CLI Usage

Entry points

• packaged CLI: prometheus-lua
• source CLI: lua ./cli.lua

Both call the same CLI implementation (src/cli.lua).

Basic usage

prometheus-lua --preset Medium ./input.lua

Output file behavior

If --out is not provided:

• input.lua -> input.obfuscated.lua
• input -> input.obfuscated.lua

Common workflows

Use a preset:

prometheus-lua --preset Strong ./src/main.lua

Use a custom config file:

prometheus-lua --config ./prometheus.config.lua ./src/main.lua

Force Lua target:

prometheus-lua --preset Medium --LuaU ./src/main.lua

Enable pretty output:

prometheus-lua --preset Minify --pretty ./src/main.lua

Generate a source map with embedded source text:

prometheus-lua --preset Medium --out ./output.lua --source-map ./output.lua.map ./src/main.lua

Use the map to rewrite a traceback saved in a file:

prometheus-lua trace --map ./output.lua.map ./traceback.txt

trace also accepts - as the traceback path to read from standard input:

lua ./output.lua 2>&1 | prometheus-lua trace --map ./output.lua.map -

The map embeds the original source by default. To omit it, add --source-map-no-sources; trace will then look for source files relative to the map file and its optional sourceRoot. The trace formatter appends source excerpts around resolved locations. It recognizes Lua file:line: locations and Luau Script 'file', Line N locations, while leaving C frames and paths that do not match the map's generated file unchanged.

If a custom config sets SourceMap = true, the CLI writes <output-file>.map by default. Passing --source-map <path> overrides that sidecar path.

Notes

• Unknown --... options are ignored with a warning.
• If no config/preset is passed, Prometheus falls back to Minify.
• update command uses the official installer script from GitHub.
• Source map line mappings are approximate because generated and original code do not have a one-to-one line relationship. Compact and pretty output can have different unmapped lines; the formatter only maps exact generated lines that have a source map segment.
• VM implementation lines use explicit prometheus-internal://VM/... source labels in the displayed trace. Generated lines without mappings retain their generated location.
• AntiTamper is skipped when source maps are enabled, with a warning, because its generated checks are incompatible with source map output.