NAME
kb-verbs — print the verb table: every verb, subverb, flag and what it does to the database
SYNOPSIS
kb verbs
kb -json verbs
DESCRIPTION
Prints the one table that describes kb’s command language, so a person, a script or a model has a single place to ask what exists. Completion, the subverb help flags and the interactive interface read the same table, so they cannot disagree with it.
Plain text lists a row per verb and per subverb with its write class. With the global -json option it prints a document with a “verbs” array. Each verb has “name”, “summary” and “tui” (whether the interactive interface offers it); a verb with no subverbs has a “class”, and one with subverbs lists them, each with its own “class” and “tui”, and a subverb’s own subverbs (document review has list and promote). “flags” lists the flags the verb accepts, subverbs included. A verb or subverb that has a row in the interactive menus carries a “menu” object with its “label”, “desc”, “order”, “built” (there is a screen for it) and “equivalent” (the command line that does the same), and “since”, the release that brings it, while it is not built. A verb with subverbs is built when any of its subverbs is.
The classes say what a verb does to the knowledge base:
- read
- reads only
- additive
- adds knowledge
- changing
- changes something that exists
- removing
- removes knowledge, or links other records rely on
- direct
- writes files or an index and is run without asking, such as index and record fmt
- plan_apply
- has a –dry-run plan, then applies it
- guided
- a multi-step workflow with a person in it, such as document ingest and review promote
- cli_only
- not offered in the interactive interface (merge, import, init, export, completion, verbs)
The verb opens no database, so it works anywhere and –db does not apply to it. kb -json verbs, not kb verbs -json: the global options go before the verb.
EXIT STATUS
The workspace convention, as described in kb(1): 0 success; 2 an unknown flag or a surplus argument, or -db, which does not apply to this verb.
SEE ALSO
kb(1), kb-completion(1)