a CLI that lets designers argue with the dead.
describe your work. get feedback from people who defined the standards — and who would have hated most of what you've made.
npm install -g maestro-cli
or run directly:
npx maestro-cli --voice rams
maestro --voice rams
maestro --typeface baskerville
maestro --debate rams vignelli
maestro --list
each session starts with three questions before any feedback. answer them. the feedback lands differently when you've had to articulate the problem first.
sessions save to ~/.maestro/sessions/
type /save during a session to save a checkpoint.
type /quit or /q to end.
rams product, reduction. "what have you removed?"
vignelli grid, type, identity. "how many typefaces?"
eames systems, joy. "does it do what it says honestly?"
morris craft, ethics. "who benefits from this existing?"
albers colour, perception. "what does it do next to its neighbour?"
rand identity, simplicity. "does it work in black?"
tschichold typography, hierarchy. "could it work without colour?"
tufte data, clarity. "what is the data-ink ratio?"
warde type as vessel. "do they notice the type or the meaning?"
bringhurst rhythm, proportion. "what is the measure?"
baskerville john baskerville, 1757. legibility, contrast.
futura paul renner, 1927. geometry as democracy.
helvetica max miedinger, 1957. neutrality as intention.
gill-sans eric gill, 1928. humanist geometry.
garamond claude garamond, 1530s. the page as breath.
univers adrian frutiger, 1957. the system.
akzidenz anon, berthold, 1898. function before authorship.
voice — describe your work. the voice asks three questions before giving any feedback. you answer. they give their verdict.
typeface — describe how you're using the typeface. the designer reviews it from their documented position.
debate — two voices in the room. you describe your work. they argue about it. you moderate.
not a validator. not a generator. not a yes machine. a resistance tool. it slows you down deliberately.
run maestro --voice rams and it will walk you through setup on first run. pick your provider, paste your key.
or set an environment variable:
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
# or
export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
both work. if both are set, anthropic is used by default.
override with --provider openai or --provider anthropic.
config saves to ~/.maestro/config.json
MIT
made by stanley wood