CLI Overview

The stx CLI is your primary interface for working with Syntext documentation. It handles project initialization, local development, building, and deployment.

Installation

curl -fsSL https://get.syntext.dev | sh

brew install syntext-dev/tap/stx

npm install -g @syntext/cli

Verify installation:

stx --version

Quick Reference

Command	Description
`stx init`	Initialize a new docs project
`stx dev`	Start the development server
`stx build`	Build on the Syntext backend and download the static site
`stx deploy`	Deploy to Syntext CDN
`stx generate`	Generate API docs from OpenAPI/code
`stx check`	Validate configuration and content
`stx login`	Authenticate with Syntext
`stx logout`	Remove stored credentials
`stx connect`	Connect local docs to a Syntext project
`stx projects`	Create, list, and delete projects
`stx migrate`	Migrate from Mintlify, Docusaurus, GitBook, or ReadMe

Global Flags

All commands support these global flags:

Flag	Alias	Description
`--help`	`-h`	Show help for a command
`--version`	`-v`	Show CLI version
`--config`	`-c`	Path to config file (default: `syntext.json`)
`--cwd`		Working directory (default: current directory)
`--verbose`		Enable verbose output
`--json`		Output as JSON (for scripting)

Configuration Files

The CLI looks for configuration in these locations (in order):

.syntext/syntext.json or .syntext/stx.json
.syntext/syntext.yaml or .syntext/stx.yaml
.stx/syntext.json or .stx/stx.json
.stx/syntext.yaml or .stx/stx.yaml
syntext.json or stx.json (project root)
syntext.yaml or stx.yaml (project root)

The first matching file is used. JSON and YAML formats are functionally equivalent — use whichever you prefer. For monorepos, place configuration in .syntext/ to keep the root clean.

Project Detection

The CLI auto-detects your project layout:

Standalone — Config at repository root:

docs-repo/
├── syntext.json
├── docs/
└── public/

Embedded — Config inside .syntext/ or .stx/:

my-api/
├── src/
├── package.json
└── .syntext/
    ├── syntext.json
    └── docs/

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
`SYNTEXT_API_KEY`	API key for authenticated operations
`SYNTEXT_PROJECT_ID`	Override project ID
`SYNTEXT_ENV`	Environment: `production`, `staging`
`NO_COLOR`	Disable colored output

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
`0`	Success
`1`	General error
`2`	Configuration error
`3`	Validation error
`4`	Network error
`5`	Authentication error

Command Details

Initialize a new documentation project

Start the development server

Build static site for production

Deploy to Syntext CDN

Generate docs from OpenAPI or code

Validate configuration and content

Authenticate with Syntext

Connect local docs to a project

Manage projects from the terminal

Migrate from another docs platform