---
title: "alis docs"
url: "https://docs.alisx.com/reference/cli/docs/"
---
# alis docs

Print the operating manual for the Alis Build platform as driven through this CLI. Written for coding agents and scripts; useful to people too.

## Synopsis

```bash
alis docs [<topic>] [flags]
```

Aliases: `docs`, `guide`, `agents`.

## Description

With no argument the full manual is printed; pass a topic for one section. The manual is the agent's reference for the output contract, exit codes, safety gates, context resolution and end-to-end recipes.

## Topics

| Topic | Content |
|---|---|
| `overview` | Division of labour (CLI, MCP server, plugins), Define, Build, Deploy in brief, command map |
| `setup` | Install and repair a builder's machine: the agent-driven onboarding loop |
| `dbd` | Define, build and deploy recipes with the exact flags |
| `output` | Machine-readable output contract: `--json`, stdout/stderr, `--async`, `operations wait` |
| `exit-codes` | What each exit code means and how to react |
| `safety` | Hard limits: production deploy gate, automation tiers, `--approve` |
| `context` | Package IDs, cwd-based resolution, when arguments can be omitted |
| `workstations` | Set up a workstation for the current project: reuse, create, enrol, connect |
| `handoff` | Continue local agent work in herdr on an enrolled workstation |
| `herdr` | Product spaces, service tabs and the Alis navigator popup |
| `skills` | Discover and load platform skills: search, load, resource |
| `specialist` | Request specialist input and manage conversations; recipients, drafts and receipts |
| `ask` | Cited answers across your sessions, specialist history and skills; multi-turn via `--session` |
| `ideate` | Read a project's gathered context: `context <project>` first, then targeted digs |
| `workflows` | End-to-end recipes: ship a change, promote to production, recover |
| `codeblocks` | Working with code blocks |

## Flags

| Flag | Type | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| `--list` | bool | false | List the topics with one-line descriptions. |

Plus the [global flags](https://docs.alisx.com/reference/cli/index.md#global-flags).

## Examples

```bash title="Terminal"
alis docs --list
alis docs output
alis docs safety
alis docs
```

## Output

Markdown on stdout. The manual states that `alis <cmd> --help` is the source of truth for per-command flags.