command_line_interface.md

title	Command line interface
description	An overview of Deno's command-line interface: running scripts, common flags, and key subcommands.
oldUrl	/manual/getting_started/command_line_interface /runtime/manual/getting_started/command_line_interface/ /runtime/fundamentals/command_line_interface/ /runtime/manual/tools/

The Deno CLI lets you run scripts, manage dependencies, run tests, format code, and more. You can view all available commands by running:

deno help

For detailed documentation on every subcommand and flag, see the CLI reference guide.

Running scripts

Run a local TypeScript or JavaScript file:

deno run main.ts

You can also pipe code from stdin:

cat main.ts | deno run -

Permissions

By default, Deno runs programs in a sandbox without access to disk, network, or environment. Use --allow-* flags to grant access:

# Allow network and file read access
deno run --allow-net --allow-read server.ts

# Grant all permissions (not recommended for production)
deno run -A server.ts

Learn more about permissions and security.

Script arguments

Arguments passed after the script name are available via Deno.args:

$ deno run main.ts arg1 arg2 arg3
[ "arg1", "arg2", "arg3" ]

:::caution

Deno flags must come before the script name. Anything after the script name is treated as a script argument, not a Deno flag:

# Good — grants net permission
deno run --allow-net server.ts

# Bad — --allow-net is passed to Deno.args instead
deno run server.ts --allow-net

:::

Watch mode

Use --watch to automatically restart on file changes during development:

deno run --watch server.ts
deno test --watch

Key subcommands

Command	Description
deno run	Execute a script
deno serve	Run an HTTP server
deno test	Run tests
deno fmt	Format source code
deno lint	Lint source code
deno check	Type-check without running
deno add	Add a dependency to deno.json
deno install	Install dependencies
deno compile	Compile to a standalone binary
deno task	Run a task defined in deno.json
deno doc	Generate documentation

Each command has its own flags — run deno <command> --help for details, or browse the CLI reference.