# Setup

> Use when setting up, checking, or connecting Cognee through the cognee CLI from Antigravity.

- Skill: `topoteretes/setup` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add topoteretes/setup`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/topoteretes/setup/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: topoteretes (https://skillmd.com/u/topoteretes)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/topoteretes/setup

---


# Cognee CLI Setup

Use this skill when the user asks to configure Cognee, check whether Cognee is
ready, connect to a local or cloud Cognee instance, or inspect CLI capability.

## Rules

- Use `uv run cognee-cli ...` as the primary interface.
- Do not use MCP for this plugin.
- Work from the Cognee repository root when available.
- Do not print secret values from `.env`, config files, shell history, or command output.
- If a command may create, delete, or overwrite durable Cognee state, say what it will affect before running it.

## Checks

Start with the local command surface:

```bash
uv run cognee-cli --help
uv run cognee-cli --version
```

If dependencies are missing, use the repository command:

```bash
uv sync --dev --all-extras --reinstall
```

Inspect configuration without exposing values:

```bash
uv run cognee-cli config list
```

Use `config get <KEY>` only for non-secret settings. For secret-like keys,
report whether the key appears configured rather than showing the value.

## Connect

For a local backend:

```bash
uv run cognee-cli serve --url http://localhost:8000
```

For a hosted instance with an API key, do not paste the key into the transcript.
Use an environment variable or an already configured credential.

For the plugin itself, durable configuration (`COGNEE_BASE_URL`,
`COGNEE_API_KEY`, `LLM_API_KEY`, ...) belongs in `~/.cognee/.env` — a one-time
setup file shared with existing Cognee plugins, loaded at session start. Shell
exports still override it per terminal. Guide the user to edit that file
rather than exporting in every shell; never echo its secret values.

The file may hold both modes' variables at once: with nothing exported, cloud
wins (`COGNEE_BASE_URL` routes the connection). To pin one terminal to a mode,
the user exports `COGNEE_BACKEND=local` or `COGNEE_BACKEND=cloud` before
launching — that beats the URL rule, and `unset COGNEE_BASE_URL` is NOT a way
to go local (the file re-injects the URL on the next launch).

To disconnect:

```bash
uv run cognee-cli serve --logout
```

## Multi-Agent Or API Mode

When the user wants concurrent or multi-agent use, prefer a running Cognee API
server and pass:

```bash
uv run cognee-cli --api-url http://localhost:8000 <command>
```

For isolated session history and permissions, include:

```bash
uv run cognee-cli --user-id <uuid> <command>
```