---
title: CLI
description: The raad command-line tool — search, recent, copy, and local encrypted backup.
order: 4
---

# CLI

`raad` is the same binary as the app, reached through a symlink — nothing separate to update, and
`raad search` returns in under 150ms cold since it never spins up the full app (clipboard monitor,
hotkeys, overlay) just to answer one query.

## Install

RAAD → Settings → Platform Surfaces → **"Install 'raad' to /usr/local/bin"**.

## Search and recent

```
$ raad search "api key rotation" --json
[{ "id": "3fa2…", "text": "…" }]

$ raad recent 10
3fa2…	2026-07-30T21:03:00Z	npm install @vercel/analytics

$ raad copy 3fa2
copied to clipboard
```

`search` and `recent` both take:

- `--json` — machine-readable output for scripting. Without it, output is tab-separated and
  readable straight in a terminal.
- `--favorites` — restrict to clips you've favorited.

Both go through the same read-only, sensitive-filtered path the MCP server uses
(`RAADMCPCore.ClipQueryBuilder`) — a shell command's output landing in scrollback or a log file is
exactly the kind of place a sensitive clip must not turn up uninvited.

## Local backup

Independent of cloud sync — a password-protected snapshot of your clip history and media, for
moving between Macs or keeping an offline copy.

```
$ raad export --out history.raadbackup
Exported 56 clips to history.raadbackup

$ raad import history.raadbackup
Restored 56 clips.
```

Both prompt for a password at the terminal (input is hidden). Pinboards don't travel with a
backup yet — clips and media only.