The SuperDoc CLI lets you open, query, and edit .docx files from any shell. It exposes the same operations as the Document API through a stdio-based process.
The CLI is in alpha. Commands and output formats may change.
Installation
npm install -g @superdoc-dev/cli
npx @superdoc-dev/cli open my-doc.docx
Workflow
The CLI uses persistent sessions. Open a document, run operations, then save and close:
# Open a document
superdoc open contract.docx
# Search for text
superdoc find --pattern "ACME Corp"
# Replace it
superdoc replace --target-json '{"blockId":"...","range":{"start":0,"end":9}}' --text "NewCo Inc."
# Save and close
superdoc save
superdoc close
Tracked mode for mutations
Use --tracked on mutating commands to apply edits as tracked changes instead of direct edits.
# Replace text as a tracked change
superdoc replace \
--target-json '{"kind":"text","blockId":"...","range":{"start":0,"end":9}}' \
--text "NewCo Inc." \
--tracked
# Insert text as a tracked change
superdoc insert --text "Added clause" --tracked
--tracked is shorthand for --change-mode tracked:
superdoc replace \
--target-json '{"kind":"text","blockId":"...","range":{"start":0,"end":9}}' \
--text "NewCo Inc." \
--change-mode tracked
TRACK_CHANGE_COMMAND_UNAVAILABLE.
User identity
By default, the CLI attributes edits to a generic “CLI” user. Pass --user-name and --user-email on open to identify your automation in comments, tracked changes, and collaboration presence:
superdoc open contract.docx --user-name "Review Bot" --user-email "bot@example.com"
Commands
Lifecycle
| Command | Description |
|---|
superdoc open <doc> | Open a document and create an editing session. Supports --user-name and --user-email to set the editing identity. In collaboration mode, also supports --on-missing and --bootstrap-settling-ms. |
superdoc save | Save the current session to disk |
superdoc close | Close the active session and clean up resources |
Document operations
The CLI exposes all Document API operations as commands. The command name matches the operation’s member path, converted to kebab-case:
| CLI command | Operation | Description |
|---|
superdoc find | find | Search by text, node type, or structured query |
superdoc info | info | Get document structure and metadata |
superdoc get-node | getNode | Get a node by address |
superdoc get-node-by-id | getNodeById | Get a node by ID |
superdoc insert | insert | Insert text at a position |
superdoc replace | replace | Replace content at a position |
superdoc delete | delete | Delete content at a position |
superdoc format bold | format.bold | Toggle bold on a range |
superdoc format italic | format.italic | Toggle italic on a range |
superdoc format underline | format.underline | Toggle underline on a range |
superdoc format strikethrough | format.strikethrough | Toggle strikethrough on a range |
superdoc create paragraph | create.paragraph | Insert a new paragraph |
superdoc comments create | comments.create | Create a comment thread |
superdoc comments list | comments.list | List all comments |
superdoc track-changes list | trackChanges.list | List tracked changes |
superdoc track-changes decide | trackChanges.decide | Accept or reject a tracked change |
superdoc --help for the full list, or superdoc describe for machine-readable metadata.
Session management
| Command | Description |
|---|
superdoc session list | List all active sessions |
superdoc session save <id> | Save a specific session |
superdoc session close <id> | Close a specific session |
superdoc session set-default <id> | Set the default session for subsequent commands |
Introspection
| Command | Description |
|---|
superdoc status | Show current session status and document metadata |
superdoc describe | List all available operations and contract metadata |
superdoc describe command <cmd> | Show detailed metadata for a single operation |
JSON I/O
All commands accept --input-json or --input-file for structured input and return JSON output. Use superdoc call <operationId> for raw operation invocation:
superdoc call doc.find --input-json '{"doc":"./contract.docx","query":{"select":{"type":"text","pattern":"test"}}}'
- SDKs — typed Node.js and Python wrappers over the CLI
- Document API — the in-browser API that defines the operation set
