[doc] Add note on current status of grpc_cli tool (#35675)

Closes #35675

COPYBARA_INTEGRATE_REVIEW=https://github.com/grpc/grpc/pull/35675 from yashykt:UpdateGrpcCliDoc a62de2821d
PiperOrigin-RevId: 603095922
pull/35761/head
Yash Tibrewal 10 months ago committed by Copybara-Service
parent 282cd969c9
commit c26bb28626
  1. 56
      doc/command_line_tool.md

@ -2,37 +2,44 @@
## Overview
This document describes the command line tool that comes with gRPC repository. It is desirable to have command line
tools written in other languages roughly follow the same syntax and flags.
This document describes the command line tool that comes with gRPC repository.
It is desirable to have command line tools written in other languages roughly
follow the same syntax and flags.
At this point, the tool needs to be built from source, and it should be moved out to grpc-tools repository as a stand
alone application once it is mature enough.
> [!NOTE]
> At present, the tool needs to be built from source, and it should be moved out
> to grpc-tools repository as a stand alone application once it is mature
> enough. This tool in its current state though is not up to par in its
> user-friendliness. Other tools in the ecosystem, for example,
> [grpcurl](https://github.com/fullstorydev/grpcurl) are better maintained.
## Core functionality
The command line tool can do the following things:
- Send unary rpc.
- Attach metadata and display received metadata.
- Handle common authentication to server.
- Infer request/response types from server reflection result.
- Find the request/response types from a given proto file.
- Read proto request in text form.
- Read request in wire form (for protobuf messages, this means serialized binary form).
- Display proto response in text form.
- Write response in wire form to a file.
- Send unary rpc.
- Attach metadata and display received metadata.
- Handle common authentication to server.
- Infer request/response types from server reflection result.
- Find the request/response types from a given proto file.
- Read proto request in text form.
- Read request in wire form (for protobuf messages, this means serialized
binary form).
- Display proto response in text form.
- Write response in wire form to a file.
The command line tool should support the following things:
- List server services and methods through server reflection.
- Fine-grained auth control (such as, use this oauth token to talk to the server).
- Send streaming rpc.
- List server services and methods through server reflection.
- Fine-grained auth control (such as, use this oauth token to talk to the
server).
- Send streaming rpc.
## Code location
To use the tool, you need to get the grpc repository and make sure your system
has the prerequisites for building grpc from source, given in the [installation
instructions](../BUILDING.md).
has the prerequisites for building grpc from source, given in the
[installation instructions](../BUILDING.md).
In order to build the grpc command line tool from a fresh clone of the grpc
repository, you need to run the following command to update submodules:
@ -58,10 +65,13 @@ https://github.com/grpc/grpc/blob/master/test/cpp/util/grpc_cli.cc
Most `grpc_cli` commands need the server to support server reflection. See
guides for
[Java](https://github.com/grpc/grpc-java/blob/master/documentation/server-reflection-tutorial.md#enable-server-reflection)
, [C++](https://github.com/grpc/grpc/blob/master/doc/server_reflection_tutorial.md)
and [Go](https://github.com/grpc/grpc-go/blob/master/Documentation/server-reflection-tutorial.md)
,
[C++](https://github.com/grpc/grpc/blob/master/doc/server_reflection_tutorial.md)
and
[Go](https://github.com/grpc/grpc-go/blob/master/Documentation/server-reflection-tutorial.md)
Local proto files can be used as an alternative. See instructions [below](#Call-a-remote-method).
Local proto files can be used as an alternative. See instructions
[below](#Call-a-remote-method).
## Usage
@ -176,8 +186,8 @@ We can send RPCs to a server and get responses using `grpc_cli call` command.
```
If the proto file is not under the current directory, you can use
`--proto_path` to specify new search roots
(separated by colon on Mac/Linux/Cygwin or semicolon on Windows).
`--proto_path` to specify new search roots (separated by colon on
Mac/Linux/Cygwin or semicolon on Windows).
Note that the tool will always attempt to use the reflection service first,
falling back to local proto files if the service is not found. Use

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