This example demonstrates building complex interactive CLI workflows with multi-level menu navigation, breadcrumb tracking, and robust error handling.

• Creating hierarchical menu systems with navigation
• Building multi-level interactive interfaces
• State management and breadcrumb tracking
• Error handling with retry limits
• User experience best practices
• Navigation commands and keyboard shortcuts

• InteractiveMenuCommand.php - Complete multi-level menu system with navigation
• main.php - Application entry point
• README.md - This documentation

# Start the interactive menu system
php main.php menu

# Start in a specific section
php main.php menu --section=users      # User Management
php main.php menu --section=settings   # System Settings  
php main.php menu --section=reports    # Reports & Analytics
php main.php menu --section=tools      # Tools & Utilities

• Numbers (1-9): Select menu options
• back or b: Go to previous menu
• home or h: Go to main menu
• exit or q: Quit application
• 0: Exit from main menu

• Hierarchical menus: 3+ levels deep (Main → Settings → System Config)
• Breadcrumb tracking: Shows current location path
• Menu stack management: Maintains navigation history
• Quick section access: Jump directly to sections via arguments

• Failed attempts counter: Max 5 invalid inputs before exit
• Graceful degradation: Clear error messages with attempt count
• Counter reset: Resets on valid input to allow recovery
• Infinite loop prevention: Automatic exit after too many failures

• ANSI colors and icons: Rich visual interface
• Clear navigation hints: Instructions shown on startup
• Consistent layout: Standardized menu formatting
• Responsive feedback: Immediate validation and error messages

• Menu stack: Tracks navigation path for back/home functionality
• Breadcrumbs: Visual indication of current location
• Session persistence: Maintains state throughout navigation
• Context awareness: Different options based on current menu

🎛️  Interactive Menu System
========================

💡 Navigation Tips:
   • Enter number to select option
   • Type 'back' or 'b' to go back
   • Type 'home' or 'h' to go to main menu
   • Type 'exit' or 'q' to quit

Press Enter to continue...

📍 Current: Main Menu

📋 Main Menu:

  1. 👥 User Management
  2. ⚙️  System Settings
  3. 📊 Reports & Analytics
  4. 🔧 Tools & Utilities
  5. ❓ Help & Documentation

  0. 🚪 Exit

Your choice: 2

📍 Current: Main Menu > System Settings

⚙️  System Settings:

  1. 🖥️  System Configuration
  2. 🎨 Appearance Settings
  3. 🔐 Security Settings
  4. 📧 Email Configuration
  5. 🗄️  Database Settings
  6. 📝 Logging Configuration

  9. ⬅️  Back to Main Menu

Your choice: 1

📍 Current: Main Menu > System Settings > System Configuration

🖥️  System Configuration
======================

Current Settings:
   • Application Name: MyApp
   • Version: 1.0.0
   • Environment: Development
   • Debug Mode: Enabled
   • Timezone: UTC

  1. Change Application Name
  2. Update Environment
  3. Toggle Debug Mode
  4. Set Timezone
  5. Reset to Defaults

  9. ⬅️  Back to Settings

Your choice: back

Your choice: 99
Error: Invalid choice. Please try again. (1/5)
Press Enter to continue...

Your choice: abc
Error: Invalid choice. Please enter a number or command. (2/5)
Press Enter to continue...

Your choice: 999
Error: Invalid choice. Please try again. (3/5)
Press Enter to continue...

Your choice: invalid
Error: Invalid choice. Please enter a number or command. (4/5)
Press Enter to continue...

Your choice: wrong
Error: Invalid choice. Please enter a number or command. (5/5)
Error: Too many invalid attempts. Exiting...

👋 Thank you for using the Interactive Menu System!
Have a great day!

Your choice: back
# Goes to previous menu

Your choice: home  
# Goes to main menu

Your choice: q
# Exits application

Your choice: exit
# Also exits application

echo -e "\n1\n2\n9\n0" | php main.php menu
# Navigate: Main → Users → Create User → Back → Exit

echo -e "\n2\n1\nback\nhome\nq" | php main.php menu  
# Navigate: Main → Settings → Config → Back → Home → Quit

echo -e "\n2\n99\n99\n99\n99\n99" | php main.php menu
# Test: Settings → 5 invalid inputs → Auto-exit

php main.php menu --section=settings
# Start directly in System Settings

echo -e "\n2\nb\nh\nexit" | php main.php menu
# Test: Settings → back → home → exit

1. PHP Warning: Minor undefined array key warning in user creation form (line 259)
2. Input Handling: Some forms may not handle all edge cases perfectly
3. Display: ANSI colors may not work in all terminal environments

• InteractiveMenuCommand: Main command class with navigation logic
• Menu stack management with $menuStack and $breadcrumbs arrays
• Failed attempts tracking with $failedTries counter (max 5)
• State management for multi-level navigation

• handleMenuChoice(): Processes user input and navigation
• navigateTo(): Manages menu transitions and breadcrumbs
• goBack() / goHome(): Navigation utilities
• invalidChoice(): Error handling with retry counter
• displayCurrentMenu(): Renders current menu state

• Input validation with retry limits
• Graceful exit after 5 failed attempts
• Counter reset on valid input for recovery
• Clear error messages with attempt tracking

1. Add Search Functionality

private function searchMenus(string $query): array {
    // Search across all menu items
    return $this->findMatchingItems($query);
}

2. Implement Bookmarks

private function bookmarkCurrentLocation(): void {
    $this->bookmarks[] = [
        'path' => $this->breadcrumbs,
        'menu' => end($this->menuStack)
    ];
}

3. Add Themes Support

private function setTheme(string $theme): void {
    $this->colors = match($theme) {
        'dark' => ['bg' => 'black', 'text' => 'white'],
        'light' => ['bg' => 'white', 'text' => 'black'],
        default => $this->defaultColors
    };
}

4. Implement Menu History

private function showHistory(): void {
    foreach ($this->navigationHistory as $item) {
        $this->println("• {$item['timestamp']}: {$item['path']}");
    }
}

5. Add Context-Sensitive Help

private function showContextHelp(): void {
    $currentMenu = end($this->menuStack);
    $help = $this->getHelpForMenu($currentMenu);
    $this->displayHelp($help);
}

1. State Management: Proper tracking of navigation state and user context
2. Error Recovery: Graceful handling of invalid input with retry limits
3. User Experience: Clear feedback, consistent interface, helpful navigation
4. Code Organization: Separation of concerns, modular menu handlers
5. Extensibility: Easy to add new menus and navigation features

• Database Integration: Store user preferences and navigation history
• Configuration System: Customizable menu layouts and themes
• Plugin Architecture: Dynamically loaded menu modules
• API Integration: Menus that interact with external services
• Logging System: Track user interactions and menu usage analytics

• 01-basic-hello-world: Simple command structure
• 02-arguments-and-options: Command arguments
• 03-user-input: Input validation and handling
• 04-output-formatting: ANSI colors and formatting

• 01-basic-hello-world - Basic command structure
• 03-user-input - User input and validation fundamentals
• 04-output-formatting - ANSI colors and formatting

• 11-masked-input - Secure input for sensitive operations
• 02-arguments-and-options - Command arguments and options

• 06-table-display - Display data in formatted tables
• 07-progress-bars - Visual progress indicators

• 10-multi-command-app - Full CLI applications with menus
• 09-database-ops - Database management with interactive menus
• 08-file-processing - File operations with user interaction

• 12-command-scaffolding - Generate interactive commands automatically