] [--fix]
  log [-n lines]
  rust build [-p project]
  rust run <target-path> [-p project]
  rust upload <target-path> [-p project] [--run]

Connection options: --host, --port, --timeout

Use -h or --help after a grouped command for details:

Dora cli ts --help
Dora cli wa install -h
Dora cli rust run --help

3. TypeScript and Script Projects​

Install TypeScript support. On a new project this creates tsconfig.json and writes Dora API definitions under API. On an existing project it refreshes the API definitions and keeps an existing tsconfig.json unchanged.

Dora cli ts install -p /path/to/project -l en

Build the project. When the language is not specified, Dora CLI scans supported source files and builds or checks each one by extension. Use --lang only when you want to build one language family.

Dora cli build -p /path/to/project
Dora cli build --lang ts -p /path/to/project
Dora cli build --lang yarn -p /path/to/project
Dora cli build -f src/main.ts -p /path/to/project

Run or stop the project:

Dora cli run -p /path/to/project
Dora cli run --entry Script/main.lua -p /path/to/project
Dora cli stop

Build and run in one command:

Dora cli buildrun -p /path/to/project
Dora cli buildrun -f src/main.ts -p /path/to/project

Supported build languages are all, ts, yue, tl, xml, wa, and yarn. all is the default. Yarn files are checked through the same build command, so a project build can report Yarn syntax errors together with the other source files.

4. Wa Projects​

Install Wa support. On a new project this writes wa.mod, src/main.wa, and vendor/dora using the Dora engine's current Wa bindings. On an existing Wa project it refreshes vendor/dora.

Dora cli wa install -p /path/to/wa-project --host 127.0.0.1
cd /path/to/wa-project

Update vendor/dora later when the engine version changes:

Dora cli wa install --host 127.0.0.1

Build with the common build command:

Dora cli build --host 127.0.0.1

Run with the common run command:

Dora cli run --host 127.0.0.1

Wa projects for Dora SSR should use the Wa compiler integrated in the engine. Do not build Dora Wa projects with a separately installed Wa toolchain.

5. Rust WASM Projects​

Build a Rust WASM project with the local Rust toolchain:

Dora cli rust build -p /path/to/rust-project

Build, upload, and run it in a Dora resource tree folder:

Dora cli rust run Hello --host 127.0.0.1 -p /path/to/rust-project

Upload an already-built WASM file, optionally running it after upload:

Dora cli rust upload Hello --host 127.0.0.1 -p /path/to/rust-project
Dora cli rust upload Hello --run --host 127.0.0.1 -p /path/to/rust-project

Hello must already exist in the Dora SSR resource tree.