Algolia CLI
The official Algolia CLI: indices, records, API keys and synonyms from the terminal, with a JSON command schema for agents
- 110 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- Commands write and delete records, rules and API keys in live indices
- Login gives the agent access to the Algolia application with the rights of the issued keys
Install
Manual install
npm install -g @algolia/cliThe @algolia/cli package on npm, for any platform. For a one-off run: npx @algolia/cli --help.
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- Commands write and delete records, rules and API keys in live indices
- Login gives the agent access to the Algolia application with the rights of the issued keys
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Algolia CLI manages Algolia resources from the command line: applications, indices, records, API keys, synonyms, rules and settings. Login runs through the browser with algolia auth login, and a machine without a browser can use the --no-browser flag. After choosing an application you can load records with algolia objects import MOVIES -F movies.ndjson and search straight away: algolia search MOVIES --query "toy story". Two features serve agents. The algolia describe command prints the full tree of commands and flags as JSON, and describing any command, for example algolia describe search, returns the schema version, response fields and allowed attributes. Write operations such as algolia objects update accept a --dry-run flag: the CLI validates the data and shows in JSON what would happen without changing anything. JSON output is switched on with --output json. Besides indices, the command tree has sections for the crawler, dictionaries, compositions, events, conversations and profiles. A separate agents group manages Agent Studio agents: list, create, update, delete, publish and unpublish.
Who it is for. Developers and search administrators on Algolia who let an agent work with indices, records and settings from the terminal.
Good fit when
- You need to load records into an index from an NDJSON file and check search without the dashboard
- The agent must learn the commands itself: it reads algolia describe and gets a schema without parsing help text
- Before a bulk record update you want a trial run with --dry-run and a JSON answer
- You need to manage API keys, synonyms and index rules from scripts and CI
Not a fit when
- You need search over your data without an Algolia account: the CLI works only with its service
- The job is calling search from an application: Algolia client libraries exist for that
- The agent cannot be trusted with keys that can write and delete: some commands change and erase index data
Example request
Use algolia describe to show how to update records in the PRODUCTS index, then check update.jsonl with --dry-run and change nothing.Limitations
An Algolia account and a selected application are required. Login without a browser uses the --no-browser flag. Installing through npm needs Node.js, and building from source needs Go 1.23 or newer and the Go task tool. Linux deb and rpm packages come from the releases page. Some packages in other managers are maintained by the community without Algolia's involvement. Get the full list of commands and flags from algolia describe, since the documentation site is more complete than the README.
How to disable. Remove the CLI the way you installed it: npm uninstall -g @algolia/cli or brew uninstall algolia. Revoke any keys issued for the CLI in the Algolia dashboard.
FAQ
How do I install Algolia CLI?
Run npm install -g @algolia/cli or start it without installing using npx @algolia/cli --help. On macOS brew install algolia/algolia-cli/algolia works, and Linux has deb and rpm packages plus a tarball on the releases page.
How does an agent learn the command list?
Through algolia describe. The command prints the tree of commands and flags as JSON, and algolia describe search returns the schema of a specific command with its response fields.
Can I check a change before applying it?
Yes, write operations have a --dry-run flag. For example, algolia objects update with --dry-run --output json returns the action, the object count and a dry-run marker without changing the index.
How do I log in on a server without a browser?
Run algolia auth login --no-browser. Login state is shown by algolia auth status. If the account has no applications, the CLI offers to create one.
Can the CLI manage Agent Studio agents?
Yes. The algolia agents group covers listing, creating, updating, deleting, publishing and unpublishing Agent Studio agents.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
Related
CLI toolsOfficial MongoDB skills for natural-language queries, schema design, indexing, Atlas Search and driver connection setup
The hono command searches framework docs, sends requests to an app without starting a server and builds a slimmer bundle.
Redis's official 15 skills teach an agent data structures, search, clustering, security and agent memory, plus a docs MCP server.
Supabase's official CLI: local stack, database migrations, Edge Functions deploys and type generation from the terminal
Official Meilisearch MCP server: indexes, documents, search, relevancy settings and API keys from an agent chat
Official skills and agents from the .NET team: performance, MSBuild, NuGet, upgrades, testing, ASP.NET Core, Blazor and MAUI
README in short
The README briefly introduces the CLI and points to the documentation on algolia.com. It lists installation routes for npm, macOS, Linux and Windows, building from source and a quick start: login, choosing an application, loading records and searching. Community packages get their own section.