Glyph CLI

Glyph CLI gives you command-line access to notes in an existing Glyph Space. Use glyph from Terminal to create, read, search, and update Markdown files. You can quit Glyph desktop and continue working from Terminal.

The CLI keeps a rebuildable SQLite index for search. It does not access Glyph’s private desktop database.

Install Glyph CLI

Glyph CLI v1 supports Apple Silicon Macs. Review the installer, then run it:

curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SidhuK/glyph-cli/main/install.sh
less install.sh
sh install.sh

You can also run the installer in one command:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SidhuK/glyph-cli/main/install.sh | sh

The installer downloads a GitHub Release, verifies its SHA-256 checksum, and installs glyph in ~/.local/bin by default. Add that directory to your shell’s PATH if needed.

Use a current stable Rust toolchain if you want to build the CLI from source:

git clone https://github.com/SidhuK/glyph-cli.git
cd glyph-cli
cargo install --path .

Choose a Space

Create or open a Space in Glyph before you use the CLI. The CLI requires a real Glyph Space with a .glyph/ directory and will not initialize an arbitrary folder.

Pass --space when you want to choose a Space yourself:

glyph --space "$PWD" doctor

Without --space, glyph uses the GLYPH_SPACE environment variable, Glyph desktop’s current Space, or a recent Glyph Space. Run glyph space current to check the selected Space.

Work with notes

Use note commands for common edits:

glyph note create notes/idea.md --title "An idea"
printf 'Piped text' | glyph note append notes/idea.md --stdin
glyph note show notes/idea.md --json

You can also create daily notes, render templates, search notes, and work with tags, people, and tasks:

glyph daily create --open
glyph template render meeting.md --destination meetings/design.md
glyph search run '"exact phrase" #project'
glyph task list --open

Run glyph --help or glyph <command> --help for the command tree. Generate shell completions with glyph completion bash, glyph completion zsh, glyph completion fish, or glyph completion powershell.

Use it in scripts

Pass --json when another tool needs structured output. Pass --dry-run before a mutation to validate the command without changing a file.

Commands that update a note or task accept a revision from show or list. Pass that revision with --revision to avoid overwriting a change that Glyph desktop or another command made first. Glyph CLI v1 has no note delete or move command.

Open source

Glyph CLI is open source, like Glyph for Mac. Read the Glyph CLI repository and manual for the source code, releases, command reference, JSON schema, template variables, and search syntax. You can use, modify, and share the code under the MIT License.