CLI reference

Installing Rtistree exposes rtistree and the compatibility alias graphics. In a local npm project, use npx rtistree. Run rtistree --help for the complete installed-version reference. Structured results go to stdout as JSON; errors go to stderr. Failed verification/preflight and non-identical recipe replay exit 2; input/runtime errors exit 1.

Create a starter

npx rtistree@latest init my-art
cd my-art
npm install
npm run render

The destination must be a new directory. The starter includes a scene, sample patch, SDK example and npm render scripts. init writes starter files without installing dependencies or executing painting programs.

Inspect and edit

npx rtistree inspect scene.json
npx rtistree inspect scene.json --layer title
npx rtistree inspect-region scene.json 0 0 100 100
npx rtistree render scene.json -o image.png
npx rtistree render-region scene.json 0 0 100 100 -o crop.png
npx rtistree apply scene.json patch.json
npx rtistree undo scene.json
npx rtistree redo scene.json
npx rtistree history scene.json

Coordinates are x y width height in canvas pixels. A patch contains a reason and a typed commands array. Supply the current expected_hash when coordinating concurrent edits. See scene format for command shapes and coordinate rules.

Verify, review and export

npx rtistree verify scene.json -o report.json --heatmap heatmap.png
npx rtistree critique scene.json critique.json
npx rtistree export scene.json -o portable/scene.json
npx rtistree export scene.json --format png -o image.png

Verification measures configured technical constraints. Critiques are authored after inspecting images and bound to the current scene. Exports for physical documents and printer profiles are described in print production.

Studio and production

npx rtistree art-guide
npx rtistree studio-help
npx rtistree program scene.json program.json
npx rtistree program-replay scene.json asset-id
npx rtistree pipeline scene.json pipeline.json
npx rtistree production scene.json request.json

Read studio for program requests and staged production for plans, candidate captures, reviews and selection. Program execution is for trusted code only.

Project creation and integration

npx rtistree project new artwork --size A3 --orientation landscape --ppi 300 --bleed 3mm
npx rtistree schema --kind scene
npx rtistree schema --kind command
npx rtistree serve /absolute/path/to/scene.json

The MCP server uses stdio. See agent setup.

Additional commands

Command	Purpose
npx rtistree rebase scene.json	Merge manual source changes into journaled state; conflicts fail without committing
npx rtistree compact scene.json	Compress history while retaining undo and redo
npx rtistree raster-read scene.json read.json	Write an exact crop plus evidence and return an asset descriptor
npx rtistree raster-write scene.json write.json	Commit an exact-size PNG patch with a required current hash
npx rtistree import-svg drawing.svg -o drawing.scene.json	Import the supported static SVG subset
npx rtistree preflight artwork --preset screen	Check physical document/export settings and save a report
npx rtistree proof artwork --preset print -o proof.png	Make a CMYK round-trip proof; requires a configured ICC profile
npx rtistree benchmark scene.json brief.json before	Capture a benchmark checkpoint after recording a current critique
npx rtistree benchmark scene.json brief.json finish	Finish after at least two inspected checkpoints

Dense request shapes are in studio. Source rebasing, critiques and benchmark requirements are in editing workflows. Names such as patch.json, read.json and critique.json are request files you author, not files created by init.

Options, paths and output

• --output / -o chooses an artifact path. Explicit paths and request filenames resolve from the shell’s working directory. Asset/program paths inside requests resolve from the artwork project root. Without -o, configured projects use output_dir; bare scene files use a renders/ directory alongside the scene.
• render --quality draft|preview|final controls PNG rendering. Draft halves dimensions after rendering; preview and final share the full-quality path. --layer ID renders an isolated layer on a full-size transparent canvas. render-region requires an integer crop entirely inside the canvas; default/final quality is an exact full-render crop.
• inspect-region also writes inspection.png and its evidence unless you supply -o.
• Artwork export and full render accept --format, --preset and --ppi. Known output extensions are inferred. Print exports additionally accept --profile (project-relative ICC file; implies CMYK), --colour-space srgb|cmyk and --crop-marks. Use export for print options; a plain PNG render with only --profile does not select the export path.
• schema --kind scene describes a resolved scene. Source scenes with includes/components use the packaged authoring.schema.json; a patch uses patch.schema.json.

JSON is the structured result format; help is plain text and serve writes MCP protocol messages. The npm/npx launcher can print its own installation notices. verify and preflight failures, and non-identical program-replay results, exit 2. Input/runtime/export errors exit 1. Warnings alone do not make preflight fail. Program or pipeline build success only means execution succeeded; it does not establish visual quality.