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Reference documentation

CLI Reference

The Playdrop CLI is the execution surface for creators.

Updated May 22, 2026

CLI Reference

The Playdrop CLI is the execution surface for creators.

Use it to:

  • authenticate from a coding environment
  • inspect the live catalogue
  • initialize workspaces
  • create or remix content
  • run local development
  • validate and publish
  • inspect comments, versions, creations, and AI jobs
  • review ad earnings and manage game boosts

Install and Auth

Install the official CLI:

bash example

npm install -g @playdrop/playdrop-cli
playdrop version

For AI agent workflows, install the public Playdrop plugin first in Codex, Claude Code, or Cursor:

Browser login:

bash example

playdrop auth login
playdrop auth whoami

API key login:

bash example

playdrop auth login --key <api-key>
playdrop auth whoami

Direct credentials are supported when you explicitly need them:

bash example

playdrop auth login --username <username> --password <password>
playdrop auth whoami

Discover and Inspect

Use the CLI to inspect the live catalogue quickly from a coding environment.

Browse and search:

bash example

playdrop browse --kind all --limit 25
playdrop search "cozy racer" --kind app
playdrop search "sword icon" --kind asset --asset-category IMAGE
playdrop search "starter pack" --kind asset-pack

Detail and versions:

bash example

playdrop detail playdrop/app/hangingout
playdrop versions browse playdrop/app/hangingout
playdrop versions browse playdrop/asset/sample-asset

Read reference docs from the terminal:

bash example

playdrop documentation browse
playdrop documentation read runtime
playdrop documentation read catalogue

Create, Dev, and Publish

Use Getting Started as the canonical creator onboarding flow. It is the source of truth for the plugin-first install and ship workflows, including existing games, external games, and remix flows.

This page stays focused on command reference for local workspaces.

Initialize a workspace:

bash example

playdrop project init .

Create or remix content:

bash example

playdrop project create app my-first-app --template playdrop/template/typescript_template
playdrop project create app my-remix --remix app:playdrop/hangingout@1.0.0
playdrop project create asset my-asset --remix asset:playdrop/sample-asset@r1
playdrop project create pack my-pack --remix pack:playdrop/starter-pack@1.0.0

Run local development:

bash example

playdrop project dev my-first-app
playdrop project dev . --app my-first-app

Validate and publish:

bash example

playdrop project validate .
playdrop project publish .

Hosted apps still need to satisfy the PlayDrop host startup contract:

  • load the Playdrop SDK
  • call playdrop.init()
  • call sdk.host.ready()

playdrop project validate checks your catalogue, bundle shape, and hosted startup before upload. For hosted apps it runs the app inside the real PlayDrop /dev host, so missing SDK loader, missing playdrop.init(), missing sdk.host.ready(), startup console errors, and host timeout failures block publish with a clear error.

Comments, Versions, and Creations

The CLI also covers creator operations beyond create and publish.

Comments:

bash example

playdrop comments browse playdrop/app/hangingout
playdrop comments add playdrop/app/hangingout --body "Clear onboarding and strong art direction."
playdrop comments delete 123

Version history:

bash example

playdrop versions browse playdrop/app/hangingout
playdrop versions browse playdrop/asset/sample-asset
playdrop versions browse playdrop/pack/starter-pack

Creations and version management:

bash example

playdrop creations browse --kind all
playdrop creations apps update my-app --display-name "My App"
playdrop creations apps versions publish my-app 1.0.0
playdrop creations assets versions publish my-asset 1
playdrop creations asset-packs versions publish my-pack 1.0.0

AI and Capture

The CLI also supports creator AI workflows and runtime debugging flows.

AI generation:

bash example

playdrop ai create image "Pixel-art knight portrait" --asset-name knight-portrait --visibility public
playdrop ai jobs browse
playdrop ai jobs detail <job-id>

Capture and debug:

bash example

playdrop project capture . --app my-first-app --surface desktop
playdrop project capture remote https://www.playdrop.ai/creators/playdrop/apps/game/hangingout/play

Ads and Boosts

Use the CLI to inspect creator monetization and manage boost inventory.

Ad earnings:

bash example

playdrop ads earnings
playdrop ads earnings --app mycreator/app/my-game --days 30
playdrop ads report --app mycreator/app/my-game --days 30

Boost inventory and activation:

bash example

playdrop boosts balance
playdrop boosts offers
playdrop boosts buy boost_3
playdrop boosts activate mycreator/app/my-game
playdrop boosts status mycreator/app/my-game
playdrop boosts history mycreator/app/my-game --limit 20
playdrop boosts report mycreator/app/my-game --days 30