> ## Documentation Index
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# helix shell

> Run line-oriented Helix v3 JSON requests

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Open an interactive prompt that sends one v3 JSON query request per line to a local instance or a
Helix Cloud database. Local and Cloud.

## Usage

```bash theme={null}
helix shell [INSTANCE]
```

## Arguments

| Argument | Description |
| - | - |
| `INSTANCE` | Instance name from `helix.toml`, or an explicit `tenant:<id>` / `cluster:<id>` reference. Defaults like [`helix query`](/cli/command-reference/query#target-resolution): `dev`, then the only instance, then a picker in a terminal. |

## Options

| Flag | Description | Default |
| - | - | - |
| `--json` | Print each response as compact single-line JSON, with no footer. | Off (highlighted, pretty-printed) |

## Behavior

* Enter one complete v3 query request per line at the `helix>` prompt. The request's `request_type` selects read or write execution.
* Use `:quit` or `:exit` (or `quit`, `exit`, or end of input) to stop.
* Blank lines are ignored. Invalid JSON and query errors are printed, and the shell keeps running.
* Responses go to stdout exactly as with `helix query`; the prompt, status footer, and errors go to stderr.
* A typed `tenant:<id>` / `cluster:<id>` target works without a `helix.toml`.
* Local instances use the existing auth-disabled local endpoint.
* Cloud requests use the backend query broker (the Helix Cloud service that forwards CLI queries) and the current WorkOS session; the CLI never contacts the Cloud gateway (the database endpoint that applications use) directly.

## Examples

```bash theme={null}
# Open a shell against the local 'dev' instance
helix shell dev

# Run newline-delimited requests from a file, one JSON response per line
helix shell dev --json < requests.jsonl
```

## Related

* [`helix query`](/cli/command-reference/query) — send one request, including TypeScript DSL input.
* [Local workflow](/cli/workflows/local) — iterate on queries locally.
* [Helix Cloud workflow](/cli/workflows/helix_cloud) — query a Cloud database.


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