diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
index 3ca364736..c34ff4c2f 100644
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -194,6 +194,12 @@ def broken_state():
     cfg.config_setup()
     return cfg
 
+
+@fixture(scope='function')
+def default_test_cache_state(test_cache):
+    cfg = ConfigState(cache=test_cache)
+    cfg.config_setup()
+    return cfg
  
 # ==============================================================================
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index c1c09881c..594bebb97 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ markers = [
   "substitutions",
   "bestrefs",
   "reftypes",
+  "cmdline",
 ]
 
 [tool.setuptools_scm]
diff --git a/test/core/test_cmdline.py b/test/core/test_cmdline.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a487af7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/core/test_cmdline.py
@@ -0,0 +1,327 @@
+from pytest import mark
+import os
+import logging
+from crds.core import cmdline, utils, log
+from crds.core import config as crds_config
+from crds.core.cmdline import Script, ContextsScript, UniqueErrorsMixin
+from crds.list import ListScript
+log.THE_LOGGER.logger.propagate=True
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_valid_and_invalid_dataset(default_shared_state, hst_data):
+    """
+    command line parameter checking filter for dataset files  plausibility only.
+    """
+    try:
+        cmdline.dataset("foo.nothing")
+    except ValueError:
+        assert True
+    fpath = cmdline.dataset(f"{hst_data}/j8bt05njq_raw.fits")
+    assert fpath == f"{hst_data}/j8bt05njq_raw.fits"
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_valid_and_invalid_mapping(default_shared_state, hst_data):
+    """
+    command line parameter checking filter for mapping files.
+    """
+    try:
+        cmdline.mapping("foo.fits")
+    except AssertionError:
+        assert True
+    mp = cmdline.mapping("hst.pmap")
+    assert mp == 'hst.pmap'
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_context_spec(default_shared_state):
+    ctx1 = cmdline.context_spec("hst_0042.pmap")
+    assert ctx1 == 'hst_0042.pmap'
+
+    ctx2 = cmdline.context_spec("hst.pmap")
+    assert ctx2 == 'hst.pmap'
+
+    ctx3 = cmdline.context_spec("hst-2040-01-29T12:00:00")
+    assert ctx3 == 'hst-2040-01-29T12:00:00'
+
+    try:
+        cmdline.context_spec("hst-acs-2040-01-29T12:00:00")
+    except AssertionError:
+        assert True
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_observatory_valid_and_invalid(default_shared_state):
+    obs = cmdline.observatory("hst")
+    assert obs == 'hst'
+
+    obs = cmdline.observatory("jwst")
+    assert obs == 'jwst'
+
+    try:
+        cmdline.observatory("foo")
+    except AssertionError:
+        assert True
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_process_key(default_shared_state):
+    key1 = cmdline.process_key("foo")
+    assert key1 == 'foo'
+    key2 = cmdline.process_key("81323850-9517-416c-ae88-e6481de10a71")
+    assert key2 == '81323850-9517-416c-ae88-e6481de10a71'
+    try:
+        cmdline.process_key("/foo/bar")
+    except AssertionError:
+        assert True
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_user_name(default_shared_state):
+    uname = cmdline.user_name("foo")
+    assert uname == 'foo'
+    try:
+        cmdline.user_name("81323850-9517-416c-ae88-e6481de10a71")
+    except AssertionError:
+        assert True
+    try:
+        cmdline.user_name('hst.pmap')
+    except AssertionError: 
+        assert True
+    try:
+        cmdline.user_name("/foo/bar")
+    except AssertionError:
+        assert True
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_observatories_obs_pkg(default_shared_state):
+    utils.clear_function_caches()
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script --hst")
+    assert s.obs_pkg.__name__ == 'crds.hst'
+    assert s.observatory == 'hst'
+    utils.clear_function_caches()
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script --jwst")
+    assert s.obs_pkg.__name__ == 'crds.jwst'
+    assert s.observatory == 'jwst'
+    _ = os.environ.pop("CRDS_SERVER_URL", None)
+    _ = crds_config.OBSERVATORY.set("hst")
+    utils.clear_function_caches()
+    obs = Script("cmdline.Script").observatory
+    assert obs == 'hst'
+
+
+@mark.skip(reason="argparse attribute error")
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_print_help(default_shared_state):
+    Script("cmdline.Script").print_help()
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_require_server_connnection(default_shared_state):
+    Script("cmdline.Script").require_server_connection()
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_no_files_in_class(default_shared_state):
+    try:
+        Script("cmdline.Script").files
+    except NotImplementedError:
+        assert True
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_get_files(default_shared_state, hst_data):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script")
+    files = s.get_files([f"{hst_data}/file_list1"]) 
+    assert files == [f'{hst_data}/file_list1']
+    files = s.get_files(["@test/data/hst/file_list1"])
+    assert files == ['hst.pmap', 'hst_0002.pmap', 'hst_0001.pmap']
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_resolve_context(default_shared_state, caplog):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script --hst")
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.DEBUG, logger="CRDS"):
+        ctx = s.resolve_context("hst-2016-01-01")
+        out = caplog.messages
+    assert ctx == 'hst_0379.pmap'
+    expected = " Symbolic context 'hst-2016-01-01' resolves to 'hst_0379.pmap'"
+    assert expected in out
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_get_file_properties(default_shared_state, jwst_data):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script")
+    props = s.get_file_properties("hst_acs_biasfile_0005.rmap")
+    assert props == ('acs', 'biasfile')
+    props = s.get_file_properties("hst_acs_biasfile_0005.fits")
+    assert props == ('acs', 'biasfile')
+    s = Script("crds.Script --jwst")
+    props = s.get_file_properties(f"{jwst_data}/valid.asdf")
+    assert props == ('nirspec', 'wavecorr')
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_categorize_files(default_shared_state, hst_data):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script")
+    cats = s.categorize_files(["hst.pmap", f"{hst_data}/hst_acs_9999.imap", f"{hst_data}/acs_new_idc.fits"])
+    assert sorted(cats.items()) == [(('', ''), ['hst.pmap']), (('acs', ''), [f'{hst_data}/hst_acs_9999.imap']), (('acs', 'idctab'), [f'{hst_data}/acs_new_idc.fits'])]
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_dump_files(default_shared_state):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script")
+    s.dump_files(files=["hst.pmap","hst_acs_biasfile_0250.rmap"])
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_sync_files(default_shared_state):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script")
+    s.sync_files(["hst_acs_biasfile_0250.rmap"])
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_are_all_mappings(default_shared_state):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script")
+    allmaps = s.are_all_mappings(["hst_acs_biasfile_0250.rmap"])
+    assert allmaps is True
+    notallmaps = s.are_all_mappings(["hst_acs_biasfile_0250.rmap", "somethingelse.fits"])
+    assert notallmaps is False
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_file_outside_cache_pathless(default_shared_state):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script")
+    path = s.locate_file_outside_cache("hst_0001.pmap")
+    assert path.endswith('./hst_0001.pmap')
+    default_shared_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_file_outside_cache_uri(default_test_cache_state):
+    """Explicit crds:// notation for files inside cache."""
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script --jwst")
+    path = s.locate_file_outside_cache("crds://jwst_0001.pmap")
+    assert path.endswith("crds-cache-test/mappings/jwst/jwst_0001.pmap")
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_file_outside_cache_mapping_spec(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script --hst")
+    path = s.locate_file_outside_cache("hst-2016-01-01")
+    assert path.endswith("crds-cache-test/mappings/hst/hst_0379.pmap")
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_resolve_context_operational(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script --hst")
+    context = s.resolve_context("hst-operational")
+    assert context.startswith("hst_") and context.endswith(".pmap")
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_dump_mappings(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = Script("cmdline.Script --ignore-cache")
+    s.dump_mappings(["hst_acs.imap"])
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_determine_contexts_all(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = ContextsScript("cmdline.ContextsScript --all")
+    contexts = s.determine_contexts()
+    assert len(contexts) > 100
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_determine_contexts_last_n(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = ContextsScript("cmdline.ContextsScript --last 5")
+    contexts = s.determine_contexts()
+    assert len(contexts) == 5
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_determine_contexts_range(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = ContextsScript("cmdline.ContextsScript --range 1:7")
+    contexts = s.determine_contexts()
+    assert len(contexts) == 7
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_determine_contexts_upto(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = ContextsScript("cmdline.ContextsScript --up-to-context hst-2016-01-01")
+    contexts = s.determine_contexts()
+    assert len(contexts) == 195
+    assert contexts[0] == "hst.pmap"
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_determine_contexts_after(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = ContextsScript("cmdline.ContextsScript --after-context hst-2016-01-01")
+    contexts = s.determine_contexts()
+    assert len(contexts) >= 108
+    assert contexts[0] == "hst_0379.pmap"
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
+
+
+@mark.core
+@mark.cmdline
+def test_determine_contexts_direct(default_test_cache_state):
+    s = ContextsScript("cmdline.ContextsScript --contexts hst.pmap")
+    s.contexts = contexts = s.determine_contexts()
+    assert len(contexts) == 1
+    assert contexts[0] == "hst.pmap"
+    mappings = sorted(list(set(s.get_context_mappings())))
+    assert len(mappings) >= 116
+    default_test_cache_state.cleanup()
diff --git a/test/data/hst/file_list1 b/test/data/hst/file_list1
index ce460edef..868ebf86c 100644
--- a/test/data/hst/file_list1
+++ b/test/data/hst/file_list1
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 hst.pmap
 # this is a comment
-@data/file_list2
+@test/data/hst/file_list2
 hst_0001.pmap
 
diff --git a/test/data/valid.asdf b/test/data/jwst/valid.asdf
similarity index 100%
rename from test/data/valid.asdf
rename to test/data/jwst/valid.asdf