Reference

CLI reference

The stele command surface follows one consistent grammar: stele <object> <verb>. Learn the verbs once and they mean the same thing on every object. This page is the shape of the surface; stele --help and stele <object> --help give the exhaustive, always-current detail.

The verb grammar

Every object that supports an operation uses the same word for it — get, never show or view; list, never ls; create, never add.

Verb	What it does
`get <id>`	Fetch one object, with its full body.
`list`	Enumerate objects, filtered and paginated — cards, not bodies.
`create`	Make one.
`update <id>`	Edit fields on one.
`search <query>` · `grep <pattern>`	Find — scoped to the object when run under it (e.g. `task search`).

terminal

$stele task get TASK-12

$stele knowledge list --component auth

$stele task search "pagination"

The objects

Each node type and structure is a top-level object with the verbs above, plus actions specific to it.

Object	Read / write	Dedicated actions
`task`	get · list · create · update	`claim` · `complete` · `release` · `reopen` · `cancel` · `subtasks`
`objective`	get · list · create · update	`achieve` · `add-milestone` · `milestones` · `retire`
`knowledge`	get · list · create · update	`review` · `dedupe`
`document`	get · list · create · update	`grep` (body search)
`component`	get · list · create · update	`tree`
`workspace`	get · list · create · update	`activate` · `merge` · `cherry-pick`
`node`	get (any id) · update	version history · restore — the low-level, type-agnostic escape hatch

Cross-cutting verbs work across types: search, grep, recall, context (build or trace), stats, and doctor.

Account & project

Setup and administration live under their own commands.

Command	What it does
`stele account login`	Sign in (and `logout`, account info).
`stele project`	Create, list, and bind the project for this directory.
`stele install`	Wire the plugin into your harness (and `uninstall`).
`stele web`	Open the dashboard, backed by a local server when you want it.
`stele status` · `stele doctor`	See where things stand; audit the graph's health.
`stele update`	Upgrade the CLI to the latest release.

Output conventions

Browse, don't dump. get <id> shows the full object because you asked for exactly one; list, search, and grep return compact cards, never full bodies.
--json everywhere. Every read can emit JSON for scripting.
Next-action hints. Human output suggests the likely next step (get a task → how to claim it); --no-hints silences them.
Destructive verbs ask first. Anything that removes or merges is dry-run by default and needs --confirm to proceed.

The CLI is self-documenting

You don't need to memorize this. stele --help prints the full command tree, every subcommand has its own --help, and a mistyped command suggests the right one.

Slash commands The model behind the objects