cli_commands.md

QMK CLI Commands

User Commands

qmk compile

This command allows you to compile firmware from any directory. You can compile JSON exports from https://config.qmk.fm, compile keymaps in the repo, or compile the keyboard in the current working directory.

This command is directory aware. It will automatically fill in KEYBOARD and/or KEYMAP if you are in a keyboard or keymap directory.

Usage for Configurator Exports:

qmk compile [-c] <configuratorExport.json>

Usage for Keymaps:

qmk compile [-c] [-e <var>=<value>] [-j <num_jobs>] -kb <keyboard_name> -km <keymap_name>

Usage in Keyboard Directory:

Must be in keyboard directory with a default keymap, or in keymap directory for keyboard, or supply one with --keymap <keymap_name>

qmk compile

Usage for building all keyboards that support a specific keymap:

qmk compile -kb all -km <keymap_name>

Example:

$ qmk config compile.keymap=default
$ cd ~/qmk_firmware/keyboards/planck/rev6
$ qmk compile
Ψ Compiling keymap with make planck/rev6:default
...

or with optional keymap argument

$ cd ~/qmk_firmware/keyboards/clueboard/66/rev4
$ qmk compile -km 66_iso
Ψ Compiling keymap with make clueboard/66/rev4:66_iso
...

or in keymap directory

$ cd ~/qmk_firmware/keyboards/gh60/satan/keymaps/colemak
$ qmk compile
Ψ Compiling keymap with make gh60/satan:colemak
...

Usage in Layout Directory:

Must be under qmk_firmware/layouts/, and in a keymap folder.

qmk compile -kb <keyboard_name>

Example:

$ cd ~/qmk_firmware/layouts/community/60_ansi/mechmerlin-ansi
$ qmk compile -kb dz60
Ψ Compiling keymap with make dz60:mechmerlin-ansi
...

Parallel Compilation:

It is possible to speed up compilation by adding the -j/--parallel flag.

qmk compile -j <num_jobs> -kb <keyboard_name>

The num_jobs argument determines the maximum number of jobs that can be used. Setting it to zero will enable parallel compilation without limiting the maximum number of jobs.

qmk compile -j 0 -kb <keyboard_name>

qmk flash

This command is similar to qmk compile, but can also target a bootloader. The bootloader is optional, and is set to :flash by default. To specify a different bootloader, use -bl <bootloader>. Visit the Flashing Firmware guide for more details of the available bootloaders.

This command is directory aware. It will automatically fill in KEYBOARD and/or KEYMAP if you are in a keyboard or keymap directory.

This command can also flash binary firmware files (hex or bin) such as the ones produced by Configurator.

Usage for Configurator Exports:

qmk flash [-bl <bootloader>] [-c] [-e <var>=<value>] [-j <num_jobs>] <configuratorExport.json>

Usage for Keymaps:

qmk flash -kb <keyboard_name> -km <keymap_name> [-bl <bootloader>] [-c] [-e <var>=<value>] [-j <num_jobs>]

Usage for pre-compiled firmwares:

Note: The microcontroller needs to be specified (-m argument) for keyboards with the following bootloaders:

• HalfKay
• QMK HID
• USBaspLoader

ISP flashing is also supported with the following flashers and require the microcontroller to be specified:

• USBasp
• USBtinyISP

qmk flash [-m <microcontroller>] <compiledFirmware.[bin|hex]>

Listing the Bootloaders

qmk flash -b

qmk config

This command lets you configure the behavior of QMK. For the full qmk config documentation see CLI Configuration.

Usage:

qmk config [-ro] [config_token1] [config_token2] [...] [config_tokenN]

qmk cd

This command opens a new shell in your qmk_firmware directory.

Note that if you are already somewhere within QMK_HOME (for example, the keyboards/ folder), nothing will happen.

To exit out into the parent shell, simply type exit.

Usage:

qmk cd

qmk find

This command allows for searching through keyboard/keymap targets, filtering by specific criteria. info.json and rules.mk files contribute to the search data, as well as keymap configurations, and the results can be filtered using "dotty" syntax matching the overall info.json file format.

For example, one could search for all keyboards using STM32F411:

qmk find -f 'processor=STM32F411'

...and one can further constrain the list to keyboards using STM32F411 as well as rgb_matrix support:

qmk find -f 'processor=STM32F411' -f 'features.rgb_matrix=true'

The following filter expressions are also supported:

• exists(key): Match targets where key is present.
• absent(key): Match targets where key is not present.
• contains(key, value): Match targets where key contains value. Can be used for strings, arrays and object keys.
• length(key, value): Match targets where the length of key is value. Can be used for strings, arrays and objects.

You can also list arbitrary values for each matched target with --print:

qmk find -f 'processor=STM32F411' -p 'keyboard_name' -p 'features.rgb_matrix'

Usage:

qmk find [-h] [-km KEYMAP] [-p PRINT] [-f FILTER]

options:
  -km KEYMAP, --keymap KEYMAP
                        The keymap name to build. Default is 'default'.
  -p PRINT, --print PRINT
                        For each matched target, print the value of the supplied info.json key. May be passed multiple times.
  -f FILTER, --filter FILTER
                        Filter the list of keyboards based on their info.json data. Accepts the formats key=value, function(key), or function(key,value), eg. 'features.rgblight=true'. Valid functions are 'absent', 'contains', 'exists' and 'length'. May be passed multiple times; all filters need to match. Value may include wildcards such as '*' and '?'.

qmk console

This command lets you connect to keyboard consoles to get debugging messages. It only works if your keyboard firmware has been compiled with CONSOLE_ENABLE=yes.

Usage:

qmk console [-d <pid>:<vid>[:<index>]] [-l] [-n] [-t] [-w <seconds>]

Examples:

Connect to all available keyboards and show their console messages:

qmk console

List all devices:

qmk console -l

Show only messages from clueboard/66/rev3 keyboards:

qmk console -d C1ED:2370

Show only messages from the second clueboard/66/rev3:

qmk console -d C1ED:2370:2

Show timestamps and VID:PID instead of names:

qmk console -n -t

Disable bootloader messages:

qmk console --no-bootloaders

qmk doctor

This command examines your environment and alerts you to potential build or flash problems. It can fix many of them if you want it to.

Usage:

qmk doctor [-y] [-n]

Examples:

Check your environment for problems and prompt to fix them:

qmk doctor

Check your environment and automatically fix any problems found:

qmk doctor -y

Check your environment and report problems only:

qmk doctor -n

qmk format-json

Formats a JSON file in a (mostly) human-friendly way. Will usually correctly detect the format of the JSON (info.json or keymap.json) but you can override this with --format if necessary.

Usage:

qmk format-json [-f FORMAT] <json_file>

qmk info

Displays information about keyboards and keymaps in QMK. You can use this to get information about a keyboard, show the layouts, display the underlying key matrix, or to pretty-print JSON keymaps.

Usage:

qmk info [-f FORMAT] [-m] [-l] [-km KEYMAP] [-kb KEYBOARD]

This command is directory aware. It will automatically fill in KEYBOARD and/or KEYMAP if you are in a keyboard or keymap directory.

Examples:

Show basic information for a keyboard:

qmk info -kb planck/rev5

Show the matrix for a keyboard:

qmk info -kb ergodox_ez -m

Show a JSON keymap for a keyboard:

qmk info -kb clueboard/california -km default

qmk json2c

Creates a keymap.c from a QMK Configurator export.

Usage:

qmk json2c [-o OUTPUT] filename

qmk c2json

Creates a keymap.json from a keymap.c.

Note: Parsing C source files is not easy, therefore this subcommand may not work with your keymap. In some cases not using the C pre-processor helps.

Usage:

qmk c2json -km KEYMAP -kb KEYBOARD [-q] [--no-cpp] [-o OUTPUT] filename

Examples:

qmk c2json -km default -kb handwired/dactyl_promicro

or with filename:

qmk c2json keyboards/handwired/dactyl_promicro/keymaps/default/keymap.c

qmk lint

Checks over a keyboard and/or keymap and highlights common errors, problems, and anti-patterns.

Usage:

qmk lint [-km KEYMAP] [-kb KEYBOARD] [--strict]

This command is directory aware. It will automatically fill in KEYBOARD and/or KEYMAP if you are in a keyboard or keymap directory.

Examples:

Do a basic lint check:

qmk lint -kb rominronin/katana60/rev2

qmk list-keyboards

This command lists all the keyboards currently defined in qmk_firmware

Usage:

qmk list-keyboards

qmk list-keymaps

This command lists all the keymaps for a specified keyboard (and revision).

This command is directory aware. It will automatically fill in KEYBOARD if you are in a keyboard directory.

Usage:

qmk list-keymaps -kb planck/ez

qmk migrate

This command searches for legacy code that can be converted to the new info.json format and adds it to the specified keyboard's info.json.

Usage:

qmk migrate [-h] -kb KEYBOARD [-f FILTER]

qmk new-keyboard

This command creates a new keyboard based on available templates.

Any arguments that are not provided will prompt for input. If -u is not passed and user.name is set in .gitconfig, it will be used as the default username in the prompt.

Usage:

qmk new-keyboard [-kb KEYBOARD] [-t {atmega32u4,STM32F303,etc}] [-l {60_ansi,75_iso,etc}] -u USERNAME

qmk new-keymap

This command creates a new keymap based on a keyboard's existing default keymap.

This command is directory aware. It will automatically fill in KEYBOARD and/or KEYMAP if you are in a keyboard or keymap directory.

Usage:

qmk new-keymap [-kb KEYBOARD] [-km KEYMAP]

qmk clean

This command cleans up the .build folder. If --all is passed, any .hex or .bin files present in the qmk_firmware directory will also be deleted.

Usage:

qmk clean [-a]

qmk via2json

This command an generate a keymap.json from a VIA keymap backup. Both the layers and the macros are converted, enabling users to easily move away from a VIA-enabled firmware without writing any code or reimplementing their keymaps in QMK Configurator.

Usage:

qmk via2json -kb KEYBOARD [-l LAYOUT] [-km KEYMAP] [-o OUTPUT] filename

Example:

$ qmk via2json -kb ai03/polaris -o polaris_keymap.json polaris_via_backup.json
Ψ Wrote keymap to /home/you/qmk_firmware/polaris_keymap.json

qmk import-keyboard

This command imports a data-driven info.json keyboard into the repo.

Usage:

usage: qmk import-keyboard [-h] filename

Example:

$ qmk import-keyboard ~/Downloads/forever60.json
Ψ Importing forever60.json.

Ψ Imported a new keyboard named forever60.
Ψ To start working on things, `cd` into keyboards/forever60,
Ψ or open the directory in your preferred text editor.
Ψ And build with qmk compile -kb forever60 -km default.

qmk import-keymap

This command imports a data-driven keymap.json keymap into the repo.

Usage:

usage: qmk import-keymap [-h] filename

Example:

qmk import-keymap ~/Downloads/asdf2.json
Ψ Importing asdf2.json.

Ψ Imported a new keymap named asdf2.
Ψ To start working on things, `cd` into keyboards/takashicompany/dogtag/keymaps/asdf2,
Ψ or open the directory in your preferred text editor.
Ψ And build with qmk compile -kb takashicompany/dogtag -km asdf2.

qmk import-kbfirmware

This command creates a new keyboard based on a Keyboard Firmware Builder export.

Usage:

usage: qmk import-kbfirmware [-h] filename

Example:

$ qmk import-kbfirmware ~/Downloads/gh62.json
Ψ Importing gh62.json.

⚠ Support here is basic - Consider using 'qmk new-keyboard' instead
Ψ Imported a new keyboard named gh62.
Ψ To start working on things, `cd` into keyboards/gh62,
Ψ or open the directory in your preferred text editor.
Ψ And build with qmk compile -kb gh62 -km default.

---

External Userspace Commands

qmk userspace-add

This command adds a keyboard/keymap to the External Userspace build targets.

Usage:

qmk userspace-add [-h] [-km KEYMAP] [-kb KEYBOARD] [builds ...]

positional arguments:
  builds                List of builds in form <keyboard>:<keymap>, or path to a keymap JSON file.

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -km KEYMAP, --keymap KEYMAP
                        The keymap to build a firmware for. Ignored when a configurator export is supplied.
  -kb KEYBOARD, --keyboard KEYBOARD
                        The keyboard to build a firmware for. Ignored when a configurator export is supplied.

Example:

$ qmk userspace-add -kb planck/rev6 -km default
Ψ Added planck/rev6:default to userspace build targets
Ψ Saved userspace file to /home/you/qmk_userspace/qmk.json

qmk userspace-remove

This command removes a keyboard/keymap from the External Userspace build targets.

Usage:

qmk userspace-remove [-h] [-km KEYMAP] [-kb KEYBOARD] [builds ...]

positional arguments:
  builds                List of builds in form <keyboard>:<keymap>, or path to a keymap JSON file.

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -km KEYMAP, --keymap KEYMAP
                        The keymap to build a firmware for. Ignored when a configurator export is supplied.
  -kb KEYBOARD, --keyboard KEYBOARD
                        The keyboard to build a firmware for. Ignored when a configurator export is supplied.

Example:

$ qmk userspace-remove -kb planck/rev6 -km default
Ψ Removed planck/rev6:default from userspace build targets
Ψ Saved userspace file to /home/you/qmk_userspace/qmk.json

qmk userspace-list

This command lists the External Userspace build targets.

Usage:

qmk userspace-list [-h] [-e]

options:
  -h, --help    show this help message and exit
  -e, --expand  Expands any use of `all` for either keyboard or keymap.

Example:

$ qmk userspace-list
Ψ Current userspace build targets:
Ψ Keyboard: planck/rev6, keymap: you
Ψ Keyboard: clueboard/66/rev3, keymap: you

qmk userspace-compile

This command compiles all the External Userspace build targets.

Usage:

qmk userspace-compile [-h] [-e ENV] [-n] [-c] [-j PARALLEL] [-t]

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -e ENV, --env ENV     Set a variable to be passed to make. May be passed multiple times.
  -n, --dry-run         Don't actually build, just show the commands to be run.
  -c, --clean           Remove object files before compiling.
  -j PARALLEL, --parallel PARALLEL
                        Set the number of parallel make jobs; 0 means unlimited.
  -t, --no-temp         Remove temporary files during build.

Example:

$ qmk userspace-compile
Ψ Preparing target list...
Build planck/rev6:you                                                  [OK]
Build clueboard/66/rev3:you                                            [OK]

qmk userspace-doctor

This command examines your environment and alerts you to potential problems related to External Userspace.

Example:

% qmk userspace-doctor
Ψ QMK home: /home/you/qmk_userspace/qmk_firmware
Ψ Testing userspace candidate: /home/you/qmk_userspace -- Valid `qmk.json`
Ψ QMK userspace: /home/you/qmk_userspace
Ψ Userspace enabled: True

---

Developer Commands

qmk format-text

This command formats text files to have proper line endings.

Every text file in the repository needs to have Unix (LF) line ending. If you are working on Windows, you must ensure that line endings are corrected in order to get your PRs merged.

qmk format-text

qmk format-c

This command formats C code using clang-format.

Run it with no arguments to format all core code that has been changed. Default checks origin/master with git diff, branch can be changed using -b <branch_name>

Run it with -a to format all core code, or pass filenames on the command line to run it on specific files.

Usage for specified files:

qmk format-c [file1] [file2] [...] [fileN]

Usage for all core files:

qmk format-c -a

Usage for only changed files against origin/master:

qmk format-c

Usage for only changed files against branch_name:

qmk format-c -b branch_name

qmk generate-compilation-database

Usage:

qmk generate-compilation-database [-kb KEYBOARD] [-km KEYMAP]

Creates a compile_commands.json file.

Does your IDE/editor use a language server but doesn't quite find all the necessary include files? Do you hate red squigglies? Do you wish your editor could figure out #include QMK_KEYBOARD_H? You might need a compilation database! The qmk tool can build this for you.

This command needs to know which keyboard and keymap to build. It uses the same configuration options as the qmk compile command: arguments, current directory, and config files.

Example:

$ cd ~/qmk_firmware/keyboards/gh60/satan/keymaps/colemak
$ qmk generate-compilation-database
Ψ Making clean
Ψ Gathering build instructions from make -n gh60/satan:colemak
Ψ Found 50 compile commands
Ψ Writing build database to /Users/you/src/qmk_firmware/compile_commands.json

Now open your dev environment and live a squiggly-free life.

qmk docs

This command starts a local HTTP server which you can use for browsing or improving the docs. Default port is 8936. Use the -b/--browser flag to automatically open the local webserver in your default browser.

This command runs docsify serve if docsify-cli is installed (which provides live reload), otherwise Python's builtin HTTP server module will be used.

Usage:

qmk docs [-b] [-p PORT]

qmk generate-docs

This command allows you to generate QMK documentation locally. It can be uses for general browsing or improving the docs. External tools such as serve can be used to browse the generated files.

Usage:

qmk generate-docs

qmk generate-rgb-breathe-table

This command generates a lookup table (LUT) header file for the RGB Lighting feature's breathing animation. Place this file in your keyboard or keymap directory as rgblight_breathe_table.h to override the default LUT in quantum/rgblight/.

Usage:

qmk generate-rgb-breathe-table [-q] [-o OUTPUT] [-m MAX] [-c CENTER]

qmk kle2json

This command allows you to convert from raw KLE data to QMK Configurator JSON. It accepts either an absolute file path, or a file name in the current directory. By default it will not overwrite info.json if it is already present. Use the -f or --force flag to overwrite.

Usage:

qmk kle2json [-f] <filename>

Examples:

$ qmk kle2json kle.txt
☒ File info.json already exists, use -f or --force to overwrite.

$ qmk kle2json -f kle.txt -f
Ψ Wrote out to info.json

qmk format-python

This command formats python code in qmk_firmware.

Usage:

qmk format-python

qmk pytest

This command runs the python test suite. If you make changes to python code you should ensure this runs successfully.

Usage:

qmk pytest [-t TEST]

Examples:

Run entire test suite:

qmk pytest

Run test group:

qmk pytest -t qmk.tests.test_cli_commands

Run single test:

qmk pytest -t qmk.tests.test_cli_commands.test_c2json
qmk pytest -t qmk.tests.test_qmk_path

qmk painter-convert-graphics

This command converts images to a format usable by QMK, i.e. the QGF File Format. See the Quantum Painter documentation for more information on this command.

qmk painter-make-font-image

This command converts a TTF font to an intermediate format for editing, before converting to the QFF File Format. See the Quantum Painter documentation for more information on this command.

qmk painter-convert-font-image

This command converts an intermediate font image to the QFF File Format. See the Quantum Painter documentation for more information on this command.