diff --git a/js/common/showCommandLineProgress.js b/js/common/showCommandLineProgress.js
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+++ b/js/common/showCommandLineProgress.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Copyright 2022, University of Colorado Boulder
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to show a progress bar on the command line.
+ * @author Sam Reid (PhET Interactive Simulations)
+ * @author Michael Kauzmann (PhET Interactive Simulations)
+ */
+
+/* eslint-env node */
+const _ = require( 'lodash' ); // eslint-disable-line
+
+/**
+ * See https://jagascript.com/how-to-build-a-textual-progress-bar-for-cli-and-terminal-apps/
+ * @param {number} progress - decimal between 0 and 1
+ * @param {boolean} newline - if each new progress should give a new line, should be false during progress, and true when finally completed
+ * @param {Object} [options]
+ */
+module.exports = function showCommandLineProgress( progress, newline, options ) {
+  options = _.extend( {
+    progressBarLength: 40 // in characters
+  }, options );
+
+  const dots = '.'.repeat( Math.round( progress * options.progressBarLength ) );
+  const empty = ' '.repeat( Math.round( ( 1 - progress ) * options.progressBarLength ) );
+  const newlineString = newline ? '\n' : '';
+  process.stdout.write( `\r[${dots}${empty}] ${( progress * 100 ).toFixed( 2 )}%${newlineString}` );
+};
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