CLI Reference

Run shki <command> --help for the authoritative list of flags. Each command has its own page under Commands; this page covers what they share.

Global options

Available on every command:

Flag	Purpose
-c, --config <PATH>	Config file. Default shki.toml.
-l, --dialect <DIALECT>	postgres, mysql, or sqlite.
-u, --database-url <URL>	Live database URL. Env fallback DATABASE_URL.
-d, --migrations-dir <P>	Directory migrations are written to and read from (also --dir).
-S, --schema <NAME>	Schema holding the migrations table (PostgreSQL).
-v, --verbose	Verbose output.
-n, --no-color	Disable color output.
-V, --version	Print version.

Shared option groups

Commands that compile a Declarative Schema — diff, generate, codegen, queries — also accept:

Flag	Purpose
--shadow-database-url <URL>	External Shadow Database. Env fallback SHKI_SHADOW_DATABASE_URL.
--pg-version <14…18>	Embedded PostgreSQL major version. Default 18. Env fallback SHKI_PG_VERSION.

Commands that read or write migrations — create, generate, migrate, status, down, bootstrap, adopt — also accept:

Flag	Purpose
-T, --table <NAME>	Migrations table name. Default __shki_migrations.
--prefix <index|timestamp|unix>	Migration file name prefix style. Default index.
--generate-down	Generate Down Migrations alongside up migrations.

Commands

Command	Alias	Purpose
config	conf	Print the effective configuration
init [path]	i	Scaffold a project: config, schema, migrations metadata
shadow install	–	Install embedded PostgreSQL from a hand-downloaded archive
diff	–	Compile the Declarative Schema and preview the Migration Plan
generate <name>	gen	Write migration SQL, a Snapshot, and a Journal entry
create <name>	new	Create a Custom Migration for hand-written SQL
migrate [mode]	up	Apply pending migrations (all, steps <N>, to <NAME>)
status	s	List migrations, applied state, and checksum problems
down [count]	–	Roll back applied migrations using Down Migrations
drop [migration]	–	Remove a local migration and its artifacts
dump	–	Export live database shape as SQL, JSON, or a Directory Schema
bootstrap [name]	strap	Author a baseline migration from an existing database
adopt [name]	baseline	Adopt an existing database at a committed baseline
codegen <lang>	code	Generate Rust, TypeScript, or Protobuf types from schema shape
queries	q	Generate type-safe Rust query functions from annotated SQL