name: things-mac
description: Manage Things 3 via the things CLI on macOS (add/update projects+todos via URL scheme; read/search/list from the local Things database). Use when a user asks Moltbot to add a task to Things, list inbox/today/upcoming, search tasks, or inspect projects/areas/tags.
homepage: https://github.com/ossianhempel/things3-cli
metadata: {"moltbot":{"emoji":"✅","os":["darwin"],"requires":{"bins":["things"]},"install":[{"id":"go","kind":"go","module":"github.com/ossianhempel/things3-cli/cmd/things@latest","bins":["things"],"label":"Install things3-cli (go)"}]}}

Things 3 CLI

Use things to read your local Things database (inbox/today/search/projects/areas/tags) and to add/update todos via the Things URL scheme.

Setup
- Install (recommended, Apple Silicon): GOBIN=/opt/homebrew/bin go install github.com/ossianhempel/things3-cli/cmd/things@latest
- If DB reads fail: grant Full Disk Access to the calling app (Terminal for manual runs; Moltbot.app for gateway runs).
- Optional: set THINGSDB (or pass --db) to point at your ThingsData-* folder.
- Optional: set THINGS_AUTH_TOKEN to avoid passing --auth-token for update ops.

Read-only (DB)
- things inbox --limit 50
- things today
- things upcoming
- things search "query"
- things projects / things areas / things tags

Write (URL scheme)
- Prefer safe preview: things --dry-run add "Title"
- Add: things add "Title" --notes "..." --when today --deadline 2026-01-02
- Bring Things to front: things --foreground add "Title"

Examples: add a todo
- Basic: things add "Buy milk"
- With notes: things add "Buy milk" --notes "2% + bananas"
- Into a project/area: things add "Book flights" --list "Travel"
- Into a project heading: things add "Pack charger" --list "Travel" --heading "Before"
- With tags: things add "Call dentist" --tags "health,phone"
- Checklist: things add "Trip prep" --checklist-item "Passport" --checklist-item "Tickets"
- From STDIN (multi-line => title + notes):
- cat <<'EOF' | things add -
- Title line
- Notes line 1
- Notes line 2
- EOF

Examples: modify a todo (needs auth token)
- First: get the ID (UUID column): things search "milk" --limit 5
- Auth: set THINGS_AUTH_TOKEN or pass --auth-token <TOKEN>
- Title: things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> "New title"
- Notes replace: things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --notes "New notes"
- Notes append/prepend: things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --append-notes "..." / --prepend-notes "..."
- Move lists: things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --list "Travel" --heading "Before"
- Tags replace/add: things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --tags "a,b" / things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --add-tags "a,b"
- Complete/cancel (soft-delete-ish): things update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --completed / --canceled
- Safe preview: things --dry-run update --id <UUID> --auth-token <TOKEN> --completed

Delete a todo?
- Not supported by things3-cli right now (no “delete/move-to-trash” write command; things trash is read-only listing).
- Options: use Things UI to delete/trash, or mark as --completed / --canceled via things update.

Notes
- macOS-only.
- --dry-run prints the URL and does not open Things.