---
title: format cli command
description: Fix common formatting issues (irregular spacing, trailing whitespace) across documentation files. 
url: https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/docs-builder/cli/format
products:
  - Elastic Docs Builder
---

# format cli command
```bash
docs-builder format [options]
```

<cli-modifiers>
</cli-modifiers>

Fix common formatting issues (irregular spacing, trailing whitespace) across documentation files.

## Options

<definitions>
  <definition term="-p --path string">
    Documentation root. Defaults to cwd.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--[no-]check">
    Report files that need formatting without modifying them. Exits 1 when any file is out of format.
    **Default:** `false`
  </definition>
  <definition term="--[no-]write">
    Apply formatting changes in place.
    **Default:** `false`
  </definition>
  <definition term="-l --log-level enum">
    Minimum log level.
    **Values:** trace, debug, information, warning, error, critical, none
    **Default:** `information`
  </definition>
  <definition term="-c --config-source enum">
    Override the configuration source: local, remote
    **Values:** local, remote, embedded
  </definition>
  <definition term="--[no-]skip-private-repositories">
    Skip cloning private repositories
  </definition>
</definitions>