CLI and deno.json quick reference

Command map

Goal	Command
Version / help	`deno --version` / `deno help <command>`
Initialize	`deno init` / `deno init --serve`
Run an entry	`deno run [permissions] main.ts`
Run a task	`deno task <name>`
Add / remove dependency	`deno install <pkg>` / `deno uninstall <pkg>`
Reproducible CI install	`deno ci` / `deno ci --prod`
List / audit dependencies	`deno list` / `deno audit`
Inspect module graph	`deno info main.ts`
Format / lint	`deno fmt` / `deno lint`
Type-check	`deno check main.ts`
Test / coverage	`deno test` / `deno test --coverage`
Generate docs	`deno doc`
Compile / bundle	`deno compile` / `deno bundle`
Build a desktop app	`deno desktop` (2.9+)
Deploy to Deno Deploy	`deno deploy`
Publish to JSR	`deno publish --dry-run` / `deno publish`
Upgrade Deno	`deno upgrade`

Minimal configuration

{
  "tasks": {
    "dev": "deno run --watch --allow-net --allow-env=PORT main.ts",
    "check": "deno fmt --check && deno lint && deno check **/*.ts && deno test"
  },
  "imports": {
    "@std/assert": "jsr:@std/assert@^1.0.0"
  },
  "lint": { "rules": { "tags": ["recommended"] } },
  "fmt": { "lineWidth": 100 }
}

Add only keys verified against the current deno.json reference and required by the repository.

Troubleshooting order

Record deno --version, OS, and architecture.
Identify the effective deno.json(c) and workspace root. Use deno info <entry> and deno task to observe actual resolution and tasks instead of guessing merged configuration.
Inspect deno task and deno info <entry>; do not guess the entry or graph.
Separate permission denial, module resolution, type error, runtime exception, and platform failure.
Build a minimal reproduction, then query current official docs and issues.

Official references: CLI and deno.json.