CLI Reference

Commands

`axm-anvil move`

Move top-level symbols (classes, functions, constants) between Python files through a validated batch plus optional Ruff post-processing. Wraps the MoveTool MCP tool.

Bash

axm-anvil move <from_file> <to_file> <symbols> [--dry-run] [--check] [--strict] [--path <root>] [--shared-helpers <strategy>] [--reexport] [--rename '<json>'] [--insert-after <symbol>] [--no-include-helpers] [--side-effect-decorators '<csv>']

Argument	Description
`from_file`	Source Python file path
`to_file`	Target Python file path
`symbols`	Comma-separated symbol names to move
`--dry-run`	Preview the move without writing files
`--check`	Simulate the move, including import-cycle detection, without writing. Fails with `ImportCycleError` if the move would introduce a new cycle
`--strict`	Fail (non-zero exit) on a requested symbol that is absent from the source module instead of skipping it with a warning. Default (`--no-strict`) skips an absent symbol and records a warning
`--path`	Workspace root (default: `.`)
`--shared-helpers`	Strategy when a helper is used by both moved and remaining symbols: `duplicate` (default, copies the helper and emits a warning) or `error` (abort with `SharedHelpersError`)
`--reexport`	Leave callers untouched; inject `from new_module import <Symbol> # re-export for backwards compat` into the source module for gradual migration
`--rename`	JSON object string mapping old symbol names to new ones (e.g. `'{"OldName": "NewName"}'`). Renames moved definitions and rewrites supported caller references to the new name. Incompatible with `--reexport`
`--insert-after`	Name of an existing top-level symbol in the target module; moved blocks are spliced immediately after it. Omitted (default) appends the blocks at the end of the target; naming an absent symbol appends at the end and records a warning on `MovePlan.warnings`. Imports and constants keep their usual end-of-file placement regardless
`--include-helpers` / `--no-include-helpers`	Whether to copy transitively-referenced local helpers and constants into the target. `--include-helpers` (default) copies private helper symbols alongside the moved symbol. `--no-include-helpers` leaves the moved code referencing those helpers without copying them, short-circuits the `--shared-helpers` classification, and records a `include_helpers=False: not copied into target: <names>` warning on `MovePlan.warnings`. Imports required by the moved code are always copied regardless
`--side-effect-decorators`	Comma-separated extra side-effect decorator dotted-names (e.g. `'mylib.register'`) that extend the built-in `SIDE_EFFECT_DECORATORS` whitelist (an internal constant; see limits). When a moved symbol carries a matching decorator, a non-blocking warning is recorded on `MovePlan.warnings`; the warning alone does not block the move

Generic AXM commands

axm anvil_move, axm anvil_rename and axm anvil_extract use installed axm.tools entry points. Their flags derive from execute; use --help on that command for the installed schema. The dedicated axm-anvil binary has only move. See MCP/dispatcher examples.

Bash

axm anvil_move --help
axm anvil_rename --help
axm anvil_extract --help

The generic CLI supports --json-output (data only); the dedicated move command emits compact text and has no JSON option. Tool failures exit non-zero with stderr; successful no-ops and warning-bearing results still exit zero.

Python API

See root exports and signatures and operation contracts for the complete result fields, path semantics, errors and defaults. The write guarantees apply to both interfaces. Preview plans list potential files, not evidence of writes, and extract's file list omits callers. Unsupported kwargs may be ignored by tool wrappers.