Readwise CLI

The Readwise CLI gives you direct access to your Readwise and Reader data from the command line. You can directly search, read, and organize your library, or let an AI agent do it for you.

Install the Readwise CLI

Installing the Readwise CLI only takes two commands. The login command opens your browser for OAuth.

npm install -g @readwise/cli
readwise login

For scripts and headless agents, use readwise login-with-token <your-access-token> instead. (You can grab your token here: readwise.io/access_token.)

Once installed, your agent (Claude Code, Codex, OpenClaw, etc.) can use the readwise command. Run readwise --help to see everything it can do.

What you can do

These are the primary building blocks available through the Readwise CLI. You can use them directly, pipe them to other tools, or let your AI agent use them for you.

Search your Reader library

readwise reader-search-documents --query "aggregation theory"

Read a saved document (returns Markdown)

readwise reader-get-document-details --document-id <id>

Save a URL to Reader

readwise reader-create-document --url "https://example.com/article"

Check your inbox

readwise reader-list-documents --location new

Move documents to archive, later, or shortlist

readwise reader-move-documents --document-ids <id>,<id> --location archive

Search your Readwise highlights

readwise readwise-search-highlights --vector-search-term "compounding"

Create a highlight

readwise reader-create-highlight --document-id <id> --text "The key insight is..."

Tag and organize documents

readwise reader-add-tags-to-document --document-id <id> --tags "ai,research"

Get today's daily review

readwise readwise-get-daily-review

Export your entire library as Markdown

readwise reader-export-documents

Skills

Skills are pre-built workflows your AI agent can run. Install them with the following command:

npx @readwise/cli skills install claude

Triage

AI walks you through your inbox one article at a time, telling you what's worth your time and why.

Feed Catchup

Skim your Reader feed in batches (RSS, newsletters, Twitter digests) to pull out the gems, then mark the rest as seen.

Quiz

Test yourself on something you just read, and get graded by the AI like it's a smart colleague who also read the piece.

Now Reading

Generate a "What I'm Reading" webpage from your library to host on your personal site.

Configuration

Manage CLI settings with the config command. No authentication is required.

readwise config show              # show all settings
readwise config get readonly      # get a single setting
readwise config set readonly true # enable readonly mode

Readonly mode

When readonly mode is on, only read-only tools (search, list, get, export) are available — write operations are hidden. This is useful when giving an agent access to your library without letting it make changes.

readwise config set readonly true
readwise --refresh

Disabling readonly via the CLI logs you out and requires re-authentication (readwise login). This prevents an agent from silently toggling readonly off and using write tools. Toggling readonly in the interactive TUI does not require re-login.

CLI FAQs

What's the difference between the CLI and the MCP server?

They give your AI access to the same Readwise and Reader data, but in different ways.

The CLI is a command-line tool, where you or your agent runs readwise commands directly in a terminal session. The MCP server works with apps like Claude Desktop and ChatGPT that support the Model Context Protocol, with no terminal required.

If you're using a terminal-based agent like Claude Code or Codex, the CLI is usually the simpler option.

Can I use the CLI in automated scripts or CI environments?

Yes. Use readwise login-with-token <your-access-token> to authenticate without a browser. You can find your access token in your Readwise account settings.

Does the CLI work with both Readwise and Reader?

Yes. Commands prefixed with readwise- operate on your Readwise highlights library, and commands prefixed with reader- operate on your Reader documents. Both are available after a single login.