Retool Classic CLI

[!CAUTION] The Retool Classic CLI is deprecated. It will be removed from cloud instances on March 1, 2027, and from stable instances in the Q2 2027 stable release.

If you're looking for a CLI tool for AI-powered app building, refer to Retool's new CLI.

A simple command line interface for classic apps, workflows, and other functionality on Retool.

Open an issue in this repository for feature requests. PRs welcome!

Installation & Updating

1. npm install -g retool-cli

Node.js is a requirement, it can be installed here. See this guide to resolve EACCES permissions errors.

Usage Instructions

retool --help

retool <command> --help

Building from Source

1. git clone https://github.com/tryretool/retool-cli.git
2. cd retool-cli
3. npm i && npm run dev
4. npm install -g . Installs the retool command globally on your machine.

Contribution Guide

Extending an existing command

1. Locate the command file in src/commands/.
2. Add a new flag to the builder object and provide a clear description. This description will be displayed to the user in the help command.
3. Handle the new flag by adding an else if (argv.newFlag) statement to the handler function.

Adding a new command

1. Create a new file in the src/commands directory, ensure it exports a CommandModule.
2. npm run dev to start TS compiler.
3. retool login to authenticate.
4. retool commandName to test command.

General guidelines

• Retool CLI adheres to the principles outlined in this CLI guide:
  • Keep output succinct.
  • In help output:
    • Use <> to indicate required params and [] for optional params.
    • Provide a usage example if appropriate.
  • Errors should be presented in a human-readable format.
  • Hide debug output behind a process.env.DEBUG check.
• Any files in src/commands/ directory will become a top-level commands.
• Shared logic should be placed in src/utils/ directory.

Publishing to NPM (for Retool employees)

• Bump version in package.json, npm install, commit changes
• npm run build
• npm publish