generated: '2026-07-21'
method: searched
source: https://docs.specific.dev/reference/cli
name: specific
description: >-
  The Specific CLI is the primary interface to the platform. Coding agents and developers use it to
  configure a project, run the full system locally, and deploy to Specific Cloud from a single
  specific.hcl file.
install:
- method: curl
  command: curl -fsSL https://specific.dev/install.sh | sh
- method: npm
  command: npm install -g @specific.dev/cli
binary: specific
config_file: specific.hcl
command_groups:
- group: setup
  commands:
  - name: specific init
    purpose: Configure the project for coding agents (adds agent instructions/permissions).
  - name: specific docs
    purpose: Fetch LLM-optimized documentation (optionally by topic).
  - name: specific check
    purpose: Validate the specific.hcl configuration.
- group: local-development
  commands:
  - name: specific dev
    purpose: Start the local development environment with all resources (Postgres, sync, etc.).
  - name: specific exec
    purpose: Run a one-off command with a service's environment variables.
  - name: specific psql
    purpose: Connect to local Postgres interactively.
  - name: specific reshape
    purpose: Manage zero-downtime database schema migrations.
  - name: specific clean
    purpose: Remove local development data.
- group: deploy-and-manage
  commands:
  - name: specific deploy
    purpose: Deploy to Specific Cloud.
  - name: specific status
    purpose: Show project and deployment status.
  - name: specific deployment
    purpose: "Inspect deployments (subcommand: show)."
  - name: specific query
    purpose: Run SQL queries against observability data or databases.
  - name: specific domain
    purpose: "Manage custom domains (subcommand: add)."
  - name: specific project
    purpose: "Manage projects (subcommands: new, list)."
- group: account
  commands:
  - name: specific login
    purpose: Authenticate to Specific (supports --device-code for headless/agent use).
  - name: specific logout
    purpose: Log out.
  - name: specific update
    purpose: Update the CLI to the latest version.
  - name: specific beta
    purpose: Manage beta feature flags.
key_flags:
- flag: -k, --key
  purpose: Dev environment namespace.
- flag: -e, --environment
  purpose: Target environment.
- flag: --format
  purpose: Output formatting.
key_flows:
- "Agent onboarding via `specific init` then `specific docs` / `specific check`."
- "Local-to-production loop: `specific dev` then `specific deploy`."
- "Headless agent auth via `specific login --device-code`."