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VectorLint runs from the command line. You invoke it against one or more files and it prints findings to standard output. This page is the complete reference for all commands, flags, and exit behavior.

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Basic usage

vectorlint [flags] <file> [files...]
Run a check against one file: 
vectorlint doc.md
Run against multiple files or a glob pattern: 
vectorlint content/docs/**/*.md

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Commands

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vectorlint init

Initializes VectorLint in your project. Generates configuration files based on the mode you choose. 
vectorlint init
Creates two files:
FileLocationPurpose
.vectorlint.iniProject rootFile patterns, rule packs, strictness overrides
config.toml~/.vectorlint/LLM provider API keys

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--quick flag

vectorlint init --quick
Zero-config mode. Creates only a VECTORLINT.md file in your project root. VectorLint detects it automatically and creates a “Style Guide Compliance” rule from its contents — no .vectorlint.ini required.

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vectorlint --help

Prints available commands and flags. 
vectorlint --help

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Flags

FlagDescription
--helpPrint help and exit
--versionPrint the installed VectorLint version and exit

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Output

VectorLint prints findings to standard output. Each finding includes the rule that triggered it, the location in the file, the specific violation, and a suggested fix. A file with no violations produces no output.

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Exit codes

CodeMeaning
0No violations found — all files passed
1One or more violations found
Exit codes make VectorLint suitable for CI pipelines. A non-zero exit blocks a merge when content fails quality checks. See CI Integration for setup examples.

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Environment variables

VectorLint reads configuration from environment variables in addition to config files. Project-level .env values take precedence over the global config.toml.
VariableDefaultDescription
LLM_PROVIDER—LLM provider to use: openai, anthropic, gemini, azure
OPENAI_API_KEY—API key for OpenAI
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY—API key for Anthropic
GEMINI_API_KEY—API key for Google Gemini
AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY—API key for Azure OpenAI
SEARCH_PROVIDER—Search provider for technical-accuracy evaluator: perplexity
PERPLEXITY_API_KEY—API key for Perplexity search
CONFIDENCE_THRESHOLD0.75PAT pipeline confidence gate. Lower surfaces more findings; higher surfaces fewer.
For the full environment variable reference see Environment variables.