Things 3 CLI
Use things to read your local Things database (inbox/today/search/projects/areas/tags) and to add/update todos via the Things URL scheme.
Setup
- Install (recommended, Apple Silicon):
GOBIN=/opt/homebrew/bin go install github.com/ossianhempel/things3-cli/cmd/things@latest - If DB reads fail: grant Full Disk Access to the calling app (Terminal for manual runs;
OpenClaw.appfor gateway runs). - Optional: set
THINGSDB(or pass--db) to point at yourThingsData-*folder. - Optional: set
THINGS_AUTH_TOKENto avoid passing--auth-tokenfor update ops.
Read-only (DB)
things inbox --limit 50things todaythings upcomingthings search "query"things projects/things areas/things tags
Write (URL scheme)
- Prefer safe preview:
things --dry-run add "Title" - Add:
things add "Title" --notes "..." --when today --deadline 2026-01-02 - Bring Things to front:
things --foreground add "Title"
Examples: add a todo
- Basic:
things add "Buy milk" - With notes:
things add "Buy milk" --notes "2% + bananas" - Into a project/area:
things add "Book flights" --list "Travel" - Into a project heading:
things add "Pack charger" --list "Travel" --heading "Before" - With tags:
things add "Call dentist" --tags "health,phone" - Checklist:
things add "Trip prep" --checklist-item "Passport" --checklist-item "Tickets" - From STDIN (multi-line => title + notes):
- cat <<'EOF' | things add - - Title line - Notes line 1 - Notes line 2 - EOF
Examples: modify a todo (needs auth token)
- First: get the ID (UUID column):
things search "milk" --limit 5 - Auth: set
THINGS_AUTH_TOKENor pass--auth-token <TOKEN> - Title:
things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> "New title" - Notes replace:
things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --notes "New notes" - Notes append/prepend:
things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --append-notes "..."/--prepend-notes "..." - Move lists:
things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --list "Travel" --heading "Before" - Tags replace/add:
things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --tags "a,b"/things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --add-tags "a,b" - Complete/cancel (soft-delete-ish):
things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --completed/--canceled - Safe preview:
things --dry-run update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --completed
Delete a todo?
- Not supported by
things3-cliright now (no “delete/move-to-trash” write command;things trashis read-only listing). - Options: use Things UI to delete/trash, or mark as
--completed/--canceledviathings update.
Notes
- macOS-only.
--dry-runprints the URL and does not open Things.