Buildin CLI

Buildin CLI

Use the Buildin CLI (buildin) for Buildin V2 API work: pages, blocks, databases, search, Markdown content, and files.

The CLI source repository may be private. Do not ask the user to clone source code before using the CLI. Install or update the released binary from the official Buildin CDN only after the user explicitly approves it.

Use only the Buildin command, Buildin base URL, BUILDIN_* environment variables, and Buildin credential store for Buildin work.

Mandatory preflight

Complete this preflight before a remote Buildin API call. CLI help, endpoint documentation, and offline planning do not require authentication.

1. Inspect whether the CLI is available without installing or updating it:

if command -v buildin >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  buildin version
else
  echo "Buildin CLI is not installed"
fi

If the CLI is missing or outdated, explain that the official installer is available at https://cdn.buildin.ai/buildin-cli/install (or https://cdn.buildin.ai/buildin-cli/install.ps1 on Windows). Do not download, execute, or update it until the user explicitly approves that action.

After approval, use only the official URL and a user-approved version. Download an installer to a temporary file; show its source, version, and SHA-256 hash; and compare it with an official checksum or signature before execution. If no official integrity data is available, stop and offer manual installation rather than executing an unverified installer. Remove temporary installer files after the attempt.

2. If the CLI is installed, inspect authentication and active identity:

buildin --json doctor
buildin --json whoami

Continue only when the checks show authenticated Buildin credentials. If authentication is missing or invalid, do not start a login flow automatically. Explain the available options and wait for the user's explicit choice:

• If BUILDIN_TOKEN is already set, rerun buildin --json doctor and buildin --json whoami; do not ask for another login.
• Browser login: buildin login --browser.
• Manual setup for headless environments: buildin --json login --manual.
• Configure BUILDIN_TOKEN or saved credentials through an approved secret channel.

Do not run plain buildin login in agent sessions because it can block on an interactive method prompt. Do not make API calls or draw conclusions from incomplete data until authentication is verified. After the user explicitly approves a login method, run only that selected method and then rerun buildin --json doctor and buildin --json whoami.

Use this browser login command only after the user explicitly selects browser login:

buildin login --browser

Use manual setup only after the user explicitly selects it for a headless or remote environment:

buildin --json login --manual

If a command is missing or help output looks stale, explain that buildin update can update the CLI and wait for explicit user approval before running it.

Useful install overrides:

• BUILDIN_INSTALL_DIR - install directory.
• BUILDIN_VERSION - exact release version, such as v0.1.10.
• BUILDIN_CLI_RELEASE_BASE_URL - alternate release base URL for tests.

First rule: ask the CLI

The CLI is self-documenting. Prefer these commands over guessing syntax or request fields:

• buildin --help - list global options and top-level commands.
• buildin help <command...> - show usage, options, examples, and notes for any command or subcommand.
• buildin api ls - list public API endpoints and request field hints.
• buildin api ls --plain - compact endpoint list for scanning.
• buildin api --docs <PATH> -X <METHOD> - show agent-readable Markdown docs for one endpoint, including parameters, examples, and safety notes.
• buildin api --spec <PATH> -X <METHOD> - show the exact embedded OpenAPI fragment for one endpoint.
• buildin --json doctor - inspect local authentication and configuration state when auth or base URL selection is unclear.
• buildin --json whoami - verify the active Buildin identity.
• buildin markdown get <page-id> - retrieve page content as Markdown.

If you are unsure about syntax, request body fields, pagination, auth source, or command coverage, run help first.

Credentials and configuration

The CLI resolves credentials in this precedence order:

1. --token <token>
2. BUILDIN_TOKEN
3. saved login credentials in the Buildin credential store

This is CLI resolution behavior, not authorization to expose a credential. Do not pass --token in agent commands, logs, or shared shells: it can leak via process listings or shell history. Do not ask users to paste bearer tokens into chat. Use preconfigured BUILDIN_TOKEN, saved credentials, or an approved secret channel; redact any credential that appears in command output.

If no credential is configured, offer browser login, manual setup, or an approved secret path and wait for the user to select one. After the selected login succeeds, rerun buildin --json doctor and buildin --json whoami.

OAuth refresh and sandbox permissions

A saved browser-OAuth credential may require write access to the credential store even for a read-only API command, because the CLI rotates and atomically persists tokens before sending the API request.

• If error.code is credential_store_permission_denied or needsCredentialWritePermission is true, do not start login. Request narrowly scoped write access to the directory containing credentialsPath, then rerun buildin --json doctor and the original command. Reauthentication cannot fix a local filesystem denial.
• If the error code is oauth_refresh_failed or oauth_refresh_rejected and reauthorizationRequired is false, retry the same command later; do not start login.
• Offer login only when reauthorizationRequired or refreshTokenExpired is true, or OAuth explicitly reports that the refresh token is invalid, expired, or revoked.
• Older CLI versions may report only Operation not permitted or OS error 1. With stored, refreshable OAuth credentials, treat this as probable credential-store sandbox denial and inspect the reported path and sandbox before assuming the token is revoked.

Never copy credentials.json into the workspace or expose its contents.

Common environment variables:

• BUILDIN_TOKEN - bearer token for API calls.
• BUILDIN_BASE_URL - API base URL; default is https://api.buildin.ai.
• BUILDIN_CONFIG_DIR - config directory; default follows the Buildin profile.
• BUILDIN_USER_AGENT - custom user agent suffix.

Do not print bearer tokens, write them into files, or paste them into request bodies. Do not call the Buildin V2 API with curl; use the CLI so auth, product defaults, retries, and error formatting stay consistent.

Working rules

• Use --json for stable machine-readable stdout.
• Keep JSON request bodies in local files and pass them with --body <file>.
• Keep Markdown replacement content in local files and pass it with --file <file>.
• Prefer domain commands over api call; buildin api --docs names a recommended domain command when one exists.
• For paginated commands, inspect JSON output for cursors and repeat with the command's cursor option.

Write safety

Before any remote create, update, append, upload, replace, or raw API write:

1. Confirm the exact target, operation, and expected impact (including record count, affected blocks, or uploaded files).
2. Read the current target first when feasible. For a Markdown replacement, compare the existing content unless the user explicitly authorized a full replacement. Use --if-match when the CLI exposes a version or ETag.
3. If the user did not provide both an exact target and the intended content, present a short change summary and wait for confirmation.
4. Confirm files and external URLs are user-authorized and do not contain credentials or private data not intended for the target workspace.

The CLI intentionally rejects DELETE API calls. This Skill does not execute or suggest bypasses; use a dedicated deletion workflow with a second confirmation.

Common workflows

Read a page

buildin --json page get <page_id>
buildin markdown get <page_id> > page.md

Use Markdown for page content work whenever possible. It is easier to inspect, edit, and diff than raw block JSON.

Replace page Markdown

buildin markdown put --file page.md <page_id>

Only run this after confirming the target page ID and replacement file.

Create or update a page with JSON

Create a local JSON body file, then pass it to the CLI:

buildin --json page create --body page.json
buildin --json page update --body patch.json <page_id>

For idempotent creates, use --idempotency-key <key>.

Blocks and children

buildin --json block get <block_id>
buildin --json block children <block_id>
buildin --json block append <block_id> --body children.json
buildin --json block update <block_id> --body block-patch.json

Databases

buildin --json database get <database_id>
buildin --json database query <database_id> --body query.json
buildin --json database create --body database.json
buildin --json database update <database_id> --body patch.json
buildin --json page property get <page_id> <property_id>

Use buildin api --docs or command help to inspect filter and sort body shapes before writing query.json.

Search

buildin --json search text "roadmap" --page-size 10
buildin --json search semantic "tasks about quarterly planning" --space-id <space_id> --page-size 10

Use text search for exact titles, keywords, and known phrases. Use semantic search when intent matters more than exact wording.

Files

Upload a local file for a parent page:

buildin --json file upload --parent-page <page_id> ./report.pdf

Append a Buildin-hosted file block with the returned object name and size:

buildin --json block append-file <block_id> --oss-name <oss_name> --size <bytes>

Append an external file URL:

buildin --json block append-file <block_id> --external-url https://example.com/report.pdf

Fallback API calls

Use api call only when no domain command covers the endpoint. Lookup sequence:

buildin api ls --plain
buildin api --docs /v2/blocks/{block_id}/children -X PATCH
buildin api --spec /v2/blocks/{block_id}/children -X PATCH
buildin --json api call PATCH /v2/blocks/:block_id/children --param block_id=<block_id> --body body.json

For POST, PUT, or PATCH, read --docs and --spec first and apply the write-safety rules above. --param fills path placeholders first; remaining keys become query parameters. Use --header NAME=VALUE only for non-secret headers such as If-Match; never put credentials or sessions in headers.

Troubleshooting

• Command not found: offer the official installer at https://cdn.buildin.ai/buildin-cli/install and wait for explicit approval before using it.
• Unknown command or option: ask approval before running buildin update, then run buildin <command> --help.
• Authentication failure: run buildin --json doctor, then follow the OAuth refresh and sandbox-permission rules above. Do not equate every failure or HTTP 401 with an expired refresh token.
• Unexpected API shape: run buildin api --docs <PATH> -X <METHOD> and buildin api --spec <PATH> -X <METHOD> before retrying.