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// docs · command line tool

Write your brief from your repository

stagingmind reads your recent commits and the work you haven't committed yet, writes the brief the panel reads before your meeting, and gives you a link that opens it on any device you're signed in on, your phone included.

Before you start

  • Node 20 or later. Check with node -v. Nothing else to install: npx runs the tool straight from npm.
  • git, and a repository with your work in it.
  • A Staging Mind account. The free plan is enough. Sign up here.

1. Sign in, once

npx stagingmind login

Your browser opens a page with a short code. Check it matches the code in your terminal, and approve. You can approve on any device where you're signed in, for example your phone. The page also shows what the tool reads and sends, and asks how long to keep your briefs. When the terminal says Signed in, you're done. The sign-in is saved on this computer, so you only do this once.

2. Write your brief

Go to your project folder and run prep:

cd your-project
npx stagingmind prep

It reads your commits since your last Staging Mind session (or the last 7 days) and anything you haven't committed yet. You'll see one line for each thing it reads. After a minute or so it prints the brief and the code the panel will be able to ask about, so you can check it before the meeting. A copy is saved in .stagingmind/brief.md, which is kept out of git.

3. Open the link and practise

The last thing prep prints is a link to the practice page. Open it on this computer, or on your phone or any other device you're signed in on. Your brief is already filled in, so you can start the meeting straight away. Briefs also wait for you under Waiting for you on the practice page.

How long the link works depends on what you chose when you signed in. A brief kept for 30 minutes is deleted the first time it's opened. One kept for 24 hours or 7 days can be opened again until it runs out.

Examples

Every option goes after npx stagingmind prep, in any order. Words with spaces go in quotes.

Everything you've done this month.

npx stagingmind prep --since 2026-10-01

The whole team's committed work, for a demo or a retro.

npx stagingmind prep --all-authors --committed-only

Another repository, kept for a week so you can open it again.

npx stagingmind prep --repo ../api --keep 7d

Your commits and your notes, without two private folders.

npx stagingmind prep --vault ~/Notes --private Journal --private "Areas/Health"

Commands

stagingmind login
Sign in by approving a code in your browser, on this computer or any other device.Do this once on each computer.
stagingmind logout
Sign out and delete the saved sign-in from this computer.
stagingmind prep [options]
Write a brief from your recent commits and uncommitted work, and print a link that opens it.Run it inside your repository.

Options for prep

--since <date>
Read commits from this date, written as year-month-day, for example 2026-10-20.Default: your last Staging Mind session, or the last 7 days.
--all-authors
Read everyone's commits, not only yours.Default: only commits made with your git email.
--committed-only
Leave out work you haven't committed yet.Default: uncommitted work is included.
--repo <path>
Read a different repository, for example ../api.Default: the folder you are in.
--keep <30m|24h|7d>
How long Staging Mind keeps this brief. 30m is deleted the first time it's opened; 24h and 7d can be opened again, from any of your devices, until they run out.Default: what you chose when you approved the sign-in.
--vault <path>
Also read an Obsidian vault, so the brief can use your notes too. Give the folder holding .obsidian, or a folder with one vault a few levels inside it.Default: no vault is read.
--private <folder>
A folder in the vault that is never read, for example Journal. Repeat it for more folders. Only works with a vault.

Using --vault? The Obsidian guide covers synced and remote vaults too.

Options for every command

--no-open
Only print links, don't open them in this computer's browser.Default: links open in your browser, except when the output isn't a terminal, for example under a coding agent.
-h, --help
Show every command and option.
-v, --version
Show the version you are running.
--front <url>
Use a different Staging Mind app address. Only for testing Staging Mind itself.Default: Staging Mind's own, or STAGINGMIND_FRONT_URL when set.
--api <url>
Use a different Staging Mind API address. Only for testing Staging Mind itself.Default: Staging Mind's own, or STAGINGMIND_API_URL when set.

The same list is always in your terminal: npx stagingmind --help.

Running it from a coding agent

The tool never asks a question, so Claude Code or another coding agent can run it for you, even when you're talking to the agent from your phone. Ask it to run npx stagingmind prep in your project and send you the link. When it runs inside an agent, it never opens a browser, so the link stays unused until you open it.

What it reads and sends

  • It only reads. Nothing in your repository is changed, apart from adding .stagingmind/ to your local git excludes.
  • It never reads secrets. .env files, keys, certificates and anything named like credentials are skipped, and anything that looks like a key or token is removed before sending.
  • What leaves your computer: the commit messages and code excerpts it reads go to Anthropic through Staging Mind to write the brief, and are not used for training. Staging Mind keeps only the finished brief and the code it picked, for your account only, for as long as you chose.

The full details are in the privacy policy.

Signing out

npx stagingmind logout

This signs the tool out and deletes the saved sign-in from this computer.

If something goes wrong

  • "You're not signed in" or "Run stagingmind login again". Run npx stagingmind login and approve again.
  • "git doesn't know your email". Set it with git config user.email you@example.com (the address you commit with), or add --all-authors.
  • It finds no work. Look further back with --since, or add --all-authors if your commits use a different email.
  • The link doesn't open your brief any more. It was kept for 30 minutes and has already been opened, or its time ran out. Run prep again for a new link, and use --keep 24h if you want to open it more than once.
  • "command not found" or a syntax error. Your Node is too old or missing. Install Node 20 or later and try again.

Still stuck? Email lee@stagingmind.dev with what the terminal printed.