---
name: difyctl
description: 'Operate a Dify server through difyctl: find and run any operation, and build, test, publish and change Workflow and Chatflow apps. Use when the task involves difyctl, a Dify server, or Dify apps.'
---

# difyctl

difyctl talks to a Dify server. Business commands are not built in: the server publishes a catalog of operations, and each one is a command you discover at run time.

Always pass `--json`. Help and errors are text on a terminal and JSON in a pipe; `--json` (or `DIFY_OUTPUT=json`) forces JSON. Results and streams are always JSON.

Operations that remove or revoke have no confirmation prompt. Confirm with the human first.

## Finding what the CLI can do

An operation id is dotted, `run.console_app.chat`, and is typed as words: `difyctl run console_app chat`. Ids come from the server and can change, so look them up instead of assuming them.

Four views under `help`, covering local commands and server operations as one tree:

1. `difyctl help --json`: the map. Start here.
2. `difyctl help <namespace> --json`: everything under one namespace (`difyctl help get`). The bare namespace, `difyctl get --json`, prints the same.
3. `difyctl help <words> --json`: search by plain words (`difyctl help upload file`), top 20 entries plus `total`. Widen the words when nothing fits.
4. `difyctl help <id> --json`: one descriptor, dotted or spaced id. For an operation: `input` (JSON Schema), `bind`, `kind`, `examples` and `pins` (values difyctl fills in, currently `workspace_id`). `<command> --help` prints the same.

`--all` adds operations the server marks internal. `--full` on the bare `help` prints every descriptor; rarely needed.

Not logged in, or the server unreachable, gives the local commands plus one line on stderr.

## Where to read next

- Read [`references/setup.md`](references/setup.md) to check login or log in, switching server or workspace, or running in a sandbox or CI.
- Read [`references/operations.md`](references/operations.md) before running any operation: flags, inputs, files, results, hints, errors and exit codes.
- Read [`references/build-workflow.md`](references/build-workflow.md) when asked to create, change, test or publish a Workflow or Chatflow app.
- Read [`references/plugins.md`](references/plugins.md) to find tools, models and knowledge bases before building, when a plugin, model, tool or credential is missing, or when the human asks to install or remove a plugin.