Properties and Resources
Manage property definitions, note values, raw metadata, Views, Note Types, and Themes.
Property Definitions
Property definitions are shared with the desktop app through SQLite when available and mirrored to .octarine/properties.json for portability.
Supported types are string, text, tag, number, integer, float, boolean, bool, checkbox, list, array, tags, date, datetime, date-time, external_files, and tasks. Names beginning with oct. are reserved.
property definitions list
List all definitions.
octarine property definitions list
octarine property definitions list --json# Default table output
╭────────┬────────╮
│ name ┆ type │
╞════════╪════════╡
│ status ┆ string │
│ due ┆ date │
╰────────┴────────╯
# JSON output
{"schemaVersion":1,"ok":true,"data":[{"name":"status","type":"string"},{"name":"due","type":"date"}],"meta":{"truncated":false}}property definitions show
Show one definition by its exact name.
octarine property definitions show status╭───────┬────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═══════╪════════╡
│ name ┆ status │
│ type ┆ string │
╰───────┴────────╯property definitions define
Create a definition with a supported type.
octarine property definitions define status --type string
octarine property definitions define due --type date╭───────┬────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═══════╪════════╡
│ name ┆ status │
│ type ┆ string │
╰───────┴────────╯Names are case-insensitively unique.
property definitions delete
Delete a definition. Existing frontmatter values are not removed from notes.
octarine property definitions delete legacy-status╭─────────┬───────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═════════╪═══════════════╡
│ deleted ┆ legacy-status │
╰─────────┴───────────────╯property definitions validate
Validate every definition for required fields, supported types, duplicates, and reserved names.
octarine property definitions validate╭─────────┬───────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═════════╪═══════╡
│ checked ┆ 2 │
│ valid ┆ true │
╰─────────┴───────╯property definitions put
Replace the complete definition array from JSON or YAML. Use --file - for standard input.
octarine property definitions put --file properties.json
cat properties.yaml | octarine property definitions put --file -╭────────┬────────╮
│ name ┆ type │
╞════════╪════════╡
│ status ┆ string │
│ due ┆ date │
╰────────┴────────╯The command validates the entire array before writing it.
Note Property Values
Values are stored in each note's YAML frontmatter. A matching definition controls validation where applicable.
property list
List every parsed property on a note. Values are returned as strings; a value written over several lines, such as a block list of tags, is returned in YAML flow style, like [project, launch].
octarine property list Projects/Launch.md╭────────┬───────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞════════╪═══════════════════╡
│ due ┆ 2026-10-15 │
│ status ┆ active │
│ tags ┆ [project, launch] │
╰────────┴───────────────────╯property get
Read one property value.
octarine property get Projects/Launch.md status╭───────┬────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═══════╪════════╡
│ key ┆ status │
│ value ┆ active │
╰───────┴────────╯property set
Set a frontmatter value. Values use YAML syntax, so quote shell-sensitive arrays or objects. The new value replaces the existing one in full, including a list written over several lines. Use --revision for an optimistic concurrency check.
octarine property set Projects/Launch.md status active
octarine property set Projects/Launch.md tags '[project, launch]'
octarine property set Projects/Launch.md due 2026-10-15 \
--revision 'sha256:<revision>'╭──────────┬─────────────────────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞══════════╪═════════════════════════════════╡
│ content ┆ ---\nstatus: active\n…\n---\n# Launch │
│ path ┆ Projects/Launch.md │
│ revision ┆ sha256:9be317c2… │
╰──────────┴─────────────────────────────────╯property unset
Remove a property from one note, including every line of a multi-line value, optionally guarded by a revision.
octarine property unset Projects/Launch.md legacy-status
octarine property unset Projects/Launch.md due --revision 'sha256:<revision>'╭──────────┬────────────────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞══════════╪════════════════════════════╡
│ content ┆ ---\nstatus: active\n---\n# Launch │
│ path ┆ Projects/Launch.md │
│ revision ┆ sha256:84ff20da… │
╰──────────┴────────────────────────────╯Raw Metadata
metadata accesses JSON resources under .octarine. Prefer the typed property, view, note-type, theme, and folder config commands when one exists.
metadata list
Read a complete resource. list and get currently return the same stored JSON value.
octarine metadata list views.json╭─────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────┬─────────┬───────────────┬───────────────╮
│ columns ┆ description ┆ filters ┆ id ┆ name ┆ modified │
╞═════════════════╪═════════════════╪═════════╪═════════╪═══════════════╪═══════════════╡
│ [name, status] ┆ Current projects ┆ [] ┆ view-1 ┆ Active Projects ┆ 1790812800000 │
╰─────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────┴─────────┴───────────────┴───────────────╯metadata get
Read a complete resource by filename.
octarine metadata get types.json --json{"schemaVersion":1,"ok":true,"data":[{"created":1790812800000,"description":"Reading notes","id":"type-1","modified":1790812800000,"name":"Book","properties":[]}],"meta":{"truncated":false}}metadata put
Replace a resource with JSON or YAML from a file or standard input.
octarine metadata put custom.json --file ./custom.json
cat custom.yaml | octarine metadata put custom.json --file -╭──────────┬─────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞══════════╪═════════════╡
│ resource ┆ custom.json │
╰──────────┴─────────────╯This low-level command does not apply the typed resource validation described below.
Views, Note Types, and Themes
The view, note-type, and theme groups share a resource command set. Substitute any group for <resource> in the syntax below. IDs and names can both identify existing items.
| Group | Portable store | Required shape |
|---|---|---|
view | .octarine/views.json | Description, filters, columns, timestamps |
note-type | .octarine/types.json | Description, properties, timestamps |
theme | .octarine/themes.json | Variables, dark flag, timestamps |
<resource> list
List all items of one kind.
octarine view list
octarine note-type list --json
octarine theme list# `view list` (the `theme list` shape includes theme fields instead)
╭────────┬─────────────────┬─────────┬───────────────╮
│ id ┆ name ┆ filters ┆ columns │
╞════════╪═════════════════╪═════════╪═══════════════╡
│ view-1 ┆ Active Projects ┆ [] ┆ [name,status] │
╰────────┴─────────────────┴─────────┴───────────────╯
# `note-type list --json`
{"schemaVersion":1,"ok":true,"data":[{"created":1790812800000,"description":"Reading notes","id":"type-1","modified":1790812800000,"name":"Book","properties":[]}],"meta":{"truncated":false}}<resource> get
Get one item by ID or name.
octarine view get "Active Projects"
octarine note-type get Book
octarine theme get Midnight --json# Human output for `view get` / `note-type get` is a Field/Value table.
╭─────────────┬─────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═════════════╪═════════════════╡
│ id ┆ view-1 │
│ name ┆ Active Projects │
│ description ┆ Current projects │
│ filters ┆ [] │
│ columns ┆ name, status │
╰─────────────┴─────────────────╯
# `theme get Midnight --json`
{"schemaVersion":1,"ok":true,"data":{"baseTheme":null,"created":1790812800000,"dark":true,"id":"theme-1","modified":1790812800000,"name":"Midnight","variables":{"background":"#111318"}},"meta":{"truncated":false}}<resource> create
Create a valid minimal item with generated ID and timestamps.
octarine view create "Active Projects"
octarine note-type create Book
octarine theme create Midnight# Representative `view create` output; IDs and timestamps are generated.
╭─────────────┬─────────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═════════════╪═════════════════════╡
│ id ┆ views-1790812800… │
│ name ┆ Active Projects │
│ description ┆ │
│ filters ┆ [] │
│ columns ┆ [] │
│ created ┆ 1790812800000 │
│ modified ┆ 1790812800000 │
╰─────────────┴─────────────────────╯<resource> update
Merge a JSON or YAML object into an existing item and refresh its modified timestamp.
octarine view update "Active Projects" --file active-projects.yaml
octarine note-type update Book --file book.json
octarine theme update Midnight --file midnight.json# Representative `view update` output; modified varies by execution time.
╭─────────────┬─────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═════════════╪═════════════════╡
│ id ┆ view-1 │
│ name ┆ Active Projects │
│ description ┆ Current projects │
│ filters ┆ [] │
│ columns ┆ name, status │
│ modified ┆ 1790816400000 │
╰─────────────┴─────────────────╯The merged resource must retain its required fields and pass type validation.
<resource> validate
Validate all items or one item by ID or name.
octarine view validate
octarine note-type validate Book
octarine theme validate Midnight╭─────────┬───────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═════════╪═══════╡
│ checked ┆ 1 │
│ valid ┆ true │
╰─────────┴───────╯Validation also detects duplicate IDs and names.
<resource> clone
Clone an item under a new unique name and generated ID.
octarine view clone "Active Projects" --name "Active Projects Copy"
octarine note-type clone Book --name Paper
octarine theme clone Midnight --name "Midnight Blue"# Representative `view clone` output; IDs and timestamps are generated.
╭──────────┬──────────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞══════════╪══════════════════════╡
│ id ┆ views-1790816400… │
│ name ┆ Active Projects Copy │
│ created ┆ 1790816400000 │
│ modified ┆ 1790816400000 │
╰──────────┴──────────────────────╯theme set
Set one custom theme variable. This operation is theme-only; view set and note-type set are rejected.
octarine theme set Midnight background '#111318'
octarine theme set Midnight accent 'rgb(120, 160, 255)'╭───────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═══════════╪════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
│ name ┆ Midnight │
│ variables ┆ {"accent":"rgb(120, 160, 255)","background":"#111318"} │
│ dark ┆ true │
│ modified ┆ 1790816400000 │
╰───────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯Theme values cannot contain braces or semicolons.
theme unset
Remove one custom theme variable.
The syntax is octarine theme unset <id-or-name> <variable>:
octarine theme unset Midnight accent╭───────────┬────────────────────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═══════════╪════════════════════════════╡
│ name ┆ Midnight │
│ variables ┆ {"background":"#111318"} │
│ dark ┆ true │
│ modified ┆ 1790820000000 │
╰───────────┴────────────────────────────╯<resource> put
Replace the complete array after validating every item.
octarine view put --file views.json
octarine note-type put --file types.yaml
octarine theme put --file themes.json# Representative `view put` output
╭────────┬─────────────────┬─────────┬──────────────╮
│ id ┆ name ┆ filters ┆ columns │
╞════════╪═════════════════╪═════════╪══════════════╡
│ view-1 ┆ Active Projects ┆ [] ┆ name, status │
╰────────┴─────────────────┴─────────┴──────────────╯<resource> delete
Delete one item by ID or name.
octarine view delete "Old View"
octarine note-type delete Legacy
octarine theme delete "Old Theme"# Representative `view delete` output: the remaining complete array.
╭────────┬─────────────────┬─────────┬──────────────╮
│ id ┆ name ┆ filters ┆ columns │
╞════════╪═════════════════╪═════════╪══════════════╡
│ view-1 ┆ Active Projects ┆ [] ┆ name, status │
╰────────┴─────────────────┴─────────┴──────────────╯<resource> schema
Describe the persisted resource family and format.
octarine view schema
octarine note-type schema --json
octarine theme schema# `view schema` / `theme schema`
╭───────────────┬────────────╮
│ Field ┆ Value │
╞═══════════════╪════════════╡
│ format ┆ json-array │
│ resource ┆ views │
│ schemaVersion ┆ 1 │
╰───────────────┴────────────╯
# `note-type schema --json`
{"schemaVersion":1,"ok":true,"data":{"format":"json-array","resource":"types","schemaVersion":1},"meta":{"truncated":false}}