The RobinNet CLI is the primary operator tool for managing a local node.

It provides commands for:

• initializing a node
• inspecting node information
• adding and removing peers
• testing peer connectivity
• posting bulletins
• listing and viewing messages
• viewing message trace history
• syncing one peer or all peers
• expiring old messages
• generating test data

The CLI is designed to be the main operational interface before the future Cardinal UI.

RobinNet commands are run as a Python module.

Basic format:

python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/node.db <command> [options]

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/node.db node-info

Initializes or updates the local node identity.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  init-node \
  --name alpha \
  --operator "Rich" \
  --callsign N2XYZ \
  --location "Albany area"

Options:

• –name local node name
• –operator operator name
• –callsign operator callsign
• –location human-readable location
• –transport-profile transport label such as lan, mesh, or packet
• –node-uuid optional explicit UUID

Displays the local node record.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  node-info

JSON output:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  node-info \
  --json

Adds or updates a peer node.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  add-peer \
  --name bravo \
  --url http://127.0.0.1:8082

Options:

• –name peer display name
• –url peer base URL
• –transport transport label
• –peer-uuid optional peer UUID
• –notes optional notes
• –disabled add the peer as disabled

Lists configured peers.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-peers

Show enabled peers only:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-peers \
  --enabled-only

JSON output:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-peers \
  --json

Removes a peer by local peer id.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  remove-peer \
  --peer-id 1

Tests connectivity and identity for one peer.

This command:

• checks the remote health endpoint
• fetches the remote node info
• updates last_seen_at if successful

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  peer-test \
  --peer-id 1

Options:

• –connect-timeout HTTP connect timeout
• –read-timeout HTTP read timeout
• –json JSON output

JSON output example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  peer-test \
  --peer-id 1 \
  --json

Creates a new local bulletin.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  post-bulletin \
  --title "Water Distribution" \
  --body "Town Hall from 10:00 to 16:00."

Options:

• –title bulletin title
• –body bulletin body text
• –author optional author override
• –author-callsign optional author callsign override
• –scope local, regional, or network
• –expires-at ISO timestamp
• –priority priority from 0 to 9
• –local-only prevent later export
• –rf-eligible future RF eligibility marker

Example with more options:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  post-bulletin \
  --title "Shelter Open" \
  --body "Community Center open until 22:00." \
  --scope regional \
  --priority 5 \
  --rf-eligible

Lists locally stored messages.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-messages

Show message bodies:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-messages \
  --show-body

Filter by type:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-messages \
  --msg-type bulletin

Filter by status:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-messages \
  --status active

JSON output:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  list-messages \
  --json

Displays one message by UUID.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  show-message \
  --msg-uuid 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc

Displays trace history for one message UUID.

This is useful for following import/export history.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  show-trace \
  --msg-uuid 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc

JSON output:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  show-trace \
  --msg-uuid 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc \
  --json

Deletes one message by UUID.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  delete-message \
  --msg-uuid 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc

Synchronizes one configured peer.

By default it performs both:

• pull from peer
• push to peer

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  sync-peer \
  --peer-id 1

Pull only:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  sync-peer \
  --peer-id 1 \
  --pull-only

Push only:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  sync-peer \
  --peer-id 1 \
  --push-only

Options:

• –connect-timeout HTTP connect timeout
• –read-timeout HTTP read timeout
• –pull-limit maximum summaries/messages to fetch
• –push-limit maximum push candidates
• –json output structured JSON

Synchronizes all enabled peers.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  sync-all

Pull only:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  sync-all \
  --pull-only

Push only:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  sync-all \
  --push-only

JSON output:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  sync-all \
  --json

Marks expired messages as expired.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  expire-messages

Show expired messages after the update:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  expire-messages \
  --show

Show expired messages as JSON:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  expire-messages \
  --show \
  --json

Creates local test bulletins for development and sync testing.

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  generate-test-data \
  --count 5

Custom prefixes:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  generate-test-data \
  --count 10 \
  --title-prefix "Test Bulletin" \
  --body-prefix "Generated message"

Include full message output:

python -m robinnet.cli \
  --db ./data/node.db \
  generate-test-data \
  --count 3 \
  --include-messages \
  --json

Options:

• –count number of test messages
• –title-prefix title prefix
• –body-prefix body prefix
• –scope local, regional, or network
• –expires-at optional expiration timestamp
• –priority priority from 0 to 9
• –local-only mark generated messages local only
• –rf-eligible mark generated messages RF eligible
• –include-messages include full records in output
• –json JSON output

A basic operator workflow might be:

1. initialize node
2. add one or more peers
3. test peer connectivity
4. post a bulletin
5. sync with peers
6. inspect messages and trace

Example:

python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/alpha.db init-node --name alpha --operator "Rich"
python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/alpha.db add-peer --name bravo --url http://127.0.0.1:8082
python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/alpha.db peer-test --peer-id 1
python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/alpha.db post-bulletin --title "Test" --body "Hello RobinNet"
python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/alpha.db sync-all
python -m robinnet.cli --db ./data/alpha.db list-messages --show-body

The CLI is intended to remain fully functional even after Cardinal exists.

That means:

• Cardinal can become a friendly frontend
• the CLI remains the operator and sysop tool
• automation and scripting remain easy