insforge-cli

InsForge CLI

Use this skill whenever someone needs a backend, or when managing InsForge backend and cloud infrastructure with the InsForge CLI. For application code that calls InsForge from a frontend, backend, or edge function, use the insforge app-integration skill instead.

Core Rules

• Always run the CLI through npx @insforge/cli <command>. Do not install or call a global insforge binary.
• If the project is already linked, use the current linked project. Run login, project creation, link, project discovery, organization listing, or cloud project commands only when connection setup is actually needed.
• Treat InsForge API keys as full-access admin keys. Keep them server-only and out of frontend/public env vars.
• Prefer CLI commands and documented project config over raw backend HTTP calls. If config apply reports unsupported/skipped fields, surface that result instead of bypassing the CLI with direct API calls.
• Use --json when structured output or non-interactive value collection is needed. Use --yes for confirmation prompts when the user has approved the action.

Global Options

Flag	Use
--json	Structured JSON output and skip value-collection prompts such as text/select prompts. Errors if any required value is missing. Combine with -y for destructive commands that also ask for Y/N confirmation.
-y, --yes	Auto-accept Y/N confirmation prompts such as delete or overwrite prompts. Does not skip value-collection prompts; use --json for that.

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
0	Success
1	General error, including HTTP 400+ from function invoke
2	Not authenticated
3	Project not linked
4	Resource not found
5	Permission denied

Environment Variables

Variable	Use
INSFORGE_ACCESS_TOKEN	Override stored access token
INSFORGE_PROJECT_ID	Override linked project ID
INSFORGE_EMAIL	Email for non-interactive login
INSFORGE_PASSWORD	Password for non-interactive login

Connection Setup

If a task needs project access and the connection state is unknown, start with npx @insforge/cli current. Use npx @insforge/cli whoami when the authenticated identity matters or when current reports that the CLI is not authenticated.

If not authenticated, run npx @insforge/cli login. If no project is linked, use npx @insforge/cli link for an existing project or npx @insforge/cli create when the user asked for a new backend. In workflows that are already prelinked or preconfigured, such as CI, local test projects, automation, or explicit user-provided project context, use that project context directly.

Command Routing

Need	CLI area	Reference
Login, logout, current user	login, logout, whoami	references/login.md
Create/link/list/current project	create, link, list, current, metadata	references/create.md
Schema, SQL, RLS, triggers, indexes, imports, exports	db	references/database/*
Auth redirects, password policy, SMTP, storage size, realtime/schedule retention, subdomain config	config	references/config.md
Storage buckets and objects	storage	this file
Realtime backend setup	db migrations	references/realtime.md
Edge functions	functions	references/functions-deploy.md
AI/OpenRouter key setup	ai setup	this file
Stripe/Razorpay keys, catalog sync, webhooks	payments	references/payments/overview.md
Frontend deployments	deployments	references/deployments/deploy.md
Custom domains, Cloudflare Registrar, DNS sync, SSL verification	domains	references/deployments/domains.md
Backend containers/services	compute	references/compute-deploy.md
Secrets/env vars	secrets, deployment/compute env commands	this file
Scheduled jobs	schedules	references/schedules.md
Backend branches	branch	references/branch/overview.md, references/branch/merge.md, references/branch/reset.md
Logs and health checks	logs, diagnose	references/diagnostics.md
Built-in documentation lookup	docs	this file
PostHog setup	posthog setup	references/posthog.md

Database Workflow

Use database references before writing migrations when the task involves non-trivial database work:

• references/database/migrations.md - migration file creation and apply workflow.
• references/database/query.md - raw SQL execution and targeted inspection.
• references/database/access-control.md - RLS, grants, recursion-safe helper functions, ACLs, protected fields, and public projections.
• references/database/integrity.md - constraints, triggers, derived state, lifecycle guards, append-only history, and server-maintained fields.
• references/database/vector.md - pgvector extension, vector schema, distance operators, indexes, and vector search SQL/RPC patterns.
• references/database/export.md / references/database/import.md - schema or data import/export tasks.

Default pattern:

• Prefer npx @insforge/cli db migrations new <name> plus a migration SQL file for schema, grants, indexes, triggers, functions, and RLS policy changes.
• Apply migrations with npx @insforge/cli db migrations up --all.
• For new schema work, group related DDL into one migration when practical.
• Use targeted inspection when existing state is unknown or a command fails.
• Use npx @insforge/cli db query <sql> for targeted inspection and small corrective row/data SQL only when a migration is not appropriate.
• Use npx @insforge/cli db rpc <fn> [--data <json>] to call database functions through the backend.

Public schema scope:

• For generic application database work, create and modify app-owned objects in the public schema.
• Create, alter, drop, grant, revoke, index, trigger, function, view, and policy changes on public application objects.
• Do not create custom schemas or write to InsForge-managed/system schemas such as auth, storage, realtime, payments, graphql, extensions, pg_catalog, information_schema, or system, unless you are working on that specific feature module and its docs explicitly allow the operation.
• It is allowed to reference built-in objects such as auth.users(id) and auth.uid() from public tables or public RLS policies; do not modify those built-in objects.
• Do not create users, seed business rows, or run application CRUD workflows unless the user request explicitly asks for data migration, repair, or test setup.

RLS and access control:

• Use auth.uid() or an equivalent authenticated identity expression for user ownership checks.
• Add both SQL privileges and RLS policies. Policies do not replace GRANT.
• Runtime roles have broad default DML privileges on public tables so RLS can decide row access. If a table needs narrower operation or column access, explicitly REVOKE the broad privilege before granting the exact allowed operations or columns.
• Include WITH CHECK for INSERT and UPDATE policies so writes cannot create rows the user should not own.
• Prefer helper functions for cross-table RLS checks when direct policy joins can recurse through other RLS policies.
• Helper functions called from RLS policies that query RLS-enabled tables should be SECURITY DEFINER.
• Put RLS helper functions in public and schema-qualify references such as public.team_members and auth.uid().
• For ACLs, protected owner/tenant/role fields, field-level update masks, sanitized public views, or recursion-sensitive policies, read references/database/access-control.md before writing migrations.

Integrity:

• For counters, balances, latest pointers, append-only history, state transitions, lifecycle guards, protected deletes, quota guards, leases, or trigger-maintained columns, read references/database/integrity.md before writing migrations.

Vector:

• For pgvector, vector search functions, score semantics, ANN indexes, hybrid ranking, RAG chunk retrieval, multi-vector search, or embedding version selection, read references/database/vector.md before writing migrations.

Project and Configuration

Project commands:

• npx @insforge/cli create - create a new project. Use --json with required flags for non-interactive agent runs. See references/create.md.
• npx @insforge/cli link - link the current directory to an existing project.
• npx @insforge/cli current - show current linked project.
• npx @insforge/cli metadata --json - inspect backend metadata when discovery is needed.

Configuration:

• Use npx @insforge/cli config export, config plan, and config apply for supported insforge.toml knobs.
• TOML is for config values only. SQL belongs in db migrations; function code belongs in functions deploy; frontend code belongs in deployments deploy; compute code/images belong in compute deploy.
• If config apply returns skipped[], report the skipped items and required backend upgrade. Do not retry with raw HTTP.

Storage

• npx @insforge/cli storage buckets - list buckets.
• npx @insforge/cli storage create-bucket <name> [--private] - create a bucket.
• npx @insforge/cli storage delete-bucket <name> - delete a bucket and all objects. Confirm destructive intent first.
• npx @insforge/cli storage list-objects <bucket> [--prefix] [--search] [--limit] [--sort] - inspect objects.
• npx @insforge/cli storage upload <file> --bucket <name> [--key <objectKey>] - upload an object.
• npx @insforge/cli storage download <objectKey> --bucket <name> [--output <path>] - download an object.

For storage access-control behavior implemented through Postgres policies, use the storage-specific product docs or feature guidance. Do not treat storage internals as generic public-schema database tables unless the referenced storage docs explicitly say to.

Realtime

Create channel patterns, app-table publish triggers, and channel/message RLS through migrations. See references/realtime.md.

Edge Functions

• npx @insforge/cli functions list - list deployed functions.
• npx @insforge/cli functions code <slug> - view function source.
• npx @insforge/cli functions deploy <slug> --file <path> - deploy or update. See references/functions-deploy.md.
• npx @insforge/cli functions invoke <slug> [--data <json>] [--method GET|POST] - invoke a function.
• npx @insforge/cli functions delete <slug> - delete a function. Confirm destructive intent first.

AI Gateway

• npx @insforge/cli ai setup fetches the linked project's active OpenRouter key and writes OPENROUTER_API_KEY to a local server-side env file.
• Keep OPENROUTER_API_KEY server-only. Never expose it as NEXT_PUBLIC_*, VITE_*, PUBLIC_*, or REACT_APP_*.

Payments

Use payments for Stripe/Razorpay backend setup and catalog sync. See references/payments/overview.md.

• Payments are provider-specific: use payments stripe ... or payments razorpay ... explicitly.
• Configure provider keys with payments <provider> config set; setting keys automatically syncs provider state when the key or account changes.
• Check key/account/sync/webhook health with payments <provider> status.
• Run payments <provider> sync to manually refresh or retry mirrored provider data.
• Stripe uses Products/Prices and supports managed webhook registration; Razorpay uses Items/Plans/Orders and requires manual webhook setup in the Razorpay Dashboard.
• Prefer test mode while building. Use live mode only after explicit user approval.
• If the backend reports payments unavailable, ask the user/admin to enable or upgrade payments. Do not work around it by storing provider keys as generic secrets or embedding payment secret keys in app code.
• Load references/payments/stripe.md or references/payments/razorpay.md before provider-specific setup.

Runtime checkout, subscriptions, customer portal flows, and app code belong in the insforge app-integration skill.

Deployments

Frontend deployments:

• Build locally first when the app has a build step.
• Ensure frontend runtime env vars are configured with the correct framework prefix before deployment.
• Use npx @insforge/cli deployments deploy <dir> for frontend source directories. Do not deploy generated output directories unless the deployment reference explicitly calls for it.
• See references/deployments/deploy.md.

Custom domains:

• Use npx @insforge/cli domains ... for custom domains, Cloudflare Registrar, DNS sync, and SSL verification.
• See references/deployments/domains.md.

Backend compute services:

• Use npx @insforge/cli compute ...; do not manage InsForge compute services directly with the user's own flyctl account.
• Use source mode for a directory with a Dockerfile, or image mode with --image <url> for a pre-built image.
• Use --env-file or repeatable env-set/update commands for secrets instead of large inline JSON.
• See references/compute-deploy.md.

Secrets

• npx @insforge/cli secrets list [--all] - list secret keys without values.
• npx @insforge/cli secrets get <key> - retrieve a secret value only when necessary.
• npx @insforge/cli secrets add <key> <value> [--reserved] [--expires <ISO date>] - create a secret.
• npx @insforge/cli secrets update <key> [--value] [--active] [--reserved] [--expires] - update a secret.
• npx @insforge/cli secrets delete <key> - soft-delete a secret. Confirm intent first.

Schedules

• npx @insforge/cli schedules list/get/create/update/delete/logs.
• Use standard 5-field cron for wall-clock schedules.
• Use pg_cron interval syntax such as 30 seconds for sub-minute cadence. Six-field cron with seconds is not supported.
• Headers can reference InsForge secrets with ${{secrets.KEY_NAME}}.
• See references/schedules.md for cron formats, secret header references, examples, common mistakes, and the recommended setup workflow.

Branching

Use backend branches to test risky schema, RLS, auth, or function changes before applying them to production. See references/branch/overview.md.

Common commands:

• npx @insforge/cli branch create <name> [--mode full|schema-only] [--no-switch]
• npx @insforge/cli branch list
• npx @insforge/cli branch switch <name> or --parent
• npx @insforge/cli branch merge <name> [--dry-run] [--save-sql <path>]
• npx @insforge/cli branch reset <name>
• npx @insforge/cli branch delete <name>

Branching requires a backend version that supports it. If unavailable, report the backend version limitation instead of inventing a workaround.

Diagnostics and Logs

• npx @insforge/cli diagnose - full health report.
• npx @insforge/cli diagnose --ai "<issue description>" - ask the InsForge debug agent to diagnose a concrete backend issue.
• npx @insforge/cli diagnose metrics [--range 1h|6h|24h|7d] - EC2 metrics.
• npx @insforge/cli diagnose advisor [--severity critical|warning|info] [--category security|performance|health] - advisor issues.
• npx @insforge/cli diagnose db [--check <checks>] - database health checks.
• npx @insforge/cli diagnose logs [--source <name>] [--limit <n>] - aggregate error logs.
• npx @insforge/cli logs <source> [--limit <n>] - source-specific backend logs.

Typical log sources include function.logs, function-deploy.logs, postgres.logs, postgrest.logs, and insforge.logs. See references/diagnostics.md for common debugging scenarios and source selection.

Documentation

• npx @insforge/cli docs - list documentation topics.
• npx @insforge/cli docs instructions - setup guide.
• npx @insforge/cli docs <feature> <language> - feature docs for db, storage, functions, auth, ai, or realtime in typescript, swift, kotlin, or rest-api.

For application code with InsForge or @insforge/sdk, use the insforge app-integration skill and use docs only as official feature reference.

PostHog

• npx @insforge/cli posthog setup ensures the dashboard has a PostHog connection, then prints the official PostHog wizard command plus the connected project's public phc_ API key and host.
• ⚠️ posthog setup alone does NOT instrument the app: no env vars, no SDK, no events until the wizard step happens. The wizard is interactive and may open a browser; ask the user to run it in their real terminal, or instrument manually using the printed phc_ key/host (PostHog's public client key, safe in frontend env vars).
• Cloud only: self-hosted backends don't expose the integration. Do not substitute a phc_ key from a separate PostHog account into app env vars — the Analytics page reads from the server-side connection that only posthog setup populates; use the key it prints.

Non-Interactive CI/CD

Use env vars and JSON mode for automated contexts:

INSFORGE_EMAIL=$EMAIL INSFORGE_PASSWORD=$PASSWORD npx @insforge/cli login --email -y
npx @insforge/cli link --project-id $PROJECT_ID --org-id $ORG_ID -y
npx @insforge/cli db query "SELECT 1 AS ok" --json

Project Configuration File

After create or link, .insforge/project.json contains the linked project ID, app key, region, API key, and backend URL.

• Never commit .insforge/project.json or share it publicly.
• Do not edit it manually. Use npx @insforge/cli link or branch commands to switch projects.