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Reference

CLI reference

Updated 1 Oct 2026

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For agents

Load this page when: you need to run a trove command and want to find its group page, a global flag or an environment variable

  • Read a book in three steps. Run trove items list, then trove items toc, then trove items read with a page range.
  • Add --json to get machine-readable output, except on the commands listed under Global flags.
  • Add --no-session to read-only calls that must not join a research session.

The CLI is named trove. It talks to the same REST API as every other client, so anything you can do here you can also script over HTTP.

Install

Install the binary with the steps on Install Trove. The old name was ck. It still runs, prints a notice and forwards to trove, so use trove in new scripts.

How an agent reads a book

Read in three steps. Each step narrows the next one, so an agent never pulls a whole book to answer one question.

StepCommandWhat it gives you
1trove items list --no-sessionBook ids and titles
2trove items toc <id>Chapters with page ranges
3trove items read "<id>:10-20"The text of those pages

Each book you open counts as one read. See Plans and limits.

Command groups

GroupPageWhat for
trove authtrove authSign in, sign out, show your account
trove items list, toc, read, status, gettrove items: readFind books and read pages
trove items add, create, import, put, append, history, restore, remove, reprocess, enrich, flagtrove items: writeAdd and edit books
trove items report-gap, gaps, resolve-gap, restore-gaptrove items: gapsReader requests for your books
trove shelf, trove inittrove shelfGroup books and pin a project shelf
trove mstrove msManuscripts
trove marketplacetrove marketplaceBrowse and add public books
trove teamtrove teamMembers, departments and shared books
trove setup, install, update, version, scan, welcome, tourtrove setupInstall into your agents and keep the binary current
trove configtrove configPersonal settings
trove sourcestrove sourcesSaved sources
trove valuetrove valueWhat your agents read
trove reporttrove reportSend a bug report or idea

Global flags

FlagMeaning
--jsonPrint machine-readable JSON.
--version, -VPrint the installed version. With --json, print current, latest, up_to_date and source.
--help, -hPrint help for any command.

--json is global, but some commands print text only. They ignore the flag.

GroupCommands that print text only
itemsadd, remove, enrich, flag, reprocess, get, put, restore, import, append, report-gap, resolve-gap
msupdate, archive
configget, set
authlogin, logout

trove items history and trove config show take their own --json. trove value takes --format markdown or --format json.

Flags for agents and scripts

--no-session does not show in --help. It stops a read from joining the current research session. Without it, the CLI uses --session, else the session file, else no session.

bash
trove items list --no-session --json

Environment variables

VariableEffect
TROVE_API_URLSend requests to another server, such as a preview environment.
TROVE_NO_AUTO_UPDATESet to 1 to stop background updates of the binary and the skills.
TROVE_NO_UPDATE_CHECKSet to 1 to stop the version check.
TROVE_NO_CLIENT_TELEMETRYSet to 1 to stop sending the name of the agent that ran the command.

The older CK_NO_AUTO_UPDATE, CK_NO_UPDATE_CHECK and CK_NO_CLIENT_TELEMETRY still work.

Common errors

MessageFix
Not authenticated. Run 'trove auth login' first.Sign in with trove auth login, or trove auth login --with-token on a server. See trove auth.
Invalid or revoked API keyThe key was revoked. Create a new one in API keys and sign in again.
Trove: your agent has used all {limit} reads for {month}. Reads reset on {date}. Pro has unlimited reads: {host}/billingStop reading. Do not retry. Tell the user. See Errors.
    CLI reference | Trove