notion

Notion API + ntn CLI: pages, databases, markdown, Workers.

# Notion

Talk to Notion two ways. Same integration token works for both — pick by what's available.

◆ **`ntn` CLI** — Notion's official CLI. Shorter syntax, one-line file uploads, required for Workers. macOS + Linux only as of May 2026 (Windows support "coming soon"). **Default when installed.**
◆ **HTTP + curl** — works everywhere including Windows. **Default fallback** when `ntn` isn't installed.

## Setup

### 1. Get an integration token (required for both paths)

1. Create an integration at https://notion.so/my-integrations
2. Copy the API key (starts with `ntn_` or `secret_`)
3. Store in `~/.hermes/.env`:
   ```
   NOTION_API_KEY=ntn_your_key_here
   ```
4. **Share target pages/databases with the integration** in Notion: page menu `...` → `Connect to` → your integration name. Without this, the API returns 404 for that page even though it exists.

### 2. Install `ntn` (preferred path on macOS / Linux)

```bash
# Recommended
curl -fsSL https://ntn.dev | bash

# Or via npm (needs Node 22+, npm 10+)
npm install --global ntn

ntn --version    # verify
```

**Skip `ntn login` — use the integration token instead.** This works headlessly, no browser needed:
```bash
export NOTION_API_TOKEN=$NOTION_API_KEY      # ntn reads NOTION_API_TOKEN
export NOTION_KEYRING=0                       # don't try to use the OS keychain
```

Add those exports to your shell profile (or to `~/.hermes/.env`) so every session inherits them.

### 3. Choose path at runtime

```bash
if command -v ntn >/dev/null 2>&1; then
  # use ntn
else
  # fall back to curl
fi
```

Windows users: skip step 2 entirely until native `ntn` ships — Path B works fine. If you want CLI ergonomics now, install `ntn` inside WSL2.

## API Basics

`Notion-Version: 2025-09-03` is required on all HTTP requests. `ntn` handles this for you. In this version, what users call "databases" are called **data sources** in the API.

## Path A — `ntn` CLI (preferred, macOS / Linux)

### Raw API calls (shorthand for curl)
```bash
ntn api v1/users                                  # GET
ntn api v1/pages parent[page_id]=abc123 \         # POST with inline body
  properties[title][0][text][content]="Notes"
ntn api v1/pages/abc123 -X PATCH archived:=true   # PATCH; := is non-string (bool/num/null)
```

Syntax notes:
- `key=value` — string fields
- `key[nested]=value` — nested object fields
- `key:=value` — typed assignment (booleans, numbers, null, arrays)

### Search
```bash
ntn api v1/search query="page title"
```

### Read page metadata
```bash
ntn api v1/pages/{page_id}
```

### Read page as Markdown (agent-friendly)
```bash
ntn api v1/pages/{page_id}/markdown
```

### Read page content as blocks
```bash
ntn api v1/blocks/{page_id}/children
```

### Create page from Markdown
```bash
ntn api v1/pages \
  parent[page_id]=xxx \
  properties[title][0][text][content]="Notes from meeting" \
  markdown="# Agenda

- Q3 roadmap
- Hiring"
```

### Patch a page with Markdown
```bash
ntn api v1/pages/{page_id}/markdown -X PATCH \
  markdown="## Update

Shipped the prototype."
```

### Query a database (data source)
```bash
ntn api v1/data_sources/{data_source_id}/query -X POST \
  filter[property]=Status filter[select][equals]=Active
```

For complex queries with `sorts`, multiple filter clauses, or compound logic, pipe JSON in:
```bash
echo '{"filter": {"property": "Status", "select": {"equals": "Active"}}, "sorts": [{"property": "Date", "direction": "descending"}]}' | \
  ntn api v1/data_sources/{data_source_id}/query -X POST --json -
```

### File uploads (one-liner — biggest CLI win)
```bash
ntn files create < photo.png
ntn files create --external-url https://example.com/photo.png
ntn files list
```

Compare to the 3-step HTTP flow (create upload → PUT bytes → reference).

### Useful env vars
| Var | Effect |
|---|---|
| `NOTION_API_TOKEN` | Auth token (overrides keychain) — set this to your integration token |
| `NOTION_KEYRING=0` | File-based creds at `~/.config/notion/auth.json` instead of OS keychain |
| `NOTION_WORKSPACE_ID` | Skip the workspace picker prompt |

## Path B — HTTP + curl (cross-platform, default on Windows)

All requests share this pattern:

```bash
curl -s -X GET "https://api.notion.com/v1/..." \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json"
```

On Windows the `curl` shipped with Windows 10+ works as-is. PowerShell users can also use `Invoke-RestMethod`.

### Search
```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/search" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"query": "page title"}'
```

### Read page metadata
```bash
curl -s "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages/{page_id}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
```

### Read page as Markdown (agent-friendly)

Easier to feed to a model than block JSON.

```bash
curl -s "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages/{page_id}/markdown" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
```

### Read page content as blocks (when you need structure)
```bash
curl -s "https://api.notion.com/v1/blocks/{page_id}/children" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03"
```

### Create page from Markdown

`POST /v1/pages` accepts a `markdown` body param.

```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "parent": {"page_id": "xxx"},
    "properties": {"title": [{"text": {"content": "Notes from meeting"}}]},
    "markdown": "# Agenda\n\n- Q3 roadmap\n- Hiring\n\n## Decisions\n- Ship MVP Friday"
  }'
```

### Patch a page with Markdown
```bash
curl -s -X PATCH "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages/{page_id}/markdown" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"markdown": "## Update\n\nShipped the prototype."}'
```

### Create page in a database (typed properties)
```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "parent": {"database_id": "xxx"},
    "properties": {
      "Name": {"title": [{"text": {"content": "New Item"}}]},
      "Status": {"select": {"name": "Todo"}}
    }
  }'
```

### Query a database (data source)
```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/data_sources/{data_source_id}/query" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "filter": {"property": "Status", "select": {"equals": "Active"}},
    "sorts": [{"property": "Date", "direction": "descending"}]
  }'
```

### Create a database
```bash
curl -s -X POST "https://api.notion.com/v1/data_sources" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "parent": {"page_id": "xxx"},
    "title": [{"text": {"content": "My Database"}}],
    "properties": {
      "Name": {"title": {}},
      "Status": {"select": {"options": [{"name": "Todo"}, {"name": "Done"}]}},
      "Date": {"date": {}}
    }
  }'
```

### Update page properties
```bash
curl -s -X PATCH "https://api.notion.com/v1/pages/{page_id}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"properties": {"Status": {"select": {"name": "Done"}}}}'
```

### Append blocks to a page
```bash
curl -s -X PATCH "https://api.notion.com/v1/blocks/{page_id}/children" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $NOTION_API_KEY" \
  -H "Notion-Version: 2025-09-03" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "children": [
      {"object": "block", "type": "paragraph", "paragr