Hexabot CLI

August 3, 2026 · View on GitHub

Hexabot CLI is the command-line entry point for creating, configuring, and operating Hexabot v3 projects. With it, you can scaffold new automation workspaces, initialize environments, start services in local or Docker modes, run database migrations, and manage the project lifecycle.

Not yet familiar with Hexabot? Hexabot v3 is an agentic AI automation platform for building and running workflows across channels with actions, bindings, memory, tools, MCP, and RAG. If you would like to learn more, please visit the official GitHub repo.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Node.js >= 24.17.0
One package manager (npm, pnpm, yarn, or bun)
Docker Desktop/Engine (only required when you pass --docker)

Installation

Install Hexabot CLI globally to have easy access to its commands:

npm install -g @hexabot-ai/cli

Usage

Once installed, you can use the hexabot command anywhere. The CLI focuses on a “zero to running workflow automation” path: create a project, cd into it, and run hexabot dev. Docker is optional and available through the --docker option on dev, start, and stop.

Commands

`create <project-name>`

Scaffold a new Hexabot automation project from the official NestJS starter template.

hexabot create support-automation

Common options:

-t, --template <name> – template repository. Use org/repo or shorthand starter.
--pm <npm|pnpm|yarn|bun> – force a package manager (auto-detected otherwise).
--no-install – skip running the package manager after scaffolding.
--dev – immediately run hexabot dev once creation is complete (local SQLite by default).
--docker – show Docker/Postgres next steps and use Docker mode when combined with --dev.
--force – allow scaffolding into a non-empty directory.

The command downloads the latest template release, installs dependencies (unless --no-install), and bootstraps .env plus .env.docker when their example files are present. The Docker env file is initialized with COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME=<project-name> so Docker Compose uses the scaffolded project name.

`dev`

Run the current project in development mode. Defaults to local (SQLite) development by running the configured package script (defaults to npm run dev).

# Local dev
hexabot dev

# Run the app with Docker and Postgres
hexabot dev --docker --services postgres

Options:

--docker – run Docker Compose instead of the package script.
--services <list> – comma-separated Compose overlays/profiles to enable.
-d, --detach – detach Docker Compose.
--env <file> – custom env file for local dev (defaults to .env).
--no-env-bootstrap – skip copying .env.example files automatically.
--pm <npm|pnpm|yarn|bun> – temporarily override the package manager.

`env`

Helper commands to manage .env files.

hexabot env init – copy .env.example ➜ .env.
hexabot env init --docker – copy .env.docker.example ➜ .env.docker.
hexabot env list – show which env files exist or are missing.

Flags: --force overwrites existing files when running env init.

`start`

Production-oriented variant of dev.

hexabot start
hexabot start --docker --services api,postgres --build

Local mode runs the configured start script (defaults to npm run start).
Docker mode uses the “prod” compose overlays (e.g. docker-compose.<service>.prod.yml) so no dev-specific files are chained.
Docker mode never pulls the Hexabot application images. It uses locally available production images; pass --build to build or rebuild them locally.
Docker mode automatically stitches together the base Compose file and service overlays, and passes .env.docker through --env-file when it exists.
Pass --env-bootstrap if you still want the CLI to copy env examples automatically.

`stop`

Stop the Docker stack previously started with dev --docker or start --docker.

hexabot start --docker -d
hexabot stop --docker

--docker – required; the CLI only manages the Docker stack. Local dev/start run in the foreground, so stop them with Ctrl+C.
--services <list> – comma-separated Compose overlays/profiles to chain (defaults to docker.defaultServices).
-v, --volumes – also remove the named volumes declared by the stack (destroys database data).
--remove-orphans – remove containers that are no longer defined by the chained Compose files.

The command runs docker compose ... down with the base Compose file plus service overlays (no dev/prod overlay), and passes .env.docker through --env-file when it exists so COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME resolves to the same project that was started.

`check`

Run diagnostics for the current environment.

hexabot check
hexabot check --docker-only

Outputs PASS/FAIL entries for Node.js version, project detection, env files, and optionally Docker.

`config`

Inspect or tweak hexabot.config.json without editing it manually.

hexabot config show
hexabot config set <key> <value> (supports dot notation, e.g. docker.defaultServices "postgres,redis")

`migrate [args...]`

Run database migrations inside the Docker api container. Any extra args are forwarded to npm run migrate.

Example Workflow

Create a new project (installs dependencies automatically unless --no-install):
```
npx @hexabot-ai/cli create support-automation
```
Enter the project and start local dev (SQLite, no Docker required):
```
cd support-automation
hexabot dev
```
Run the app with Docker and Postgres when needed:
```
hexabot dev --docker --services postgres
```
Tear the Docker stack down when you are done:
```
hexabot stop --docker
```

That’s it—create → cd → dev is the happy path for a new Hexabot v3 automation project, while Docker and env helpers remain available on demand.

Documentation

For detailed information on how to get started, see the repository README files below or visit the Documentation.

You can also find specific documentation for different components of the project in the following locations:

Contributing

We welcome contributions from the community! Whether you want to report a bug, suggest new features, or submit a pull request, your input is valuable to us.

Please refer to our contribution policy first : How to contribute to Hexabot

Feel free to join us on Discord

License

Hexabot is no longer distributed under GNU GPL v2. This project is licensed under the Fair Core License, Version 1.0, with Apache License 2.0 as the future license (abbrev. FCL-1.0-ALv2).

Change date. For each version of the software, the Fair Core License converts to Apache-2.0 on the second anniversary of the date that version is made available.

Commercial features & license keys. Certain features of Hexabot are protected by license-key checks. You must not remove, modify, disable, or circumvent those checks, nor enable access to protected functionality without a valid license key.

Competing uses (non-compete). Use that competes with Hexastack’s business—for example, offering Hexabot (or a substantially similar service) as a hosted or commercial product—is not permitted until the conversion to Apache-2.0 for the applicable version.

Redistribution. If you distribute copies, modifications, or derivatives, you must include this license and not remove copyright or proprietary notices.

Patents. A limited patent license is granted for permitted uses and terminates on patent aggression.

Trademarks. “Hexabot” and “Hexastack” are trademarks. Except to identify Hexastack as the origin of the software, no trademark rights are granted.

Disclaimer. The software is provided “AS IS,” without warranties or conditions of any kind, and Hexastack will not be liable for any damages arising from its use.