anyr quick reference

Choose an output format

anyr space list --table
anyr space list --pretty
anyr space list --json

Compact JSON is the default. Diagnostics go to stderr.

Write the result document to a file

anyr space list --pretty --output spaces.json

Collect every result page

anyr object list "Work" --all --json

Show context-specific help

anyr --help
anyr chat messages send --help

Inspect JSON with jq

anyr space list | jq '.items[] | {id, name}'

Select endpoints and key storage

anyr --url http://127.0.0.1:31012 \
  --grpc http://127.0.0.1:31010 \
  --keystore file space list

HTTP endpoint

ANYTYPE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:31012 anyr space list
anyr --url http://127.0.0.1:31012 space list

Without either selector, anyr uses http://127.0.0.1:31012 when the selected keystore contains gRPC credentials; otherwise it uses http://127.0.0.1:31009.

gRPC endpoint

ANYTYPE_GRPC_ENDPOINT=http://127.0.0.1:31010 anyr auth status
anyr --grpc http://127.0.0.1:31010 auth status

The default is http://127.0.0.1:31010.

Credential storage

ANYTYPE_KEYSTORE=file anyr auth status
anyr --keystore file auth status

The selector is optional. See the keystore reference for platform stores, file encryption, and environment credentials.

Authenticate a headless server

anyr init-cli
anyr auth status --pretty

CLI + gRPC means a running Anytype CLI server and a healthy authenticated gRPC ping.

Check HTTP and gRPC access

anyr auth status --pretty

Authenticate with the desktop app

anyr auth login

Initialize from a headless server

anyr init-cli

Save sourceable environment credentials

ANYTYPE_KEYSTORE=env anyr init-cli --save-env ./anytype.env
source ./anytype.env

The file contains plaintext credentials and is created with owner-only permissions on Unix.

Initialize and join a space

anyr init-cli --join "$INVITE_LINK"

Store supplied credentials

printf '%s\n' "$HTTP_TOKEN" | anyr auth set-http
printf '%s\n' "$ACCOUNT_KEY" | anyr auth set-grpc --account-key

Both commands read the secret from standard input. The gRPC account key comes from the Anytype CLI server account.

Clear stored credentials

anyr auth logout

List or inspect spaces

anyr space list --table
anyr space get "Work" --pretty

Create a regular or chat space

anyr space create "Work" --description "Team documents"
anyr space create "Team Chat" --chat

--chat: CLI + gRPC required.

Rename a space

anyr space update "Work" --name "Projects"

Count or remove archived objects

anyr space count-archived "Work"
anyr space delete-archived "Work" --confirm

CLI + gRPC required.

Delete with an exact pre-delete archive

anyr space delete "Old Work" \
  --archive ./old-work.zip --confirm

CLI + gRPC required for the backup and permanent deletion.

Delete interactively

anyr space delete "Old Work"

The prompt offers a backup, then requires the exact space name. CLI + gRPC required.

List tasks in a space

anyr search --space "Work" --type task --all --table

Find tasks by text

anyr search --space "Work" --type task \
  --text "customer" --table

Create a task with properties

anyr object create "Work" task \
  --name "Review proposal" status=Open

Change task status

anyr object update "Work" "$TASK_ID" status=Done

Sort tasks by modification date

anyr search --space "Work" --type task \
  --sort last_modified_date --desc --table

Extract task IDs for a shell workflow

anyr search --space "Work" --type task --all \
  | jq -r '.[] | .id'

List objects by type

anyr object list "Work" --type page --table

Get one object

anyr object get "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" --pretty

Create a page

anyr object create "Work" page \
  --name "Meeting notes" --body-file notes.md

Update fields and properties

anyr object update "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" \
  --name "New title" priority=2

Search globally or within a space

anyr search --text "meeting notes" --table
anyr search --space "Work" --text "meeting notes" --table

Build an Anytype object link

anyr object link "Work" "$OBJECT_ID"

Archive an object

anyr object delete "Work" "$OBJECT_ID"

Discover or attach a page discussion

anyr object discussion get "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" --pretty
anyr object discussion attach "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" --pretty

get returns an absent or attached state. attach creates the derived discussion when absent and returns the verified discussion ID.

List or inspect exact body blocks

anyr body list "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" --table
anyr body show "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" "$BLOCK_ID" --pretty

List output preserves document order and reports each block's parent and sibling position.

Create a rich block

anyr body create "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" "$ROOT_BLOCK_ID" \
  last-child --block @- <<'JSON'
{"content":{"kind":"callout","text":"Check this","icon":{"type":"emoji","content":"💡"}},"background_color":"grey"}
JSON

--block accepts literal JSON, @FILE, @-, or - for standard input.

Update one typed block field

anyr body update "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" "$BLOCK_ID" --change \
  '{"kind":"text","text":"Checked","marks":[]}'

Changes cover text and marks, style, checkbox state, colors, callout icons, embeds, link appearance, and alignment.

Move a block relative to another block

anyr body move "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" "$BLOCK_ID" \
  "$TARGET_BLOCK_ID" before

Positions are before, after, first-child, and last-child.

Delete an exact block subtree

anyr body delete "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" "$BLOCK_ID" \
  --expected-subtree-blocks 1 --confirm

The command rereads the body and refuses deletion when the current subtree size differs from the supplied count.

Export a document

anyr md get "Work" "$OBJECT_ID" --output page.md

Edit in $EDITOR

anyr md edit "Work" "$OBJECT_ID"

Edit from an Anytype link

anyr md edit --doc "$ANYTYPE_LINK"

Apply a saved Markdown file

anyr md update --input page.md

The exported file carries the object coordinates used by update.

List or create chats

anyr chat list --space "Work" --table
anyr chat create "Work" "Ops"

Send a plain message

anyr chat messages send "Work" "Ops" \
  --text "Deployment complete"

Send rich text

anyr chat messages send "Work" "Ops" \
  --text "Release ready" --style header2 --mark bold:0:13

The mark range selects the complete 13-byte ASCII message.

List recent messages

anyr chat messages list "Work" "Ops" \
  --limit 50 --table

CLI + gRPC required.

Filter a message window since a date

anyr chat messages list "Work" "Ops" --limit 1000 --json \
  | jq '.messages[] | select(.created_at >= "2026-08-01T00:00:00Z")'

This filters one bounded window. Use order-ID continuation to inspect older windows. CLI + gRPC required.

Search message text

anyr chat messages search "Work" "Ops" \
  "deployment" --table

Edit or react to a message

anyr chat messages edit "Work" "Ops" "$MESSAGE_ID" \
  --text "Updated status"
anyr chat messages react "Work" "Ops" "$MESSAGE_ID" "👍"

Listen for one chat

anyr chat listen --space "Work" --chat "Ops" \
  --initial-limit 20 --heartbeat 15

Mark a chat read

anyr chat read-all "Work" "Ops"

Use gRPC-only chat operations

anyr chat list
anyr chat get "Work" "Ops"
anyr chat messages get "Work" "Ops" "$MESSAGE_ID"
anyr chat messages delete "Work" "Ops" "$MESSAGE_ID"
anyr chat unread "Work" "Ops" --after "$ORDER_ID"

CLI + gRPC required. Cross-space or text-filtered chat lists, message list/get/delete, unread, --blocks-json, and multi-chat or preview listeners also select gRPC.

List matching files

anyr file list "Personal" --file-type image \
  --size-gte 1048576 --name-contains report --table

CLI + gRPC required. file search and file get use the same backend.

Upload a local file

anyr file upload "Personal" --file ./report.pdf \
  --mime application/pdf

Upload standard input

anyr file upload "Personal" --stdin --name report.pdf \
  < ./report.pdf

Upload from a URL with rich placement

anyr file upload "Personal" --url https://example.com/logo.png \
  --file-type image --style embed

CLI + gRPC required. On file upload, --url, --file-type, --style, --details, and creation-context options select gRPC. File preload and discard-preload also require it.

Download file bytes

anyr file download "Personal" "$FILE_ID" --dir /tmp

Inspect REST headers without downloading

anyr file metadata "Personal" "$FILE_ID" --width 128

--width selects the image variant whose headers are returned.

Update or delete a file object over REST

anyr file update "Personal" "$FILE_ID" --name report-final.pdf
anyr file delete "Personal" "$FILE_ID" --permanent

Preload or discard a file

anyr file preload "Personal" --file ./draft.png --file-type image
anyr file discard-preload "Personal" "$PRELOAD_ID"

CLI + gRPC required.

List types and properties

anyr type list "Work" --table
anyr property list "Work" --table

Create a type

anyr type create "Work" decision "Decision" \
  --plural "Decisions" --layout basic

Create a property

anyr property create "Work" "Priority" number \
  --key priority

Create a select property with tags

anyr property create "Work" "Status" select \
  --key status --tag Open:blue --tag Done:lime

Add a tag

anyr tag create "Work" "$PROPERTY_ID" Blocked red \
  --key blocked

List templates for a type

anyr template list "Work" task --table

Add a property without replacing the type list

anyr type update "Work" task --add-property status

--add-property: CLI + gRPC required. --set-property and --clear-properties remain REST-backed.

Find collections and sets

anyr search --space "Work" --type collection --table
anyr search --space "Work" --type set --table

List views

anyr list views "Work" "$LIST_ID" --table

List objects in a view

anyr view objects "Work" "$TYPE_ID" --view "$VIEW_ID" \
  --columns name,creator,status --table

Add or remove collection members

anyr list add "Work" "$LIST_ID" "$OBJECT_ID"
anyr list remove "Work" "$LIST_ID" "$OBJECT_ID"

List active members

anyr member list "Work" --status active --table

Create a writer invitation

anyr space invite create "Work" --writer

CLI + gRPC required.

Show or revoke invitations

anyr space invite show "Work"
anyr space invite revoke "Work"

CLI + gRPC required.

Enable or disable public sharing

anyr space enable-sharing "Work"
anyr space disable-sharing "Work"

CLI + gRPC required.

Back up every object in a space

anyr backup create --space "Work" --dir ./backups

Add --include-files to embed file objects and binaries. CLI + gRPC required.

Create an exact archive path

anyr backup create --space "Work" \
  --dest ./backups/work.zip --include-files

CLI + gRPC required.

Inspect archive contents

anyr backup list ./backups/work.zip --files --table
anyr backup manifest ./backups/work.zip --pretty

Validate a restore

anyr backup restore ./backups/work.zip \
  --space "Restored Work" --dry-run

The dry run reads the archive locally and resolves the destination over HTTP.

Restore into an existing space

anyr backup restore ./backups/work.zip \
  --space "Restored Work" --log restore.json

CLI + gRPC required.

Compare archives

anyr backup diff ./backups/old.zip ./backups/new.zip \
  --table

Browse an archive interactively

anyr backup inspect ./backups/work.zip

The inspector owns the terminal and rejects output-format flags.

Run the MCP server

anyr mcp

The compact base catalog is HTTP-complete. The standard read-write catalog and some optional toolsets require a running Anytype CLI server and gRPC credentials.

Initialize or check MCP configuration

anyr mcp init
anyr mcp check

Load shell completions

source <(anyr completions zsh)
source <(anyr completions bash)
anyr completions fish | source

Show the binary version

anyr --version