Docs
CLI reference
Everything the command line can do.
Command
What it does
npx create-prelo <name>
Scaffold a new project: CMS, studio, API and SQLite database in one folder. Three modes — --starter (default), --framework (mount Next/Astro on one port), --headless. --help explains them.
prelo dev
Start everything locally at :3300 — site, studio and API. Restarts itself when cms.config.js or the site module change.
prelo start
Production mode (what the Dockerfile runs).
prelo add <plugin>
Fetch a plugin spec from prelo.dev/plugins into plugins/<name>.md — your agent implements it, you review the diff.
prelo check
Validate cms.config.js and print the parsed schema.
prelo doctor
Check config, database, Node version, sharp and disk.
prelo create-admin
Create the first admin user (or just visit /studio).
prelo user add <email> --role editor
Add a user and print their one-time invite link.
prelo user reset <email>
Print a one-time password reset link.
prelo key create --role author --label claude
Mint a scoped API key for an agent (shown once, stored hashed).
prelo seed
Load content/seed.json into the database.
prelo export [dir]
Copy the whole site state (db + uploads) to a folder — also the migration path. Restore = copy it back as content/.
prelo docs [topic]
Print reference docs, written for AI agents and humans.
Typical agent setup
$ prelo key create --role author --label claude
✓ key "claude" (author) — shown once:
prelo_a91… (store it — it’s stored hashed)
Author keys can create and edit drafts but not publish — a human presses that button. Key activity is attributed in the audit log as claude·key.