---
name: spacetimedb-cli
description: SpacetimeDB 2.5 CLI reference for Genarrative. Use for spacetime build, publish, generate, call, sql, logs, server management, local dev, explicit server targeting, version checks, and remote runtime verification.
---

# SpacetimeDB CLI

Use this skill when working with the `spacetime` CLI in Genarrative. Prefer repository scripts when they exist, and keep every operation pinned to an explicit target server or local process.

## Genarrative Rules

- Do not rely on the default SpacetimeDB cloud target. Pass `--server` or `--server-url` explicitly in scripts, docs, smoke tests, and manual troubleshooting.
- Do not introduce `maincloud` / `MAINCLOUD` commands, env vars, or docs. Treat old references as historical residue.
- Do not use `spacetime --root-dir` in manual commands or docs. Use project scripts, `--data-dir`, explicit `--server`, or the configured running service.
- For repository version upgrades, update `server-rs/Cargo.toml` exact pins, regenerate bindings, and verify the actual CLI/runtime version. Do not treat a local CLI reinstall as a repo upgrade.
- For host upgrades, verify the running service binary, not just shell PATH: `systemctl show ... MainPID` -> `/proc/$pid/exe --version` -> `/v1/ping`.

## Core Commands

```bash
# Build module
spacetime build
spacetime build --debug

# Publish to an explicit server
spacetime publish my-database --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 --yes=migrate,break-clients

# Destructive publish only when explicitly intended
spacetime publish my-database --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 --delete-data=always --yes=delete-data,migrate

# Delete data only for breaking schema conflicts
spacetime publish my-database --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 --delete-data=on-conflict --yes=migrate

# Generate bindings
spacetime generate --lang typescript|csharp|rust|unrealcpp --out-dir ./bindings --module-path ./server
```

## Genarrative Local Workflow

```bash
# Prefer project wrappers
npm run dev:spacetime
npm run dev:api-server
npm run spacetime:generate

# Query local database
spacetime sql my-db --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 "SELECT * FROM players"

# Logs
spacetime logs my-db --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 -f
```

## Database Interaction

```bash
# SQL / describe
spacetime sql my-db --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 "SELECT * FROM users"
spacetime describe my-db --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 --json
spacetime describe my-db table users --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 --json

# Reducer/procedure calls. Arguments are positional JSON values.
spacetime call --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 my-db my_reducer '"value"' '123'

# 2.5 accepts hex strings for Identity arguments without full JSON tuple syntax.
spacetime call --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 my-db reducer_needing_identity 0xabc123...

# Subscribe from CLI
spacetime subscribe my-db "SELECT * FROM users" --num-updates 10 --server http://127.0.0.1:3101
```

## Server & Auth

```bash
spacetime server list
spacetime server add local --url http://localhost:3000 --default
spacetime server add genarrative-dev --url http://127.0.0.1:3101
spacetime server ping genarrative-dev

spacetime login
spacetime login --token <token>
spacetime login show
spacetime logout
```

## Version & Runtime Verification

```bash
# CLI resolution can be misleading; compare all candidates when diagnosing.
type -a spacetime
spacetime --version
spacetime version list

# Verify a systemd service binary actually changed.
pid="$(systemctl show spacetimedb.service -p MainPID --value)"
readlink -f "/proc/${pid}/exe"
"/proc/${pid}/exe" --version
curl -fsS http://127.0.0.1:3101/v1/ping
```

## Flags

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `--server`, `-s` | Target server nickname, host, or URL |
| `--yes`, `-y` | Non-interactive prompt skipping; in 2.5 prefer scoped values |
| `--delete-data`, `-c` | Publish data policy: `always`, `on-conflict`, or `never` |
| `--module-path`, `-p` | Module project path |
| `--bin-path`, `-b` | Publish/generate from compiled wasm |
| `--no-config` | Ignore `spacetime.json` |
| `--env` | Select config file layering environment |

## Troubleshooting

### Not Logged In

```bash
spacetime login
```

### Server Not Responding

```bash
spacetime server ping <server>
curl -fsS http://127.0.0.1:3101/v1/ping
```

For local Genarrative work, start SpacetimeDB first with `npm run dev:spacetime`, then start `npm run dev:api-server`.

### Schema Conflict

```bash
spacetime publish my-db --server http://127.0.0.1:3101 --delete-data=on-conflict --yes=migrate
```

Use `--delete-data=always` only with explicit approval.

### Version Mismatch

```bash
rg -n 'spacetimedb' server-rs/Cargo.toml
spacetime --version
spacetime version list
pid="$(systemctl show spacetimedb.service -p MainPID --value)"
"/proc/${pid}/exe" --version
```

## Notes

- Procedure calls are stable in 2.5; module HTTP handlers/webhooks, unstable view features, and RLS remain behind unstable gates per release notes.
- 2.5 fixes `publish --delete-data` config fallback so `spacetime.json` can provide the database name.
- Genarrative scripts should pass `--server` or `--server-url` explicitly instead of relying on CLI defaults.