---
title: "Overview"
description: "Every clanka command, the argument they share, and the global flags."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://clanka.jfa.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Overview

```sh
clanka <command> [arguments]
```

Start with [`clanka init`](/cli/init/), edit the `soul.md` it prints, then
talk with the companion through [`clanka chat`](/cli/chat/) or serve it to an
MCP host with [`clanka mcp`](/cli/mcp/).

## The soul argument

Most commands take the companion's `soul.md` as their first argument: the
path that `clanka init` prints, and that [`clanka list`](/cli/list/) shows
again.

```sh
clanka memories ~/.config/clanka/souls/<id>.md
```

## Command reference

- **Set up:** [init](/cli/init/) creates a companion. [soul](/cli/soul/)
  lints, drafts and prints a soul, and settles a persona change.
  [embedding](/cli/embedding/) downloads the embedding model.
- **Talk:** [chat](/cli/chat/) in the terminal. [mcp](/cli/mcp/) for an MCP
  host. [hermes](/cli/hermes/) for Hermes profiles and Nightshade.
- **Inspect:** [memories](/cli/memories/) prints what a companion remembers.
  [recall](/cli/recall/) shows what one query brings up.
  [eval](/cli/eval/) measures recall over a cases file.
  [tics](/cli/tics/) finds prose tics in replies.
- **Repair:** [doctor](/cli/doctor/) freezes, logs, rolls back, rewrites and
  deletes memories.
- **Move:** [list](/cli/list/) shows the companions on this machine.
  [export](/cli/export/) and [import](/cli/import/) move one to another
  machine.

## Help

Every command explains itself, in three equivalent ways:

```sh
clanka help doctor rollback
clanka doctor rollback help
clanka doctor rollback --help
```

## Global flags

### `--help`, `-h`

Print help for the selected command without running it. `-h` prints a
summary.

```sh
clanka chat --help
```

### `--version`, `-V`

Print the version.

```sh
clanka --version
```

Source: https://clanka.jfa.dev/cli/index.mdx