# Roam Research MCP + CLI
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## Introduction
I created this project to solve a personal problem: I wanted to manage my Roam Research graph directly from **Claude Code** (and other LLMs). As I built the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) server to give AI agents access to my notes, I realized the underlying tools were powerful enough to stand on their own.
What started as an backend for AI agents evolved into a full-featured **Standalone CLI**. Now, you can use the same powerful API capabilities directly from your terminal—piping content into Roam, searching your graph, and managing tasks—without needing an LLM at all.
Whether you want to give Claude superpowers over your knowledge base or just want a robust CLI for your own scripts, this project has you covered.
## Standalone CLI: `roam`
The `roam` CLI lets you interact with your graph directly from the terminal. It supports **standard input (stdin) piping** for all content creation and retrieval commands, making it perfect for automation workflows.
### Quick Examples
```bash
# Save a quick thought to your daily page
roam save "Idea: A CLI for Roam would be cool"
# Pipe content from a file to a new page
cat meeting_notes.md | roam save --title "Meeting: Project Alpha"
# Create a TODO item on today's daily page
echo "Buy milk" | roam save --todo
# Search your graph and pipe results to another tool
roam search "important" --json | jq .
# Fetch a page by title
roam get "Roam Research"
# Sort and group results
roam get --tag Project --sort created --group-by tag
# Find references (backlinks) to a page
roam refs "Project Alpha"
# Update a block (e.g., toggle TODO status)
roam update ((block-uid)) --todo
# Multi-graph: read from a specific graph
roam get "Page Title" -g work
# Multi-graph: write to a protected graph
roam save "Note" -g work --write-key "$ROAM_SYSTEM_WRITE_KEY"
```
**Available Commands:** `get`, `search`, `save`, `refs`, `update`, `batch`, `rename`, `status`.
Run `roam <command> --help` for details on any command.
### Installation
```bash
npm install -g roam-research-mcp
# The 'roam' command is now available globally
```
---
## MCP Server Tools
The MCP server exposes these tools to AI assistants (like Claude), enabling them to read, write, and organize your Roam graph intelligently.
> **Multi-Graph Support:** All tools accept optional `graph` and `write_key` parameters. Use `graph` to target a specific graph from your `ROAM_GRAPHS` config, and `write_key` for write operations on protected graphs.
| Tool Name | Description |
| :--- | :--- |
| `roam_fetch_page_by_title` | Fetch page content by title. |
| `roam_fetch_block_with_children` | Fetch a block and its nested children by UID (resolves refs). |
| `roam_create_page` | Create new pages, optionally with mixed text and table content. |
| `roam_update_page_markdown` | Update a page using smart diff (preserves block UIDs). |
| `roam_search_by_text` | Full-text search across the graph or within specific pages. |
| `roam_search_block_refs` | Find blocks that reference a page, tag, or block UID. |
| `roam_search_by_status` | Find TODO or DONE items. |
| `roam_search_for_tag` | Find blocks containing specific tags (supports exclusion). |
| `roam_search_by_date` | Find blocks/pages by creation or modification date. |
| `roam_find_pages_modified_today` | List pages modified since midnight. |
| `roam_add_todo` | Add TODO items to today's daily page. |
| `roam_create_table` | Create properly formatted Roam tables. |
| `roam_create_outline` | Create hierarchical outlines. |
| `roam_process_batch_actions` | Execute multiple low-level actions (create, move, update, delete) in one batch. |
| `roam_move_block` | Move a block to a new parent or position. |
| `roam_remember` / `roam_recall` | specialized tools for AI memory management within Roam. |
| `roam_datomic_query` | Execute raw Datalog queries for advanced filtering. |
| `roam_markdown_cheatsheet` | Retrieve the Roam-flavored markdown reference. |
---
## Configuration
### Environment Variables
#### Single Graph Mode
For a single Roam graph, set these in your environment or a `.env` file:
```bash
ROAM_API_TOKEN=your-api-token
ROAM_GRAPH_NAME=your-graph-name
```
#### Multi-Graph Mode (v2.0+)
Connect to multiple Roam graphs from a single server instance:
```bash
ROAM_GRAPHS='{
"personal": {"token": "token-1", "graph": "personal-db", "memoriesTag": "#[[Personal Memories]]"},
"work": {"token": "token-2", "graph": "work-db", "protected": true, "memoriesTag": "#[[Work Memories]]"},
"research": {"token": "token-3", "graph": "research-db"}
}'
ROAM_DEFAULT_GRAPH=personal
ROAM_SYSTEM_WRITE_KEY=your-secret-key
```
**Graph Configuration Options:**
| Property | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| `token` | Yes | Roam API token for this graph |
| `graph` | Yes | Graph name/database identifier |
| `protected` | No | If `true`, writes require `ROAM_SYSTEM_WRITE_KEY` confirmation |
| `memoriesTag` | No | Tag for `roam_remember`/`roam_recall` (overrides global default) |
**Write Protection:**
Protected graphs require the `write_key` parameter matching `ROAM_SYSTEM_WRITE_KEY` for any write operation. This prevents accidental writes to sensitive graphs.
*Optional:*
- `ROAM_MEMORIES_TAG`: Default tag for `roam_remember`/`roam_recall` (fallback when per-graph `memoriesTag` not set).
- `HTTP_STREAM_PORT`: To enable HTTP Stream (defaults to 8088).
### Running the Server
**1. Stdio Mode (Default)**
Best for local integration (e.g., Claude Desktop, IDE extensions).
```bash
npx roam-research-mcp
```
**2. HTTP Stream Mode**
Best for remote access or web clients.
```bash
HTTP_STREAM_PORT=8088 npx roam-research-mcp
```
**3. Docker**
```bash
docker run -p 3000:3000 -p 8088:8088 --env-file .env roam-research-mcp
```
### Configuring in LLMs
**Claude Desktop / Cline:**
Add to your MCP settings file (e.g., `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`):
*Single Graph:*
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"roam-research": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "roam-research-mcp"],
"env": {
"ROAM_API_TOKEN": "your-token",
"ROAM_GRAPH_NAME": "your-graph"
}
}
}
}
```
*Multi-Graph:*
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"roam-research": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "roam-research-mcp"],
"env": {
"ROAM_GRAPHS": "{\"personal\":{\"token\":\"token-1\",\"graph\":\"personal-db\",\"memoriesTag\":\"#[[Memories]]\"},\"work\":{\"token\":\"token-2\",\"graph\":\"work-db\",\"protected\":true\"}}",
"ROAM_DEFAULT_GRAPH": "personal",
"ROAM_SYSTEM_WRITE_KEY": "your-secret-key"
}
}
}
}
```
## Support
If this project helps you manage your knowledge base or build cool agents, consider buying me a coffee! It helps keep the updates coming.
<a href="https://paypal.me/2b3/5">
<img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/Donate-PayPal-blue.svg" alt="Donate with PayPal" />
</a>
**[https://paypal.me/2b3/5](https://paypal.me/2b3/5)**
---
## License
MIT License - Created by [Ian Shen](https://github.com/2b3pro).
