CLI reference¶

Every anvil command. Run anvil --help for the same list, or anvil <cmd> with no project to see usage hints.

Project¶

Command	What it does
`anvil init --board <name>`	Scaffold a new project in the current folder
`anvil init --board <name> --example <name>`	Scaffold from a bundled example
`anvil status`	Show project info (board, modules, SoC, bitstream)
`anvil clean`	Remove the `build/` directory

Build & program¶

Command	What it does
`anvil compile`	Build firmware (C/C++ → `ram.v`) — SoC projects only
`anvil synth`	Synthesize the bitstream
`anvil build`	`compile` + `synth`
`anvil rebuild`	`clean` + `compile` + `synth`
`anvil program`	Flash the bitstream to the board

Output bitstream: build/<target>/top.bit.

Simulation¶

Command	What it does
`anvil test tb/<tb>.{v,sv} [src …]`	Compile + run a testbench (Icarus Verilog); writes `tb/<name>.vcd`

Modules¶

Command	What it does
`anvil modules`	List available modules (and which are in this project)
`anvil addmodule <name> …`	Add module(s) + their dependencies
`anvil removemodule <name> …`	Remove module(s) (refuses if still depended on)
`anvil installmodule`	Install the current directory as a reusable module

See the module system for how modules and dependencies work.

Boards & examples¶

Command	What it does
`anvil boards`	List supported boards
`anvil examples --board <name>`	List examples for a board

Toolchain¶

Command	What it does
`anvil doctor`	Check that all external tools are installed
`anvil update`	Update the whole toolchain (Anvil + dependencies)
`anvil version`	Print the installed Anvil version

anvil update re-runs the installer (idempotent); the long integration build is skipped by default. Pass flags through, e.g. anvil update --minimal.

For the file formats these commands read (config.json, module.json, soc.json, boards.json), see the Anvil internals.