CLI Commands
Complete reference for every sow command, plus the global conventions they all share.
Reference
Command syntax, configuration schema, on-disk layout, exit codes, JSON output, and the tested compatibility matrix.
This section is the lookup half of the documentation. It answers “what exactly does this
flag do”, “what fields may appear in sow.yml”, “what does exit code 5 mean”, and “which
file lands where” — precisely, without a narrative around it. If you are trying to learn
how SOW works, start with Getting Started or Features
instead; those pages explain the model, and link back here for the details.
Everything on these pages is derived from the shipping binary. Command output is
transcribed from real runs of sow 0.2.0-dev, and configuration rules match the strict
parser, not an aspirational schema.
CLI CommandsEvery command, its arguments, the global options they accept, and the discovery and
selection rules that decide which repository and distribution they act on.
sow.yml ReferenceThe complete configuration schema: workspace, repository, distribution, membership
policy, and the signing tree — including key reference syntax and validation rules.
Package ReferencesThe five ways to name a package on the command line, how ambiguity is resolved, and
which forms
rm, show, and where accept.Repository LayoutEvery path SOW creates in plain and managed mode, the pool grouping rule, name
constraints, and which directories must never be exposed over HTTP.
Exit CodesThe seven exit codes, what each one means, and a reproducible command that triggers it.
JSON OutputThe
sow.cli/v1 envelope, the meaning of each top-level field, and the result shape of
every command that produces data.CompatibilityWhich package managers were tested against SOW-built repositories, which platforms the
binary runs on, and the filesystem constraints you must respect.
Conventions used on these pages
Command examples are written without a $ prompt so you can copy a whole block. When a
transcript shows both input and output, the command line comes first and the output
follows directly, exactly as the binary printed it. Where output was shortened to keep a
page readable, it says so.
Placeholders in syntax blocks are uppercase (NAME, DIR, PACKAGE); literal text is
lowercase. Square brackets mark optional arguments, ... marks a repeatable one, and a
vertical bar separates alternatives — the same convention sow help uses.
sow.yml Reference
Every field of the workspace configuration file, with validation rules and a complete worked example.
Package References
The five ways to name a package on the command line, and how ambiguity is resolved.
Repository Layout
Every path SOW creates, the pool grouping rule, name constraints, and what must never be served.
Exit Codes
The seven exit codes, what each means, and a command that reproduces it.
JSON Output
The sow.cli/v1 envelope, its fields, and the result shape of every command.
Compatibility
Which clients consume SOW repositories, which platforms run the binary, and the constraints you must respect.