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name mendix-mxcli
displayName Mendix MxCLI Development
description AI-assisted Mendix development using MxCLI and MDL (Mendix Definition Language). Build domain models, microflows, pages, security, navigation, and more — all from the command line.
keywords
mendix
mxcli
mdl
microflow
nanoflow
entity
domain model
page
datagrid
gallery
snippet
module
enumeration
association
xpath
oql
atlas
mendix studio
mpr
lint
security
navigation
crud
author Mendix MxCLI Power

Mendix MxCLI Power

This power gives Kiro deep knowledge of Mendix development via MxCLI and MDL (Mendix Definition Language). It covers the full development lifecycle: domain modelling, microflows, pages, security, navigation, integrations, testing, and quality assessment.

Using Mendix via MCP instead? If your project uses the Mendix Studio Pro MCP server, use the Mendix MCP Power instead. This power is specifically for MxCLI/MDL-based development.

Onboarding

Step 1: Verify MxCLI is available

MxCLI is a local binary in the project root. Always use the local path — never rely on a system PATH entry.

./mxcli --version

If this fails, the binary may not be present or executable. Check the project root for mxcli (or mxcli.exe on Windows).

Step 2: Connect to the project

All MxCLI commands require the -p flag pointing to the .mpr file:

./mxcli -p MyApp.mpr -c "SHOW MODULES"

To find the .mpr file:

ls *.mpr

Step 3: Explore the project structure

./mxcli -p MyApp.mpr -c "SHOW STRUCTURE DEPTH 2"
./mxcli -p MyApp.mpr -c "SHOW MODULES"

Step 4: Understand the MDL script workflow

MDL scripts live in mdlsource/. The workflow is always:

  1. Write script to mdlsource/my-script.mdl using fsWrite + fsAppend
  2. Validate: ./mxcli check mdlsource/my-script.mdl -p MyApp.mpr --references
  3. Fix any errors in the same file (never create a new file)
  4. Execute: ./mxcli exec mdlsource/my-script.mdl -p MyApp.mpr

Step 5: Add the post-task test hook (optional)

For projects with Playwright tests, add this hook to .kiro/hooks/run-tests-after-task.kiro.hook:

{
  "enabled": true,
  "name": "Run Tests After Task",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Run Playwright tests after each spec task completes",
  "when": {
    "type": "postTaskExecution"
  },
  "then": {
    "type": "runCommand",
    "command": "npx playwright test --reporter=list"
  }
}

Steering Instructions

When to Load Steering Files

Load the appropriate steering file(s) based on what you're working on:

Domain Model

Working on... Load this steering file
Domain model, entities, associations, enumerations generate-domain-model.md, mdl-entities.md

Microflows & Logic

Working on... Load this steering file
Microflows, nanoflows, ACT_, SUB_, DS_, VAL_ write-microflows.md, cheatsheet-variables.md
Validation microflows (VAL_) validation-microflows.md
CRUD patterns patterns-crud.md
Data processing (loops, aggregates, batch) patterns-data-processing.md
XPath constraints xpath-constraints.md
Debugging MDL errors, syntax issues cheatsheet-errors.md, check-syntax.md

Pages & UI

Working on... Load this steering file
Pages, widgets, DATAGRID, GALLERY, DATAVIEW create-page.md
Overview/list pages overview-pages.md
Master-detail layouts master-detail-pages.md
Modifying existing pages alter-page.md
Bulk widget updates bulk-widget-updates.md
Fragments (reusable widget groups) fragments.md
Custom widgets (using existing) custom-widgets.md
Building a new custom widget create-custom-widget.md

Security & Navigation

Working on... Load this steering file
Security roles, GRANT, REVOKE, access rules manage-security.md
Navigation profiles, menus, home pages manage-navigation.md

Data & Configuration

Working on... Load this steering file
Demo data, seed data, IMPORT FROM demo-data.md
Project settings, AfterStartup, constants project-settings.md
Project organisation, folders, MOVE organize-project.md
Writing MDL script files (fsWrite/fsAppend pattern) mdl-file-writing.md

Integrations

Working on... Load this steering file
REST API consumption rest-client.md, rest-call-from-json.md
JSON structures and mappings json-structures-and-mappings.md
OData services odata-data-sharing.md
External database connections database-connections.md
Business events business-events.md
Java actions java-actions.md
Choosing integration approach browse-integrations.md
RapidMiner / SPARQL graph connect-rapidminer-graph.md
AI agents (GenAI, MCP) agents.md

Quality, Testing & Infrastructure

Working on... Load this steering file
Lint, quality assessment, best practices report assess-quality.md, write-lint-rules.md
OQL queries, VIEW entities write-oql-queries.md
Verifying data with OQL verify-with-oql.md
Playwright UI tests test-app.md
Microflow unit tests test-microflows.md
Docker build and run docker-workflow.md, run-app.md
Runtime admin API (M2EE) runtime-admin-api.md
System module entities system-module.md
Theme and SCSS styling theme-styling.md
BSON debugging debug-bson.md

Migration

Working on... Load this steering file
Migration assessment (any technology) assess-migration.md
K2 / Nintex migration migrate-k2-nintex.md
Oracle Forms migration migrate-oracle-forms.md

Core Principles (Always Apply)

0. Confirm the approach: MxCLI vs MCP

This power is for MxCLI/MDL workflows only. If the user mentions MCP, Studio Pro MCP server, or wants Kiro to talk directly to Studio Pro through an MCP client, stop and point them to the Mendix MCP Power instead. Do not use MxCLI commands or MDL syntax for MCP-based workflows.

1. Always use the local mxcli binary

./mxcli -p MyApp.mpr    # ✅ correct
mxcli -p MyApp.mpr      # ❌ will fail

2. Always validate before executing

./mxcli check mdlsource/script.mdl -p MyApp.mpr --references

3. Always quote identifiers in MDL

Double-quote all entity names, attribute names, parameter names, and association names. Quotes are stripped automatically and prevent reserved keyword conflicts.

CREATE PERSISTENT ENTITY "MyModule"."Customer" (
  "Name": String(200),
  "Status": String(50)
);

4. Never show raw MDL in chat

Describe changes in plain language. Only show MDL if the user explicitly asks.

5. Use Administration.Account for user associations

Never use System.User as an association target. Always use Administration.Account.

6. Write MDL files in chunks

fsWrite truncates beyond ~50 lines. Always use fsWrite for the first ~40 lines, then fsAppend for subsequent chunks. See mdl-file-writing.md.

License and support

This power integrates with MxCLI (Apache-2.0).