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>] [--compiledb] -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 compileUsage 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>Compilation Database:
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! Compiling using this argument can create this for you.
Example:
$ cd ~/qmk_firmware/keyboards/gh60/satan/keymaps/colemak
$ qmk compile --compiledb
Ψ Making clean
Ψ Gathering build instructions from make ........
Ψ Found 63 compile commands
Ψ Writing build database to /Users/you/src/qmk_firmware/compile_commands.json
Ψ Compiling keymap with make ........
... build log continues ...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 -bqmk 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 cdqmk 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 powered by the STM32F411 microcontroller:
qmk find -f 'processor==STM32F411'The list can be further constrained by passing additional filter expressions:
qmk find -f 'processor==STM32F411' -f 'features.rgb_matrix==true'The following filter expressions are supported:
- key == value: Match targets where- keyis equal to- value. May include wildcards such as- *and- ?.
- key != value: Match targets where- keyis not- value. May include wildcards such as- *and- ?.
- key < value: Match targets where- keyis a number less than- value.
- key > value: Match targets where- keyis a number greater than- value.
- key <= value: Match targets where- keyis a number less than or equal to- value.
- key >= value: Match targets where- keyis a number greater than or equal to- value.
- exists(key): Match targets where- keyis present.
- absent(key): Match targets where- keyis not present.
- contains(key, value): Match targets where- keycontains- value. Can be used for strings, arrays and object keys.
- length(key, value): Match targets where the length of- keyis- 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 consoleList all devices:
qmk console -lShow only messages from clueboard/66/rev3 keyboards:
qmk console -d C1ED:2370Show only messages from the second clueboard/66/rev3:
qmk console -d C1ED:2370:2Show timestamps and VID:PID instead of names:
qmk console -n -tDisable bootloader messages:
qmk console --no-bootloadersqmk 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 doctorCheck your environment and automatically fix any problems found:
qmk doctor -yCheck your environment and report problems only:
qmk doctor -nqmk 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/rev5Show the matrix for a keyboard:
qmk info -kb ergodox_ez -mShow a JSON keymap for a keyboard:
qmk info -kb clueboard/california -km defaultqmk json2c 
Creates a keymap.c from a QMK Configurator export.
Usage:
qmk json2c [-o OUTPUT] filenameqmk 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] filenameExamples:
qmk c2json -km default -kb handwired/dactyl_promicroor with filename:
qmk c2json keyboards/handwired/dactyl_promicro/keymaps/default/keymap.cqmk 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/rev2qmk list-keyboards 
This command lists all the keyboards currently defined in qmk_firmware
Usage:
qmk list-keyboardsqmk 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/ezqmk 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 USERNAMEqmk 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] filenameExample:
$ qmk via2json -kb ai03/polaris -o polaris_keymap.json polaris_via_backup.json
Ψ Wrote keymap to /home/you/qmk_firmware/polaris_keymap.jsonqmk import-keyboard 
This command imports a data-driven info.json keyboard into the repo.
Usage:
usage: qmk import-keyboard [-h] filenameExample:
$ 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] filenameExample:
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] filenameExample:
$ 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.jsonqmk 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.jsonqmk 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: youqmk 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: TrueDeveloper 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-textqmk 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 -aUsage for only changed files against origin/master:
qmk format-cUsage for only changed files against branch_name:
qmk format-c -b branch_nameqmk docs 
This command starts a local HTTP server which you can use for browsing or improving the docs, and provides live reload capability whilst editing. Default port is 8936. Use the -b/--browser flag to automatically open the local webserver in your default browser.
Requires node and yarn to be installed as prerequisites.
Usage:
usage: qmk docs [-h] [-b] [-p PORT]
options:
  -h, --help       show this help message and exit
  -b, --browser    Open the docs in the default browser.
  -p, --port PORT  Port number to use.qmk generate-docs 
This command generates QMK documentation for production. Use the -s/--serve flag to also serve the static site on port 4173 once built. Note that this does not provide live reloading; use qmk docs instead for development purposes.
This command requires node and yarn to be installed as prerequisites, and requires the operating system to support symlinks.
Usage:
usage: qmk generate-docs [-h] [-s]
options:
  -h, --help   show this help message and exit
  -s, --serve  Serves the generated docs once built.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.jsonqmk format-python 
This command formats python code in qmk_firmware.
Usage:
qmk format-pythonqmk 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 pytestRun test group:
qmk pytest -t qmk.tests.test_cli_commandsRun single test:
qmk pytest -t qmk.tests.test_cli_commands.test_c2json
qmk pytest -t qmk.tests.test_qmk_pathqmk 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.
qmk test-c 
This command runs the C unit test suite. If you make changes to C code you should ensure this runs successfully.
Usage:
qmk test-c [-h] [-t TEST] [-l] [-c] [-e ENV] [-j PARALLEL]
options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -t TEST, --test TEST  Test to run from the available list. Supports wildcard globs. May be passed multiple times.
  -l, --list            List available tests.
  -c, --clean           Remove object files before compiling.
  -e ENV, --env ENV     Set a variable to be passed to make. May be passed multiple times.
  -j PARALLEL, --parallel PARALLEL
                        Set the number of parallel make jobs; 0 means unlimited.Examples:
Run entire test suite:
qmk test-cList available tests:
qmk test-c --listRun matching test:
qmk test-c --test unicode*Run single test:
qmk test-c --test basicqmk generate-compilation-database 
Usage:
qmk generate-compilation-database [-kb KEYBOARD] [-km KEYMAP]This command has been deprecated as it cannot take into account configurables such as converters or environment variables normally specified on the command line; please use the --compiledb flag with qmk compile instead.