diff --git a/tools/nfdc/face-helpers.hpp b/tools/nfdc/face-helpers.hpp
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+++ b/tools/nfdc/face-helpers.hpp
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+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2022,  Regents of the University of California,
+ *                           Arizona Board of Regents,
+ *                           Colorado State University,
+ *                           University Pierre & Marie Curie, Sorbonne University,
+ *                           Washington University in St. Louis,
+ *                           Beijing Institute of Technology,
+ *                           The University of Memphis.
+ *
+ * This file is part of NFD (Named Data Networking Forwarding Daemon).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NFD authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NFD is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
+ * of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * NFD is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY;
+ * without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+ * NFD, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#ifndef NFD_TOOLS_NFDC_FACE_HELPERS_HPP
+#define NFD_TOOLS_NFDC_FACE_HELPERS_HPP
+
+#include "execute-command.hpp"
+
+namespace nfd::tools::nfdc {
+
+using ndn::nfd::FaceQueryFilter;
+using ndn::nfd::FaceStatus;
+
+/**
+ * \brief Procedure to find a face
+ */
+class FindFace : noncopyable
+{
+public:
+  enum class Code {
+    OK = 0, ///< found exactly one face, or found multiple faces when allowMulti is true
+    ERROR = 1, ///< unspecified error
+    NOT_FOUND = 3, ///< found zero face
+    CANONIZE_ERROR = 4, ///< error during FaceUri canonization
+    AMBIGUOUS = 5, ///< found multiple faces and allowMulti is false
+    NOT_STARTED = -1, ///< for internal use
+    IN_PROGRESS = -2, ///< for internal use
+  };
+
+  enum class DisambiguationStyle
+  {
+    LOCAL_URI = 1 ///< print FaceId and LocalUri
+  };
+
+  explicit
+  FindFace(ExecuteContext& ctx);
+
+  /** \brief find face by FaceUri
+   *  \pre execute has not been invoked
+   */
+  Code
+  execute(const FaceUri& faceUri, bool allowMulti = false);
+
+  /** \brief find face by FaceId
+   *  \pre execute has not been invoked
+   */
+  Code
+  execute(uint64_t faceId);
+
+  /** \brief find face by FaceId or FaceUri
+   *  \param faceIdOrUri either a FaceId (uint64_t) or a FaceUri
+   *  \param allowMulti effective only if \p faceIdOrUri contains a FaceUri
+   *  \throw ndn::bad_any_cast faceIdOrUri is neither uint64_t nor FaceUri
+   */
+  Code
+  execute(const std::any& faceIdOrUri, bool allowMulti = false);
+
+  /** \brief find face by FaceQueryFilter
+   *  \pre execute has not been invoked
+   */
+  Code
+  execute(const FaceQueryFilter& filter, bool allowMulti = false);
+
+  /** \return face status for all results
+   */
+  const std::vector<FaceStatus>&
+  getResults() const
+  {
+    return m_results;
+  }
+
+  /** \return FaceId for all results
+   */
+  std::set<uint64_t>
+  getFaceIds() const;
+
+  /** \return a single face status
+   *  \pre getResults().size() == 1
+   */
+  const FaceStatus&
+  getFaceStatus() const;
+
+  uint64_t
+  getFaceId() const
+  {
+    return this->getFaceStatus().getFaceId();
+  }
+
+  const std::string&
+  getErrorReason() const
+  {
+    return m_errorReason;
+  }
+
+  /** \brief print results for disambiguation
+   */
+  void
+  printDisambiguation(std::ostream& os, DisambiguationStyle style) const;
+
+private:
+  std::optional<FaceUri>
+  canonize(const std::string& fieldName, const FaceUri& uri);
+
+  /** \brief retrieve FaceStatus from filter
+   *  \post m_res == Code::OK and m_results is populated if retrieval succeeds
+   *  \post m_res == Code::ERROR and m_errorReason is set if retrieval fails
+   */
+  void
+  query();
+
+private:
+  ExecuteContext& m_ctx;
+  FaceQueryFilter m_filter;
+  Code m_res = Code::NOT_STARTED;
+  std::vector<FaceStatus> m_results;
+  std::string m_errorReason;
+};
+
+/**
+ * \brief Canonize a FaceUri
+ * \return canonical FaceUri (nullopt on failure) and error string
+ */
+std::pair<std::optional<FaceUri>, std::string>
+canonize(ExecuteContext& ctx, const FaceUri& uri);
+
+/**
+ * \brief Helper to generate exit code and error message for face canonization failures
+ * \param uri The FaceUri
+ * \param error The error string returned by the canonization process
+ * \param field An optional field identifier to include with the message
+ * \return exit code and error message
+ */
+std::pair<FindFace::Code, std::string>
+canonizeErrorHelper(const FaceUri& uri,
+                    const std::string& error,
+                    const std::string& field = "");
+
+} // namespace nfd::tools::nfdc
+
+#endif // NFD_TOOLS_NFDC_FACE_HELPERS_HPP