Connect the CLI

You need a ready Core URL and the instance's private JWT secret. Obtain them from your deployment or its operator. Keep the secret private; it grants instance authority, not an isolated personal login.

The CLI is primarily for your trusted Agent, and also supports manual terminal use. For your own interactive setup, start with Connect to Your Instance and choose the Web app. The CLI connects over HTTPS; it does not run another server on your computer.

1. Install Python 3.12 or later if needed. Check python --version in a terminal; use python3 if that is your system's command name.

2. Create a local environment:

   python -m venv .venv

   Activate it with source .venv/bin/activate on macOS/Linux, or .venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1 in Windows PowerShell. Then install the published CLI:

   python -m pip install inkcre-cli
   inkcre-cli --help

3. In a local folder outside any Git repository, use a text editor to create connection.json:

   {
     "base_url": "https://YOUR-CORE-HOST",
     "jwt_secret": "YOUR-SAVED-JWT-SECRET"
   }

   Replace both values, preserving the quotes. Use the Core base URL without /readyz. This file contains a credential; keep it private.

4. From that folder, save and check the connection:

   inkcre-cli connection set personal --input connection.json
   inkcre-cli connection use personal
   inkcre-cli connection check

   Both readiness and the authenticated read should succeed. You can remove the temporary connection.json afterward: the CLI retains it at .inkcre/cli/connections.json in your home directory. Protect that file too.

Checkpoint: connection check can read your instance. For 401, check the secret; for a connection failure, check the Core URL and wake /readyz. In later terminal sessions, reactivate the environment before using inkcre-cli.

The CLI reference owns command details. --help explains a command; --schema on input-taking commands shows the configuration accepted by your running instance.

Next: Collect your first source.