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Prompt Type Variants

Archetect supports multiple prompt types that work with both Single Value Prompts and Cased Map Prompts. Each type provides specialized input handling, validation, and user experience optimized for different data collection scenarios.

Overview​

All prompt types share common settings but provide specialized behavior:

  • Text: General string input with length validation
  • Bool: Boolean confirmation prompts
  • Int: Integer input with range validation
  • Select: Single choice from predefined options
  • MultiSelect: Multiple choices from predefined options
  • List: Dynamic list input where users add items
  • Editor: Multi-line text input using system editor

Text Prompt (Default)​

Return Type: String
Description: General purpose text input with optional length validation

Single Value Usage​

context.service_name = prompt("Service Name:", #{
    placeholder: "my-service",
    help: "Enter the service name",
    min: 2,
    max: 50,
    optional: false,
});

Cased Map Usage​

context += prompt("Service Name:", "service-name", #{
    cased_as: CasedIdentityCasedValue(PROGRAMMING_CASES),
    placeholder: "my-service",
    help: "Enter the service name",
    min: 2,
    max: 50,
});

Key Settings​

See Prompt Settings for complete documentation.

  • min/max - Length validation
  • placeholder - Input placeholder
  • help - User guidance
  • optional - Allow empty input

Boolean Prompt​

Return Type: bool
Description: Yes/No confirmation prompts

Single Value Usage​

context.enable_metrics = prompt("Enable metrics collection?", #{
    type: Bool,
    defaults_with: true,
    help: "Enable application monitoring",
});

Cased Map Usage​

context += prompt("Enable monitoring?", "enable-monitoring", #{
    type: Bool,
    defaults_with: true,
    help: "Enable application monitoring",
});

Key Settings​

See Prompt Settings for complete documentation.

  • defaults_with - Default boolean value
  • help - Help text explaining the choice

Integer Prompt​

Return Type: i64
Description: Numeric input with range validation

Single Value Usage​

context.port = prompt("Port Number:", #{
    type: Int,
    min: 1024,
    max: 65535,
    defaults_with: 8080,
    placeholder: "Port number",
    help: "Service port (1024-65535)",
});

Cased Map Usage​

context += prompt("Port number:", "service-port", #{
    type: Int,
    min: 1024,
    max: 65535,
    defaults_with: 8080,
    placeholder: "Port number",
    help: "Service port (1024-65535)",
});

Key Settings​

See Prompt Settings for complete documentation.

  • min/max - Value range validation
  • defaults_with - Default integer value
  • placeholder - Input placeholder
  • help - Range guidance

Select Prompt​

Return Type: String
Description: Single selection from predefined options

Single Value Usage​

context.database = prompt("Database Engine:", #{
    type: Select([
        "PostgreSQL",
        "MySQL",
        "SQLite",
        "MongoDB"
    ]),
    defaults_with: "PostgreSQL",
    help: "Choose database engine",
    page_size: 4,
});

Cased Map Usage​

context += prompt("Database type:", "database-type", #{
    type: Select([
        "PostgreSQL",
        "MySQL",
        "SQLite",
        "MongoDB"
    ]),
    defaults_with: "PostgreSQL",
    help: "Choose database engine",
    page_size: 4,
});

Key Settings​

See Prompt Settings for complete documentation.

  • defaults_with - Default selected option
  • page_size - Items per page
  • help - Choice guidance

MultiSelect Prompt​

Return Type: Array<String>
Description: Multiple selections from predefined options

Single Value Usage​

context.features = prompt("Select features to enable:", #{
    type: MultiSelect([
        "Authentication",
        "Logging",
        "Metrics",
        "Rate Limiting",
        "Caching"
    ]),
    defaults_with: ["Authentication", "Logging"],
    min_items: 1,
    max_items: 3,
    help: "Select features to enable",
    page_size: 5,
});

Cased Map Usage​

context += prompt("Features:", "enabled-features", #{
    type: MultiSelect([
        "Authentication",
        "Logging",
        "Metrics", 
        "Rate Limiting",
        "Caching"
    ]),
    defaults_with: ["Authentication", "Logging"],
    min_items: 1,
    max_items: 3,
    help: "Select features to enable",
    page_size: 5,
});

Key Settings​

See Prompt Settings for complete documentation.

  • defaults_with - Default selections array
  • min_items/max_items - Selection count limits
  • page_size - Items per page
  • help - Selection guidance

List Prompt​

Return Type: Array<String>
Description: Dynamic list where users add items one by one

Single Value Usage​

context.dependencies = prompt("Additional dependencies:", #{
    type: List,
    help: "Enter dependencies one by one (empty line to finish)",
    min_items: 0,
    max_items: 10,
});

Cased Map Usage​

context += prompt("Services:", "services", #{
    type: List,
    help: "Enter service names (empty line to finish)",
    min_items: 1,
    max_items: 10,
    cased_as: CasedIdentityCasedValue(PROGRAMMING_CASES),
});

Key Settings​

See Prompt Settings for complete documentation.

  • min_items/max_items - Item count limits
  • help - Input process guidance
  • cased_as - Case transformations (cased map prompts only)

Editor Prompt​

Return Type: String
Description: Multi-line text input using the system's default editor

Single Value Usage​

context.readme_content = prompt("README content:", #{
    type: Editor,
    placeholder: "Enter the README content...",
    help: "This will open your default editor",
    optional: true,
});

Cased Map Usage​

context += prompt("Description:", "project-description", #{
    type: Editor,
    placeholder: "Enter project description...",
    help: "Multi-line project description",
    optional: true,
});

Key Settings​

See Prompt Settings for complete documentation.

  • placeholder - Initial editor content
  • help - Editor usage guidance
  • optional - Allow empty content
  • min/max - Content length validation

Settings​

All prompt types share common settings for validation, display, and behavior. For comprehensive documentation of all available settings including detailed examples and type specifications, see Prompt Settings.

Universal Settings Summary​

  • type - Prompt type specification
  • optional - Allow empty input
  • help - User guidance text
  • defaults_with - Default values
  • answer_key - Answer integration (single value prompts)
  • cased_as - Case transformations (cased map prompts)
  • min/max - Validation constraints
  • placeholder - Input placeholders

Type Selection Guidelines​

Use Text when:​

  • Collecting general string input
  • User provides free-form text
  • Need basic length validation

Use Bool when:​

  • Simple yes/no decisions
  • Feature enable/disable flags
  • Binary configuration options

Use Int when:​

  • Numeric configuration (ports, sizes, counts)
  • Need range validation
  • Mathematical inputs

Use Select when:​

  • Predefined options only
  • Single choice required
  • Want to prevent typos

Use MultiSelect when:​

  • Multiple predefined options
  • Known set of choices
  • Want consistent option names

Use List when:​

  • Dynamic number of items
  • User-defined content
  • Flexible input requirements

Use Editor when:​

  • Multi-line text needed
  • Complex text formatting
  • Large text content

Advanced Usage​

Conditional Type Selection​

let prompt_type = if switch_enabled("simple") {
    Text
} else {
    Select(["Option1", "Option2", "Option3"])
};

context += prompt("Choose option:", "option", #{
    type: prompt_type,
});

Dynamic Option Lists​

let database_options = if switch_enabled("enterprise") {
    ["PostgreSQL", "Oracle", "SQL Server"]
} else {
    ["PostgreSQL", "MySQL", "SQLite"]
};

context += prompt("Database:", "database", #{
    type: Select(database_options),
});

See Also​