# CLI

The `interfold` CLI is the primary local interface for people and coding
agents. It manages credentials, account and project context, sites, buckets,
files, databases, secrets, and agent skills.

All commands print JSON to stdout so scripts and agents can parse results
without scraping human-oriented output.

## Install and upgrade

```sh
curl -fsSL https://downloads.interfold.dev/install.sh | bash
interfold version
interfold upgrade
```

Self-upgrade supports CLIs installed by the official installer at
`~/.interfold/bin/interfold`.

## Command groups

- [Authentication](/cli/authentication)
- [Accounts & projects](/cli/accounts-projects)
- [Sites & buckets](/cli/sites-buckets)
- [Files](/cli/files)
- [Databases](/cli/databases)
- [Secrets](/cli/secrets)
- [Agent skills](/cli/skills)

## Global flags

| Flag              | Description                                                     |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--api-key <key>` | Authenticate with an explicit API key for one command.          |
| `--account <id>`  | Select the saved credential for one command.                    |
| `--cwd <path>`    | Start project discovery and relative file resolution at a path. |

The CLI also reads `INTERFOLD_API_KEY`, `INTERFOLD_ACCOUNT_ID`, and
`INTERFOLD_SITE_ID`.

## Choose CLI, REST, or MCP

Use the CLI for local development, shell automation, safe credential storage,
content-type detection, and project-linked site context.

Use the [REST API](/api-reference) for service integrations. Use
[MCP](/mcp) when an agent client can connect to a remote MCP server and should
work through explicit tools.