Devonthink

DEVONthink CLI

Overview

Use this skill to run the DEVONthink CLI safely and produce exact commands for the current command surface.

Prefer read-only commands first when verifying identifiers or database context. Use JSON output when the result will be piped to other tools or parsed by code.

Read references/commands.md for the supported command surface. Read references/examples.md for concrete examples.

Exact Command Surface

Use these exact command names. Do not invent get_* variants unless they are listed here.

tools
schema <tool>
is_running
open_databases
current_database
selected_records
search [query]
lookup_record [lookupType]
list_group_content [uuid]
record_properties [uuid]
record_content [uuid]
record_by_identifier [uuid]
create_record [name]
create_from_url [url]
rename_record [uuid]
move_record [uuid]
delete_record [uuid]
add_tags [uuid]
remove_tags [uuid]
update_record_content [uuid]
set_record_properties [uuid]
classify [recordUuid]
compare [recordUuid]
replicate_record [uuid]
duplicate_record [uuid]
convert_record [uuid]
check_ai_health
ask_ai_about_documents [question]
create_summary_document
ai_tool_documentation [toolName]

Runbook

1. Confirm DEVONthink is running with devonthink is_running. 2. Confirm the active or target database with devonthink current_database or devonthink open_databases. 3. Resolve record UUIDs with read-only commands before write operations. 4. Prefer --json for automation and downstream parsing. 5. Before mutating records, verify the target with record_properties, record_by_identifier, search, or lookup_record. 6. Use schema <tool> when you need exact parameter names.

Installation And Agent Setup

Install from npm:

npm install -g devonthink

After installation, you can use any equivalent executable:

devonthink --help
dt --help
dt-cli --help

For Claude Desktop, add dvcrn/devonthink-cli as a marketplace plugin, then install the devonthink plugin from that marketplace.

For Claude Code, the equivalent commands are:

claude plugins marketplace add dvcrn/devonthink-cli
claude plugins install devonthink@dvcrn-devonthink-cli --scope user

For npx skills, run:

npx skills add dvcrn/devonthink-cli

Output Strategy

Use default human-readable output for interactive use. Use --json for automation and downstream parsing.

devonthink search invoice --json
devonthink record_properties <uuid> --json

Positional Arguments

Many tools support the first obvious required argument positionally.

devonthink search invoice
devonthink record_content <uuid>
devonthink record_properties <uuid>
devonthink rename_record <uuid> --new-name "Renamed note"
devonthink create_record "New Note" --type markdown --content "Hello"
devonthink create_from_url https://example.com --format markdown

Common Tasks

Use these as canonical examples:

# verify DEVONthink is running
devonthink is_running

# list open databases
devonthink open_databases

# inspect the current database
devonthink current_database

# search for records
devonthink search invoice --database-name Test

# get a record by UUID
devonthink record_properties <uuid>

# read record content
devonthink record_content <uuid>

# create a note
devonthink create_record "Meeting Notes" --type markdown --content "# Notes" --database-name Test

# update content
devonthink update_record_content <uuid> --content "Updated body"

# rename a record
devonthink rename_record <uuid> --new-name "Renamed note"

# add tags
devonthink add_tags <uuid> --tags work --tags important

# remove tags
devonthink remove_tags <uuid> --tags old-tag

Safety Checks

Before write operations:

1. Confirm the target database with current_database or open_databases. 2. Confirm the target record with record_properties, record_by_identifier, search, or lookup_record. 3. Confirm the destination group before move_record, duplicate_record, replicate_record, or convert_record. 4. Prefer UUIDs over names when mutating records.

Notes

• devonthink, dt, and dt-cli are equivalent and map to the same implementation.
• schema <tool> prints the exact JSON schema for a tool.
• tools lists the available command surface.

DEVONthink CLI Commands

Discover the live command surface with:

devonthink tools
devonthink schema <tool>

Common top-level commands:

tools
schema <tool>
is_running
open_databases
current_database
selected_records
search [query]
lookup_record [lookupType]
list_group_content [uuid]
record_properties [uuid]
record_content [uuid]
record_by_identifier [uuid]
create_record [name]
create_from_url [url]
rename_record [uuid]
move_record [uuid]
delete_record [uuid]
add_tags [uuid]
remove_tags [uuid]
update_record_content [uuid]
set_record_properties [uuid]
classify [recordUuid]
compare [recordUuid]
replicate_record [uuid]
duplicate_record [uuid]
convert_record [uuid]
check_ai_health
ask_ai_about_documents [question]
create_summary_document
ai_tool_documentation [toolName]

Global flags:

--json
--help
--version

Notes:

• Many tools support the first obvious required argument positionally.
• For exact parameter names and validation rules, use devonthink schema <tool>.
• Use --json when the output will be parsed by another tool or script.

DEVONthink CLI Examples

Basic access check

devonthink is_running
devonthink current_database

List databases and selected records

devonthink open_databases
devonthink selected_records --json

Search using positional arguments

devonthink search invoice
devonthink search invoice --database-name Test --json

Inspect a record

devonthink record_properties <uuid>
devonthink record_content <uuid>

Create and update a note

devonthink create_record "Draft Note" --type markdown --content "# Draft"
devonthink update_record_content <uuid> --content "# Final"

Organize records

devonthink move_record <uuid> --destination-group-uuid <group-uuid>
devonthink add_tags <uuid> --tags inbox --tags follow-up
devonthink remove_tags <uuid> --tags inbox

AI workflows

devonthink check_ai_health
devonthink ask_ai_about_documents "Summarize these notes" --document-uuids <uuid1> --document-uuids <uuid2> --engine Gemini
devonthink create_summary_document --document-uuids <uuid1> --document-uuids <uuid2> --summary-type markdown