Dockline CLI

@jalsoedesign/dockline-cli provides the dockline command for downloading, uploading, listing and removing remote files. Server settings live in YAML; everyday file choices stay on the command line. Install only the FTP or SFTP client you need.

Install

Install the CLI and selected protocol clients from npm. For development, use build from source.

Global terminal command

npm i -g @jalsoedesign/dockline-cli @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client
dockline --help

Keep only the FTP or SFTP client if one protocol is enough. The dockline command is available on your terminal's path after a global installation.

Local project dependency

npm i @jalsoedesign/dockline-cli @jalsoedesign/dockline-sftp-client
npm exec -- dockline --help

Use @jalsoedesign/dockline-ftp-client instead for FTP/FTPS. In npm scripts, use dockline directly; from an ordinary terminal, prefix the commands below with npm exec -- after a local install. Install the CLI and selected clients in the same location: a global CLI uses globally installed clients, while a local CLI uses its project's clients.

Core and abstract are required dependencies. Protocol clients are optional peers, so Dockline does not install either unless selected. Help and version work without a client or configuration file.

Download your first file

Create dockline.server.yml in your working directory:

version: 1
connection:
    protocol: ftp
    host: ${FTP_HOST}
    username: ${FTP_USERNAME}
    password: ${FTP_PASSWORD}

Set those environment variables to your server's settings, then run:

dockline download --source-file "/home/ftp/blabla.txt" --destination-file "blabla.txt" --config dockline.server.yml

This fetches /home/ftp/blabla.txt from the remote server and saves it as blabla.txt in your working directory. Dockline creates missing local parent directories. Downloads refuse to replace an existing local file unless you pass --overwrite replace.

The default configuration filename is dockline.server.yml, so you can shorten the same command:

dockline download -s "/home/ftp/blabla.txt" -d "blabla.txt"

Plain FTP is unencrypted. If your server supports FTP over TLS, set protocol: ftps for explicit TLS or protocol: ftps-implicit for implicit TLS. Certificate verification remains enabled. The commands stay the same.

Upload, list and remove

Upload a local file to the server:

dockline upload -s "./hello.txt" -d "/home/ftp/hello.txt"

Uploads replace the remote destination by default, matching the SDK. An ordinary interrupted upload can leave partial remote content. SFTP supports --overwrite fail for a staged no-replace upload; portable FTP cannot guarantee that policy and rejects it before connecting.

List a directory, then include its descendants:

dockline list --path "/home/ftp"
dockline list --path "/home/ftp" --recursive

Remove the example file when you are finished:

dockline remove --path "/home/ftp/hello.txt"

remove deletes the selected file or an empty directory. Removing a nonempty directory requires --recursive. See command details for deletion boundaries and recursive listing results.

Use SFTP

Install the SFTP client and change the YAML connection:

version: 1
connection:
    protocol: sftp
    host: ${SFTP_HOST}
    username: ${SFTP_USERNAME}
    password: ${SFTP_PASSWORD}

With no explicit trust setting, an interactive terminal can ask you to approve an unfamiliar server key and remember the decision in ~/.dockline/known-hosts.json. A changed key is rejected. Quiet mode still permits that interactive approval. JSON mode and piped/noninteractive runs do not prompt; an unknown host is rejected rather than approved automatically. The CLI does not prompt for passwords; supply credentials through configuration, environment variables, a key or a selected SSH agent.

For unattended use, provide an independently verified fingerprint:

connection:
    protocol: sftp
    host: ${SFTP_HOST}
    username: ${SFTP_USERNAME}
    password: ${SFTP_PASSWORD}
    trust:
        fingerprint: ${SFTP_SHA256}

Use the same download, upload, list and remove commands. See SSH trust and credentials for the exact policy and file locations.

Save repeated choices in YAML

version: 1
connection:
    protocol: ftps
    host: ${FTP_HOST}
    username: ${FTP_USERNAME}
    password: ${FTP_PASSWORD}
    root: /home/ftp
    timeoutMs: 60000
    autoReconnect: true
    maxTransientRetries: 3
commands:
    download:
        sourceFile: reports/latest.csv
        destinationFile: downloads/latest.csv

Now dockline download uses the configured paths. A command-line value overrides the corresponding YAML value. Local paths written in YAML are relative to the configuration file; local paths passed as flags are relative to your working directory. Remote relative paths use connection.root; a leading / explicitly selects an absolute remote path.

Retries, timeouts, size limits, bandwidth, TLS and other advanced choices belong in configuration, keeping the command flags focused on ordinary file work.

Help and scripting

dockline --help
dockline download --help
dockline --version
dockline list --path "/home/ftp" --json

Help and version work without a YAML file or installed protocol client. --json provides structured output for scripts, with no progress mixed into standard output. Command reference describes output and exit codes.

To build your own application command, see CLI integration. Core's transfer API remains usable without the packaged CLI.