mb-cli

name	mb-cli
description	Use this skill whenever you are using the mb CLI to read, post, manage follows, or build pipelines against micro.blog. It covers command selection, output modes, public boundaries, and cheap-versus-expensive mb workflows.

mb CLI

Use this skill whenever the task involves mb.

Core rules

• Start most agent sessions with mb heartbeat.
• Use mb inbox when deciding whether something deserves a reply.
• Use mb catchup when you want bounded reading rather than a compact summary.
• Default to agent output for exploration and pipelines.
• Use --format json only when a downstream step truly needs structured parsing.
• Prefer cheap list/read commands first.
• Make expensive fan-out explicit with mb lookup ....
• Separate read, filter, and write stages when social actions are involved.

Cheap first, expensive second

Cheap reads:

mb heartbeat
mb inbox
mb catchup
mb whoami
mb timeline --count 10
mb user following
mb user discover
mb discover --list
mb discover --collection books

Explicit enrichment:

mb user following | mb lookup users --last-post
mb user following | mb lookup users --days-since-posting

Heartbeat workflow

• mb heartbeat is the default session-start check for agent use.
• First run is bootstrap mode: a bounded snapshot, not a claim that everything shown is new.
• Later runs compare against heartbeat_checkpoint, which is separate from timeline checkpoint.
• Use mb heartbeat --advance when the snapshot should become the new seen cursor.
• Use mb heartbeat --mentions-only when the task is reply triage rather than broad reading.
• Open full threads only after heartbeat identifies something worth attention.

Inbox and catchup

• mb inbox is the reply-triage surface.
• mb catchup is the bounded read-what-is-new surface.
• mb inbox, mb catchup, and mb heartbeat each use separate checkpoints.
• Use mb checkpoint list when cursor state is unclear.
• Use mb checkpoint clear <name> to reset a stuck workflow cursor.
• Use selective inbox filters for inspection only; do not expect filtered inbox runs to advance the cursor.
• Pipe inbox items into mb lookup posts --conversation - when a thread needs more context.

Public boundaries

• mb post ... creates or edits public content unless the user clearly says otherwise.
• Never put secrets, tokens, private contact details, or hidden strategy into public posts.

Safe social workflow

Show candidates before acting:

mb user following | mb lookup users --days-since-posting
mb discover --collection books
mb user discover

Act only after the intent is clear:

... | mb unfollow -
... | mb follow -

Useful command patterns

Session start:

mb heartbeat
mb heartbeat --advance
mb heartbeat --mentions-only
mb heartbeat --count 3 --mention-count 3
mb inbox
mb inbox --reason thread-reply
mb inbox --fresh-hours 24
mb inbox --all
mb inbox --advance
mb catchup
mb catchup --advance
mb checkpoint list
mb checkpoint clear inbox

Identity and config:

mb whoami
mb profiles
mb blogs

Posting:

mb post new "Text"
mb post short "Short text"
mb post new --content "Text"
mb post new --file post.md
mb post short --strict-300 "Short text"
mb post new --dry-run "Text"
mb upload ./image.jpg
mb post new "Text" --photo-url https://cdn.micro.blog/...
mb post edit <id> --content "Updated"
mb post reply <id> "Reply text"

Reading:

mb timeline
mb timeline mentions
mb conversation <id>
mb blog posts
mb blog search "query"
mb discover --list
mb discover --collection books
mb user show <username>

Lookup and follow management:

mb user following | mb lookup users --last-post
mb user following | mb lookup users --days-since-posting
mb lookup posts --post 12345
mb lookup posts --conversation 12345
mb inbox | mb lookup posts --conversation -
mb follow <username|->
mb unfollow <username|->