# Algobot CLI > Use for anything AI/agent/conversational built on Algolia: algobot CLI, Agent Studio, RAG systems, conversational product discovery, genAI content generation from search results (carousels, descriptions, headers), chatbots or recommendation agents using Algolia as retrieval, config-as-code workflows, multi-environment deploy (dev/staging/prod), memory and personalization, MCP tool integrations, conversation history / GDPR retention, or adding a chat widget alongside InstantSearch. Trigger on: "algobot", "Agent Studio", "RAG with Algolia", "conversational experience", "AI agent" + Algolia, "genAI carousel", "chat widget", or building AI features on top of Algolia search. Do NOT use for raw index ops (records, synonyms, settings) — use algolia-cli. Do NOT use for pure frontend search UI (InstantSearch, autocomplete) with no AI/agent layer. - Skill: `algolia/algobot-cli` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add algolia/algobot-cli` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/algolia/algobot-cli/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Product & Planning - License: MIT - Author: algolia (https://skillmd.com/u/algolia) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/algolia/algobot-cli --- # Algobot CLI [Algolia Agent Studio](https://www.algolia.com/products/ai/agent-studio/) is Algolia's platform for building AI agents — RAG systems, conversational experiences, genAI content generation — with Algolia search and recommendations as the retrieval backbone. `algobot` (`npm install -g algobot-ai`) is its CLI for creating, testing, and deploying agents. ## When to Use Algobot vs Other Tools | Need | Use | |------|-----| | Build/manage AI agents on Algolia (RAG, chatbot, genAI UI) | **algobot-cli** (this skill) | | Algolia search index ops (records, settings, synonyms) | **algolia-cli** | | Search queries, analytics, recommendations | **algolia-mcp** | ## Setup ```bash npm install -g algobot-ai algobot init # Interactive wizard (creates first agent + profile) ``` Or add a profile manually (CI-safe, non-interactive): ```bash algobot profiles add --name prod --env prod ``` ## Non-Interactive Mode (Critical for Agents) **The TUI won't render in non-TTY environments** (CI, scripts, agent subprocesses). Use these instead: ```bash algobot ask "What is your return policy?" # One-shot algobot interactive --text "hello ||| list my orders ||| /context" # Multi-turn algobot agents list --jq '.[] | .name' # JSON filtering ``` `--jq` is built-in — no need to install jq separately. ## Core Commands ### Agent Management ```bash algobot agents list algobot agents get algobot agents create --name "Support Bot" --model gpt-4o algobot agents update --name "New Name" algobot agents publish algobot agents unpublish algobot agents delete algobot agents copy --from-env dev --to-env prod ``` ### Chatting with an Agent ```bash algobot ask "Find wireless headphones under $100" algobot --profile staging ask "hello" # Target specific environment algobot --verbose ask "debug this" # Show full HTTP traces ``` ### Profile / Environment Management ```bash algobot profiles list algobot profiles add --name dev --env dev algobot profiles setdefault prod algobot --profile prod agents list algobot --env dev agents list ``` ## Config-as-Code Workflow Version-control agent definitions with mustache templates — ideal for repeatable deployments across events, teams, or environments. ```bash # 1. Scaffold from an existing agent algobot agents scaffold # → agent-config.json + PROMPT.md # 2. Preview (API-level kill switch — mutations blocked by construction) algobot --dry-run agents create --config agent-config.json --var event="Spring 2026" # 3. Deploy algobot agents create --config agent-config.json --var event_name="Spring 2026" # 4. Update + publish in one step algobot agents update --config agent-config.json --var event_name="Summer 2026" --publish ``` `{{key}}` in JSON fields: JSON-safe escaping. In `.md` instructions: raw substitution. ## Agent Studio Capabilities (via agent config) Beyond basic chat, Agent Studio agents support: - **Tools**: Algolia Search, Algolia Browse, Algolia Recommend, client-side tools, and [MCP tools](https://www.algolia.com/doc/guides/algolia-ai/agent-studio/how-to/tools/mcp-tools) (connect CRMs, inventory systems, external APIs alongside Algolia). Manage with `algobot tools list/add/remove` - **Memory**: Semantic (facts/preferences) and episodic (past interactions) memory across sessions, using `algolia_memorize`, `algolia_ponder`, and `algolia_memory_search` tools. Configure retrieval mode (preload vs preflight) in agent config. - **Conversation storage**: Persistent history with configurable retention — see `algobot conversations` for export/delete - **Experimental**: Citation markers `[1][2]` on responses, date injection, response caching — enable in agent config Use `algobot agents scaffold` to inspect/edit these settings, `algobot --dry-run` to preview before applying. ## Live Development ```bash algobot agents watch patch.json # Auto-apply patches on file change ``` ## Global Flags | Flag | Effect | |------|--------| | `--env dev\|staging\|prod\|local` | Target environment | | `--profile ` | Use named profile | | `--dry-run` | Preview without mutating (API-enforced) | | `--verbose` | Full HTTP logs | | `--jq ''` | Filter JSON output | | `--confirm` | Skip exec tool confirmations | ## Gotchas - **TUI requires TTY.** `algobot` with no args launches the TUI — hangs in scripts. Always use `ask` or `--text` in non-interactive contexts. - **Exit codes are 0/1 only** in v2.0. Can't distinguish "not found" from "auth error" — parse stderr if needed. - **`--output json` missing on most commands** in v2.0. Use `--jq` or JSON-structured stdout. - **`algobot init` is interactive.** Don't use in CI — use `profiles add` with flags instead. - **`prod` resolves to the EU host.** v2.0.0 hardcodes three API hosts — `agent-studio.eu.algolia.com` (prod), `agent-studio-staging.eu.algolia.com` (staging), `conversational-ai-dev.algolia.com` (dev). There is no region flag, and the only environment variables read are `ALGOLIA_APP_ID`, `ALGOLIA_APPLICATION_ID`, `ALGOLIA_API_KEY`, and `ALGOLIA_AGENT_ID` — none of which override the host. If an app's agents are not in EU, `agents list` returns `[]` and `agents get ` returns 404 for an agent that is live and serving completions. An admin API key does not change this. Confirm the host with `algobot --verbose agents list` before assuming a credential problem. - **Credentials are stored in `~/.algobot-profiles`** (encrypted), not `~/.algobot-cookie`. `algobot auth show` was removed in v2.0 — use `algobot profiles list`, or `algobot profiles show ` for full detail. Note that `profiles show` prints the API key in plaintext, so avoid it in shared terminals, screenshares, and logs. - **`--config` auto-discovers `agent-config.json`** in cwd. Explicit: `--config path/to/config.json`. - **algobot = dev/deploy tool; REST API = production invocation.** Use algobot to build and publish agents; call the Agent Studio completions API directly from your app. Don't guess the endpoint URL — run `algobot agents get ` to retrieve it, or check the Agent Studio dashboard. - **Completions URL has no `/agent-studio` prefix.** Use `agent-studio..algolia.com/1/agents//completions?stream=false&compatibilityMode=ai-sdk-4`. `compatibilityMode` is required (omitting → 422). Response: `{ id, role, content }` with `content` as a flat string. - **`agents create --provider ` does not link the provider.** Agent stays `draft`, publish 409s. After create, run `algobot agents patch --json patch.json` with `{"providerId": ""}`, then publish. ## Reference Docs - [Command Reference](references/commands.md) — Full flags for every command - [Config-as-Code Guide](references/config-as-code.md) — Templates, variables, multi-env patterns