> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://quantumphp.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://quantumphp.gitbook.io/docs/packages/console/architecture.md).

# Architecture

The Console package follows a simple flow:

1. define a command class by extending `CliCommand`
2. let the console application construct the command
3. let Symfony inject parsed input and output objects at runtime
4. run the command's `exec()` method

## Command lifecycle

`CliCommand` uses protected properties to describe the command:

* `$name`
* `$description`
* `$help`
* `$args`
* `$options`

When the command is constructed, the base class passes the name to Symfony and applies description and help text if they exist.

Later, Symfony calls `configure()`, and the base class translates `$args` and `$options` into real Symfony arguments and options.

When the user runs the command, `execute()` stores the current input and output objects and then calls `exec()`.

## Input model

Arguments and options are declared as arrays, not by overriding Symfony methods directly.

Supported argument modes are:

* `required`
* `optional`
* `array`

Supported option modes are:

* `none`
* `required`
* `optional`
* `array`

That keeps custom commands short, but it also means the declaration format must match what `CliCommand` expects.

## Discovery model

`CommandDiscovery::discover($directory, $namespace)` scans the given directory, resolves class names, and returns metadata for each valid command.

A class is included only when all of these are true:

* the class exists
* the class is instantiable
* the class extends `CliCommand`

For each matching class, discovery returns:

* `class`
* `name`
* `description`
* `help`

Because discovery instantiates the command just to read that metadata, constructors should stay lightweight and safe to run during command listing or bootstrap.

## Built-in command pattern

The built-in commands are thin wrappers around other packages. For example:

* `cron:run` delegates to the Cron package
* `migration:*` delegates to the Migration package
* `route:list` builds routes through Module and Router
* `cache:clear` clears resource cache through Loader, Config, and Storage

That makes Console an orchestration layer rather than a separate application runtime.


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