# Commands

> The forms of the pahest command, the options at the question, profiles, rebuild and exit codes.

Pahest is one command, `pahest`. Without an option, it asks one question and then makes a backup.

## The commands

| Command | Result |
| --- | --- |
| `pahest` | Shows the start screen, asks one question, makes a backup and writes a report. |
| `pahest --profile` | Makes a backup without questions, with the answers that you saved as `default`. |
| `pahest --profile NAME` | The same, with the answers that you saved as `NAME`. |
| `pahest --regenerate` | Rebuilds the pages of the newest backup. Makes no new backup. |
| `pahest --regenerate FOLDER` | Rebuilds the pages of the backup in `FOLDER`. |
| `pahest --templates` | Shows the folder with the templates of the pages. You can edit the templates, then rebuild the pages. |
| `pahest --version` | Shows the version of Pahest. |
| `pahest --help` | Shows the help text. |

## The options at the question

A run without `--profile` asks `Make a backup now?`. If you press `o` and Enter, Pahest shows three options:

```text
  ? Make a backup now? [Y/n]  (o = options) o
  Options:
    r  Rebuild the web pages and reports of the last backup (2026-11-11-19-23-42). No new backup is made.
    f  Choose another backups folder.
    s  Save these answers, for runs without questions (pahest --profile).
  ? Your choice (Enter = go back):
```

| Key | Result |
| --- | --- |
| `r` | Rebuilds the pages of the last backup. This option shows only when you have a backup. |
| `f` | Asks for another backups folder. See [Use another folder or disk](/backups-folder). |
| `s` | Saves your answers as a profile. |
| Enter | Goes back to the question. |

## Run without questions

A profile is a file that holds your answers. With a profile, Pahest makes a backup without a question, so a script can start it. Pahest has no scheduler.

<Steps>
<Step title="Start Pahest">
Run `pahest` and wait for the question.
</Step>
<Step title="Choose the folder">
If you want another backups folder, choose it first. See [Use another folder or disk](/backups-folder).
</Step>
<Step title="Save the answers">
Press `o`, then Enter. Then press `s`, then Enter.
</Step>
<Step title="Give the profile a name">
Press Enter to use the name `default`, or type a name.
</Step>
</Steps>

Pahest saves the profile and asks the question again:

```text
  ? Your choice (Enter = go back): s
  ? Profile name [default]:
  ✓ Saved /Users/you/pahest-backups/profiles/default.json
      Run it later with:  pahest --profile
  ? Make a backup now? [Y/n]  (o = options) n

• Cancelled. Nothing was backed up.
```

To make a backup with the profile, run one of these commands:

```sh
pahest --profile
pahest --profile nightly
```

The start screen then has a line for the profile, and the backup starts immediately:

```text
Pahest 0.1.3  ·  local backup for AI apps  ·  https://github.com/pahest/pahest
Backups folder: /Users/you/Documents/pahest-backups
Last backups: none yet.
Profile: default (/Users/you/pahest-backups/profiles/default.json)
```

A run with a profile stops before the backup if it cannot use the backups folder, or if the disk has too little free space. The exit code is then `2`.

## Rebuild the pages

A rebuild makes the pages of a backup again with your version of Pahest. It makes no new backup. Use it after an update of Pahest, or after you change a template.

You have two ways to start a rebuild:

- At the question of `pahest`, press `o`, then Enter. Then press `r`, then Enter.
- Run `pahest --regenerate`. To rebuild an older backup, add its folder: `pahest --regenerate ~/pahest-backups/2026-11-09-17-29-11`.

This is the output of a rebuild of a backup with about 1,050 sessions:

```text
Pahest 0.1.3  ·  local backup for AI apps  ·  https://github.com/pahest/pahest
Rebuilding the pages of a backup.
Backup: /Users/you/pahest-backups/2026-11-11-19-23-42
  made 2026-11-11 19:23:42 with pahest 0.1.3; status: completed

── Rebuild the pages ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  • Claude Code sessions…
  • Claude desktop local sessions…
  • Codex sessions…
  • Web pages (index.html)…

── Verification ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  ✓ 20,905 files written and read back (20,905 the same as before, they take no new disk space); checksums.sha256 updated

── Done ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
✓ Pages rebuilt in 3:27.
  Open:    /Users/you/pahest-backups/2026-11-11-19-23-42/index.html
  Report:  /Users/you/pahest-backups/2026-11-11-19-23-42/report.html
```

A rebuild does not read the apps, and it does not change the files that Pahest copied from them.

## Exit codes

A script that runs Pahest can read its exit code:

| Code | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `0` | The backup is completed and has no problems. |
| `1` | The backup is completed, but it has problems. The report lists them. |
| `2` | You cancelled, or Pahest did not start. |
| `130` | You stopped the backup with Ctrl+C. |


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