FlowUs CLI

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

Carry out the user-authorized operation through the installed CLI; do not stop at describing commands when execution is requested. For native database fields, read the operation recipe before preparing request files. It covers schema, record relations, formula reads and verification.

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 FlowUs CDN only after the user explicitly approves it.

Mandatory preflight

Complete this preflight before a remote FlowUs 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 flowus >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  flowus version
else
  echo "FlowUs CLI is not installed"
fi

If the CLI is missing or outdated, explain that the official installer is available at https://cdn2.flowus.cn/flowus-cli/install (or https://cdn2.flowus.cn/flowus-cli/install.ps1 on Windows).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:

flowus --json doctor
flowus --json whoami

Continue only when the checks show authenticated FlowUs 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 FLOWUS_TOKEN is already set, rerun flowus --json doctor and flowus --json whoami; do not ask for another login.
• Browser login: flowus login --browser.
• Manual setup for headless environments: flowus --json login --manual.
• Configure FLOWUS_TOKEN or saved credentials through an approved secret channel.

Do not run plain flowus 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 flowus --json doctor and flowus --json whoami.

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

flowus login --browser

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

flowus --json login --manual

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

Useful install overrides:

• FLOWUS_INSTALL_DIR - install directory.
• FLOWUS_VERSION - exact release version, such as v0.1.10.
• FLOWUS_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:

• flowus --help - list global options and top-level commands.
• flowus help <command...> - show usage, options, examples, and notes for any command or subcommand.
• flowus api ls - list public API endpoints and request field hints.
• flowus api ls --plain - compact endpoint list for scanning.
• flowus api --docs <PATH> -X <METHOD> - show agent-readable Markdown docs for one endpoint, including parameters, examples, and safety notes.
• flowus api --spec <PATH> -X <METHOD> - show the exact embedded OpenAPI fragment for one endpoint.
• flowus --json doctor - inspect local authentication and configuration state when auth or base URL selection is unclear.
• flowus --json whoami - verify the active FlowUs identity.
• flowus --json workspace - inspect the current workspace and credential boundary.
• flowus --json workspace directory - list the favorites, team, shared, and private sidebar sections.
• flowus --json fetch <link-or-id> - resolve a FlowUs link or ID and read the matching page, database, or block.
• flowus 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. FLOWUS_TOKEN
3. saved login credentials in the FlowUs 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 FLOWUS_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 flowus --json doctor and flowus --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 flowus --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:

• FLOWUS_TOKEN - bearer token for API calls.
• FLOWUS_BASE_URL - API base URL; default is https://api.flowus.cn.
• FLOWUS_CONFIG_DIR - config directory; default follows the FlowUs profile.
• FLOWUS_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 FlowUs 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. Require ok:true and read the API object under data (created IDs are data.id). For ok:false, inspect error; do not treat a failed command as a completed operation.
• 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; flowus 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. Verify 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. The user's task authorizes its requested changes. Resolve IDs from reads or creation results and choose routine implementation details within that scope; do not require the user to supply generated IDs or repeat an existing approval. Ask only when targets remain ambiguous or the change exceeds the request.
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

Discover pages, members, and objects

flowus --json workspace
flowus --json workspace directory --page-size 100
flowus --json page list --page-size 100
flowus --json page list --parent-id <page_id> --page-size 100
flowus --json page team --page-size 100
flowus --json page private --page-size 100
flowus --json page shared --page-size 100
flowus --json page favorites --page-size 100
flowus --json user ls --query "display name" --page-size 100
flowus --json fetch <link_or_id>

page list returns one level of page-like children. Omitting --parent-id lists the workspace root. When a returned node has children, pass its ID as --parent-id to inspect the next level. Use the section commands when the task refers to the FlowUs sidebar rather than a specific parent. user ls --query matches display names, not email addresses.

Read a page

flowus --json page get <page_id>
flowus 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

flowus 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:

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

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

Edit or duplicate a page

flowus --json page edit <page_id> --old "old text" --new "new text"
flowus --json page duplicate <page_id> --parent-id <parent_id> --title "Copy title"

page edit requires an exact, unique match by default. Use --replace-all only when replacing every occurrence is intentional. Before duplicating, read the source page and confirm the destination parent; omit --parent-id to keep the copy beside the source.

Blocks and children

For callout/toggle first-line edits, blank placeholders or moving a title out of a child paragraph, read Own text and children. callout.rich_text is the callout first editable line; toggle.rich_text is the folding title. children are independent blocks. Read both the block itself and its children; Markdown alone cannot establish equivalent layout.

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

Databases

flowus --json database get <database_id>
flowus --json database query <database_id> --body query.json
flowus --json database mutate <database_id> --body mutation.json --idempotency-key <key>
flowus --json database view list <database_id>
flowus --json database view get <database_id> <view_id>
flowus --json database view create <database_id> --body view.json --idempotency-key <key>
flowus --json database view update <database_id> <view_id> --body view-patch.json --if-match <etag>
flowus --json page property get <page_id> <property_id>

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

Use database mutate for one atomic, permission-checked database write. Read the database first; use stable property IDs for changes; use a stable idempotency key; and never overwrite existing records when the user asked to create records. Use flowus api --docs to obtain the exact body shape.

Create database views with a stable idempotency key. Read a view before updating it and pass the returned weak ETag with --if-match so concurrent changes are detected instead of silently overwritten.

Search

flowus --json search text "roadmap" --page-size 10
flowus --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:

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

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

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

Append an external file URL:

flowus --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:

flowus api ls --plain
flowus api --docs /v2/blocks/{block_id}/children -X PATCH
flowus api --spec /v2/blocks/{block_id}/children -X PATCH
flowus --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://cdn2.flowus.cn/flowus-cli/install and wait for explicit approval before using it.
• Unknown command or option: ask approval before running flowus update, then run flowus <command> --help.
• Authentication failure: run flowus --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 flowus api --docs <PATH> -X <METHOD> and flowus api --spec <PATH> -X <METHOD> before retrying.