# Command-line overview

Choose a Semifold command by task, then open its behavior guide or the complete option reference.

Source: https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/
Language: en



The installed executable is `smif`; `semifold` is an equivalent long name. Commands are documented separately so you can understand their inputs, side effects, and recovery behavior without turning the rest of the documentation into a list of flags.

## Choose a command [#choose-a-command]

| Command                              | Use it when you need to                                                          | Writes local files        |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| [`init`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/init/)       | Adopt Semifold in a repository and optionally generate GitHub Actions workflows. | Yes                       |
| [`commit`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/commit/)   | Record a reviewed release intent as a changeset.                                 | Yes                       |
| [`config`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/config/)   | Synchronize, migrate, or change release-channel configuration.                   | Depends on the subcommand |
| [`status`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/status/)   | Inspect affected packages and target versions before writing anything.           | No                        |
| [`version`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/version/) | Apply package, dependency, changelog, and changeset edits manually.              | Yes                       |
| [`publish`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/publish/) | Publish already-versioned packages in dependency order.                          | External side effects     |
| [`ci`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/ci/)           | Let the generated GitHub Actions workflow maintain the release PR or publish it. | Yes                       |
| [`mcp`](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/mcp/)         | Expose changeset CRUD tools to an MCP client over stdio.                         | Depends on the tool       |

## Guides versus reference [#guides-versus-reference]

Each command page explains normal behavior, not only syntax. Use the [complete CLI reference](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/commands/reference/) when you already know the workflow and only need an option name.

For a first release, follow the [tutorial](https://semifold.noctisynth.org/docs/getting-started/first-release/). If it generated GitHub Actions, the normal contributor path ends after committing a changeset; `smif ci` performs versioning and publishing at the appropriate base-branch runs.