generated: '2026-08-27'
method: searched
source: >-
  https://cli.netlify.com/ (command reference, HTTP 200, 2026-08-27),
  https://docs.netlify.com/api-and-cli-guides/cli-guides/get-started-with-cli/ (read as Markdown),
  https://github.com/netlify/cli, and registry.npmjs.org/netlify-cli.
description: >-
  Netlify's first-party command line interface. It is the primary human and agent entry point to
  the platform — the local dev server, the deploy path, and the escape hatch to any REST
  operation the CLI does not wrap. The MCP server's local build shells out to it.
name: Netlify CLI
official: true
package: netlify-cli
registry: npm
version: 27.4.0
published: '2026-08-26'
binaries: [netlify, ntl]
repository: https://github.com/netlify/cli
docs: https://cli.netlify.com/
guide: https://docs.netlify.com/api-and-cli-guides/cli-guides/get-started-with-cli/
requires: Node.js
install:
  - method: npm (global)
    command: npm install -g netlify-cli
  - method: npm (project-local)
    command: npm install --save-dev netlify-cli
    note: >-
      Netlify's docs recommend the local install for CI, so the CLI version is pinned in the
      project rather than floating with the runner image.
  - method: npx
    command: npx netlify-cli <command>
authentication:
  interactive: netlify login
  token_env: NETLIFY_AUTH_TOKEN
  credential_store: >-
    Credentials are written to a local config.json; `netlify login` grants an authorization
    that appears under Authorized applications as "Netlify CLI" and can be revoked there.
  sso_note: >-
    Under team SAML SSO, a personal access token must be granted team access explicitly at
    generation time or the CLI is denied.
  docs: https://docs.netlify.com/api-and-cli-guides/cli-guides/get-started-with-cli/#authentication
telemetry:
  collected: true
  note: The CLI collects usage data; the docs document how to opt out.
  docs: https://docs.netlify.com/api-and-cli-guides/cli-guides/get-started-with-cli/#usage-data-collection
command_groups:
  - group: authentication and account
    commands: [login, logout, status, switch, teams]
  - group: project lifecycle
    commands: [create, init, clone, link, unlink, sites, claim, open]
    note: >-
      `netlify create "<natural language description>"` generates, deploys and downloads a new
      project from a prompt, using Agent Runners — a CLI command whose implementation is an agent.
  - group: build and deploy
    commands: [build, deploy, serve, watch]
    key_flags:
      - flag: build --dry
        detail: Prints the build steps that would run without executing them.
      - flag: build --context <context>
        detail: Builds against a named deploy context (production, deploy-preview, branch-deploy, dev).
      - flag: deploy --prod
        detail: Publishes to production. Without it, the deploy is a draft at its own URL.
      - flag: deploy --dir / --functions
        detail: Selects the publish directory and functions directory.
      - flag: deploy --alias
        detail: Names the draft deploy URL.
      - flag: deploy --allow-anonymous
        detail: Deploys without an account, creating an unclaimed project.
  - group: local development
    commands: [dev, functions, logs]
  - group: data and configuration
    commands: [env, blobs, database]
  - group: AI and agents
    commands: [agents]
  - group: raw API access
    commands: [api]
    note: >-
      `netlify api <methodName>` calls any operation in the OpenAPI directly by operationId,
      which makes every one of the 180 REST operations reachable from the CLI even where no
      dedicated command exists. This is the CLI's most under-documented capability.
  - group: utilities
    commands: [recipes, completion]
commands:
  - agents
  - api
  - blobs
  - build
  - claim
  - clone
  - completion
  - create
  - database
  - deploy
  - dev
  - env
  - functions
  - init
  - link
  - login
  - logout
  - logs
  - open
  - recipes
  - serve
  - sites
  - status
  - switch
  - teams
  - unlink
  - watch
command_count: 27
key_flows:
  - name: Link an existing project and develop locally
    steps: [netlify clone <repo>, netlify dev]
  - name: Set up continuous deployment
    steps: [netlify init, 'netlify init --manual (to supply your own deploy key and webhook)']
  - name: Manual production deploy
    steps: [netlify build, netlify deploy --prod]
  - name: Rehearse a build without running it
    steps: [netlify build --dry]
  - name: Create a project from a prompt
    steps: ['netlify create "a landing page for a SaaS product with a waitlist signup"']
  - name: Call an unwrapped REST operation
    steps: ['netlify api <operationId> --data ''{...}''']
relationship_to_mcp: >-
  The local stdio MCP server (@netlify/mcp) instructs the agent to install netlify-cli and uses
  it for the deploy path, so on a local install the CLI is a dependency of the MCP surface rather
  than an alternative to it. The hosted remote MCP server does not need it.