vibe-notionbot

Interact with Notion workspaces using official API - manage pages, databases, blocks, users, and comments

# Vibe Notionbot

A TypeScript CLI tool that enables AI agents and humans to interact with Notion workspaces through the official Notion API. Supports pages, databases, blocks, users, comments, and search.


## Which CLI to Use

This package ships two CLIs. Pick the right one based on your situation:

| | `vibe-notion` | `vibe-notionbot` (this CLI) |
|---|---|---|
| API | Unofficial private API | Official Notion API |
| Auth | `token_v2` auto-extracted from Notion desktop app | `NOTION_TOKEN` env var (Integration token) |
| Identity | Acts as the user | Acts as a bot |
| Setup | Zero — credentials extracted automatically | Manual — create Integration at notion.so/my-integrations |
| Database rows | `add-row`, `update-row` | Create via `page create --database` |
| View management | `view-get`, `view-update`, `view-list`, `view-add`, `view-delete` | Not supported |
| Workspace listing | Supported | Not supported |
| Stability | Private API — may break on Notion changes | Official versioned API — stable |

**Decision flow:**

1. If the Notion desktop app is installed → use `vibe-notion`
2. If `NOTION_TOKEN` is set but no desktop app → use `vibe-notionbot` (this CLI)
3. If both are available → prefer `vibe-notion` (broader capabilities, zero setup)
4. If neither → ask the user to set up one of the two

## Important: CLI Only

**Never call the Notion API directly.** Always use the `vibe-notionbot` CLI commands described in this skill. Do not make raw HTTP requests to the Notion API or use `@notionhq/client` directly. Direct API calls risk exposing credentials and may trigger Notion's abuse detection, getting the user's account blocked.

If a feature you need is not supported by `vibe-notionbot`, let the user know and offer to file a feature request at [devxoul/vibe-notion](https://github.com/devxoul/vibe-notion/issues) on their behalf. Before submitting, strip out any real user data — IDs, names, emails, tokens, page content, or anything else that could identify the user or their workspace. Use generic placeholders instead and keep the issue focused on describing the missing capability.

## Important: Never Write Scripts

**Never write scripts (Python, TypeScript, Bash, etc.) to automate Notion operations.** The `batch` command already handles bulk operations of any size. Writing a script to loop through API calls is always wrong — use `batch` with `--file` instead.

This applies even when:
- You need to create 100+ rows or pages
- You need cross-references between newly created items (use multi-pass batch — see [Bulk Operations Strategy](#bulk-operations-strategy))
- The operation feels "too big" for a single command

If you catch yourself thinking "I should write a script for this," stop and use `batch`.

## Quick Start

```bash
# Check authentication status
vibe-notionbot auth status

# Search for a page or database
vibe-notionbot search "Project Roadmap"

# List all databases
vibe-notionbot database list

# Create a new page
vibe-notionbot page create --parent <parent_id> --title "My New Page"
```

## Authentication

### Integration Token (Official API)

Set the `NOTION_TOKEN` environment variable with your integration token from the [Notion Developer Portal](https://www.notion.so/my-integrations).

```bash
export NOTION_TOKEN=secret_xxx
vibe-notionbot auth status
```

The integration token provides access to the official Notion API (`@notionhq/client`).

## Commands

### Page Commands

```bash
# Retrieve a page
vibe-notionbot page get <page_id>

# Create a new page under a parent page or database
vibe-notionbot page create --parent <parent_id> --title "New Page Title"
vibe-notionbot page create --parent <database_id> --title "New Database Item" --database

# Create a page with markdown content
vibe-notionbot page create --parent <parent_id> --title "My Doc" --markdown '# Hello\n\nThis is **bold** text.'

# Create a page with markdown from a file
vibe-notionbot page create --parent <parent_id> --title "My Doc" --markdown-file ./content.md

# Create a page with markdown containing local images (auto-uploaded to Notion)
vibe-notionbot page create --parent <parent_id> --title "My Doc" --markdown-file ./doc-with-images.md

# Update page properties
vibe-notionbot page update <page_id> --set "Status=In Progress" --set "Priority=High"

# Replace all content on a page with new markdown
vibe-notionbot page update <page_id> --replace-content --markdown '# New Content'
vibe-notionbot page update <page_id> --replace-content --markdown-file ./updated.md

# Archive (delete) a page
vibe-notionbot page archive <page_id>

# Retrieve a specific page property
vibe-notionbot page property <page_id> <property_id>
```

### Database Commands

```bash
# Retrieve a database schema
vibe-notionbot database get <database_id>

# Query a database with optional filters and sorts
vibe-notionbot database query <database_id> --filter '{"property": "Status", "select": {"equals": "In Progress"}}'
vibe-notionbot database query <database_id> --sort '[{"property": "Created time", "direction": "descending"}]'
vibe-notionbot database query <database_id> --page-size 10 --start-cursor <cursor>

# Create a database under a parent page
vibe-notionbot database create --parent <page_id> --title "My Database" --properties '{"Name": {"title": {}}}'

# Update a database schema or title
vibe-notionbot database update <database_id> --title "Updated Title"
vibe-notionbot database update <database_id> --properties '{"Status": {"select": {"options": [{"name": "Active"}, {"name": "Archived"}]}}}'
vibe-notionbot database update <database_id> --title "Updated Title" --properties '{"Status": {"select": {}}}'

# Delete a property from a database
vibe-notionbot database delete-property <database_id> --property "Status"

# List all databases accessible by the integration
vibe-notionbot database list
vibe-notionbot database list --page-size 10 --start-cursor <cursor>
```

### Block Commands

```bash
# Retrieve a block
vibe-notionbot block get <block_id>

# List direct children of a block (paginated)
vibe-notionbot block children <block_id>
vibe-notionbot block children <block_id> --page-size 50 --start-cursor <cursor>

# Append child blocks to a parent
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --content '[{"type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Hello World"}}]}}]'

# Append markdown content as blocks
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --markdown '# Hello\n\nThis is **bold** text.'

# Append markdown from a file
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --markdown-file ./content.md

# Append markdown with local images (auto-uploaded to Notion)
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --markdown-file ./doc-with-images.md

# Append nested markdown (indented lists become nested children blocks)
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --markdown '- Parent item\n  - Child item\n    - Grandchild item'

# Append blocks after a specific block (positional insertion)
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --after <block_id> --markdown '# Inserted after specific block'
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --after <block_id> --content '[{"type": "paragraph", "paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Inserted after"}}]}}]'

# Append blocks before a specific block
vibe-notionbot block append <parent_id> --before <block_id> --markdown '# Inserted before specific block'

# Update a block's content
vibe-notionbot block update <block_id> --content '{"paragraph": {"rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Updated content"}}]}}'

# Delete (archive) a block
vibe-notionbot block delete <block_id>

# Upload a file as a block (image or file block)
vibe-notionbot block upload <parent_id> --file ./image.png --pretty
vibe-notionbot block upload <parent_id> --file ./document.pdf --pretty
vibe-notionbot block upload <parent_id> --file ./image.png --after <block_id> --pretty
vibe-notionbot block upload <parent_id> --file ./image.png --before <block_id> --pr