CLI (command-line interface) companion for the RemNote Automation Bridge plugin. Provides terminal access to your RemNote knowledge base through a lightweight daemon architecture. Useful e.g. for integration with OpenClaw agents, scripting and other automation, including hierarchical markdown note creation and RemNote-native flashcards.
This is a working solution, but still experimental. If you run into any issues, please report them here.
See CLI flow and troubleshooting in action: View Demo →
RemNote + Automation Bridge Plugin (WebSocket client)
│
│ ws://127.0.0.1:3002
▼
CLI Daemon (background process)
├─ WebSocket Server :3002
└─ HTTP Control API :3100
▲
│ HTTP
CLI Commands (short-lived)
e.g. remnote-cli create "My Note" --content-file /tmp/my-note.md
Two components: the RemNote Automation Bridge plugin connects to the CLI daemon's WebSocket server. CLI commands talk to the daemon over a local HTTP control API.
On current bridge builds, the plugin starts its connection attempts automatically on plugin activation. The Automation Bridge sidebar panel is optional for status, logs, and manual reconnect.
For the detailed bridge connection lifecycle, retry phases, and wake-up triggers, use the bridge repo as the source of truth: Connection Lifecycle Guide.
Version compatibility (
0.xsemver): install aremnote-cliversion compatible with your installed RemNote Automation Bridge plugin version. See the Bridge / Consumer Version Compatibility Guide.
npm install -g remnote-cli
# Start the daemon
remnote-cli daemon start
# Open RemNote and wait for the bridge to connect automatically
# Optional: open the Automation Bridge sidebar panel to verify status
# Check connection
remnote-cli status --text
# Create a note or flashcards from markdown content
remnote-cli create "My Note" --content-file /tmp/my-note.md --text
# Search
remnote-cli search "My Note" --text
# Stop the daemon
remnote-cli daemon stop- Installation Guide - Prerequisites and install methods
- Bridge / Consumer Version Compatibility Guide - Match CLI version to installed bridge plugin version (
0.xsemver) - Daemon Management - Start, stop, status, logs, and PID behavior
- Demo & Screenshots - Terminal walkthrough of daemon startup, connection checks, and search
- Command Reference - All CLI commands and examples
- Troubleshooting - Common issues and fixes
- Bridge Connection Lifecycle - Canonical bridge connect/retry behavior
- Development Setup - Local setup, workflows, and quality checks
- Integration Testing - End-to-end testing against live RemNote
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
daemon start |
Start the background daemon |
daemon stop |
Stop the daemon |
daemon status |
Show daemon process status |
create [title] [options] |
Create notes or flashcards from inline or file-based markdown content |
search <query> |
Search for notes |
search-tag <tag> |
Search for tagged notes with ancestor context |
read <rem-id> |
Read a note by ID in markdown or structured form |
update <rem-id> |
Update an existing note with append/replace content operations |
journal [content] |
Append markdown content to today's journal |
status |
Check bridge connection status |
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--json |
JSON output (default) |
--text |
Human-readable output |
--control-port <port> |
Override control port (default: 3100) |
--verbose |
Enable verbose stderr logging |
--version |
Show version |
--help |
Show help |
| Setting | Default | Environment |
|---|---|---|
| WebSocket port | 3002 | --ws-port flag on daemon start |
| Control port | 3100 | --control-port global flag |
| PID file | ~/.remnote-cli/daemon.pid |
— |
| Log file | ~/.remnote-cli/daemon.log |
--log-file flag on daemon start |
- Node.js >= 18
- RemNote desktop app with the RemNote Automation Bridge plugin installed and enabled
Daemon won't start — port in use:
Another process is using port 3002 or 3100. Use --ws-port or --control-port to pick different ports.
"Bridge not connected" after daemon start: Open RemNote and give the bridge time to connect automatically. If you want to inspect status, open the Automation Bridge sidebar panel. If RemNote was already open before the daemon started, the bridge should still reconnect in the background; use Reconnect in the panel only if you want an immediate retry.
Stale PID file:
If the daemon crashed, daemon start will detect the stale PID file and clean it up automatically.
Commands fail after plugin/CLI upgrade:
Check bridge plugin version and remnote-cli --version, then install a compatible CLI version (prefer same minor line for 0.x). See the Bridge / Consumer Version Compatibility Guide.
- remnote-mcp-server — MCP server integration path
- remnote-mcp-bridge — RemNote Automation Bridge plugin
MIT