seriatim/docs/cli.md

# CLI Reference

## Shortest useful command

```sh
go run ./cmd/seriatim merge \
  --input-file speaker-a.json \
  --input-file speaker-b.json \
  --output-file merged.json
```

## Command overview

| Command | Purpose |
| --- | --- |
| `merge` | Merge one or more raw transcript JSON inputs into one seriatim artifact. |
| `trim` | Keep or remove segment IDs from an existing seriatim artifact. |
| `normalize` | Canonicalize transcript-like JSON into a seriatim artifact. |
| `render` | Render an existing seriatim artifact as Markdown. |

Root usage:

```text
seriatim [command]
```

## Global flags

| Flag | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `-h, --help` | Show help. |
| `-v, --version` | Show build version. |

## `merge`

Usage:

```text
seriatim merge [flags]
```

Flags:

| Flag | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--input-file stringArray` | Yes, repeat at least once | none | Input transcript JSON file(s). |
| `--output-file string` | Yes | none | Output transcript JSON file path. |
| `--report-file string` | No | none | Optional report JSON path. |
| `--speakers string` | No | none | Speaker-map YAML file. |
| `--autocorrect string` | No | none | Autocorrect YAML file. |
| `--input-reader string` | No | `json-files` | Input reader module name. |
| `--output-modules string` | No | `json` | Comma-separated output module names. |
| `--output-schema string` | No | `seriatim-intermediate` | Output schema name: `seriatim-minimal`, `seriatim-intermediate`, `seriatim-full`. |
| `--preprocessing-modules string` | No | `validate-raw,normalize-speakers,trim-text` | Comma-separated preprocessing module names, run in order. |
| `--postprocessing-modules string` | No | `detect-overlaps,resolve-overlaps,backchannel,filler,resolve-danglers,coalesce,detect-overlaps,autocorrect,assign-ids,validate-output` | Comma-separated postprocessing module names, run in order. |
| `--coalesce-gap string` | No | `3.0` | Non-negative seconds for coalescing and overlap-resolution context. |

`merge` behavior and validation:

- Unknown input reader, preprocessing module, postprocessing module, or output module fails the command.
- Preprocessing order must satisfy module state requirements (`raw` -> `canonical`); invalid order fails.
- Input files are validated, deduplicated, normalized, then sorted for deterministic processing.
- Optional report output is written only when `--report-file` is set.
- When `--output-schema` is omitted, schema resolution is: `SERIATIM_OUTPUT_SCHEMA` -> default `seriatim-intermediate`.

## `trim`

Usage:

```text
seriatim trim [flags]
```

Flags:

| Flag | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--input-file string` | Yes | none | Input seriatim artifact JSON file. |
| `--output-file string` | Yes | none | Output transcript JSON file path. |
| `--keep string` | Exactly one of `--keep` / `--remove` | none | Segment ID selector to keep. |
| `--remove string` | Exactly one of `--keep` / `--remove` | none | Segment ID selector to remove. |
| `--output-schema string` | No | preserve input artifact schema | Output schema override: `seriatim-minimal`, `seriatim-intermediate`, `seriatim-full`. |
| `--report-file string` | No | none | Optional report JSON path. |
| `--allow-empty` | No | `false` | Allow output with zero segments. |

Selector rules:

- IDs must be positive integers.
- Single IDs and inclusive ranges are supported: `1`, `1-10`.
- Comma-separated selectors are supported: `1-10,15,20-25`.
- Whitespace around commas and hyphens is allowed.
- Descending ranges (example `10-1`) are invalid.
- Duplicates and overlapping ranges are normalized as a union.

`trim` behavior:

- Input must already be a valid seriatim artifact (not raw merge input JSON).
- Output keeps transcript order from input and renumbers retained segment IDs sequentially.
- If `--output-schema` is omitted, the input artifact schema is preserved.
- `trim` never runs merge preprocessing/postprocessing modules.

## `normalize`

Usage:

```text
seriatim normalize [flags]
```

Flags:

| Flag | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--input-file string` | Yes | none | Input transcript JSON file. |
| `--output-file string` | Yes | none | Output transcript JSON file path. |
| `--output-schema string` | No | `seriatim-intermediate` | Output schema name: `seriatim-minimal`, `seriatim-intermediate`, `seriatim-full`. |
| `--output-modules string` | No | `json` | Comma-separated output module names (`json` only). |
| `--report-file string` | No | none | Optional report JSON path. |

`normalize` input shapes:

- Object with top-level `segments` array.
- Bare top-level segment array.

`normalize` behavior:

- Sorts deterministically and reassigns output IDs sequentially from `1`.
- Fills missing/blank speakers with `Unknown_Speaker`.
- Repairs/sanitizes timing fields deterministically; rejects invalid repaired timing.
- Drops segments with missing or blank text.
- Does not run merge modules.
- When `--output-schema` is omitted, schema resolution is: `SERIATIM_OUTPUT_SCHEMA` -> default `seriatim-intermediate`.

## `render`

Usage:

```text
seriatim render [flags]
```

Flags:

| Flag | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--input-file string` | Yes | none | Input seriatim artifact JSON file. |
| `--output-file string` | Yes | none | Rendered output file path. |
| `--format string` | Yes | none | Output format. Current supported value: `markdown`. |
| `--title string` | No | `Transcript` | Markdown document title. |
| `--include-timestamps` | No | `true` | Include `[HH:MM:SS–HH:MM:SS]` per segment. |
| `--include-segment-ids` | No | `false` | Include `[#id]` marker per segment. |
| `--include-metadata` | No | `false` | Include artifact metadata block near the top. |

`render` behavior:

- Input must be a valid existing seriatim output artifact (`seriatim-minimal`, `seriatim-intermediate`, or `seriatim-full`).
- Raw WhisperX-style JSON is rejected.
- `render` does not execute merge/trim/normalize transformations.
- Markdown output is deterministic for the same input artifact and render flags.
- Category names are not printed directly; `background`, `backchannel`, and `filler` only influence italics.

## Common workflows

Merge with a speaker map and report output:

```sh
go run ./cmd/seriatim merge \
  --input-file examples/minimal-merge/input-alice.json \
  --input-file examples/minimal-merge/input-bob.json \
  --speakers examples/minimal-merge/speakers.yml \
  --output-file /tmp/seriatim-example-merge.json \
  --report-file /tmp/seriatim-example-merge-report.json
```

Trim to a segment subset:

```sh
go run ./cmd/seriatim trim \
  --input-file examples/trim/input-full.json \
  --output-file /tmp/seriatim-example-trim.json \
  --keep "1-2"
```

Normalize an external transcript JSON file:

```sh
go run ./cmd/seriatim normalize \
  --input-file examples/normalize/object-with-segments.json \
  --output-file /tmp/seriatim-example-normalize-object.json
```

Render an existing artifact as Markdown:

```sh
go run ./cmd/seriatim render \
  --input-file examples/render/input-intermediate.json \
  --output-file /tmp/seriatim-example-render.md \
  --format markdown
```

## Exit and errors

- Commands return exit code `0` on success.
- On error, the CLI prints one error line to stderr and exits with status `1`.
- Cobra usage text is silenced on runtime errors; use `--help` for command usage.

## Related docs

- Configuration reference: [config.md](config.md)
- Operations guide: [operations.md](operations.md)
- Troubleshooting: [troubleshooting.md](troubleshooting.md)
- Integration notes:
  - [integrations/whisperx-json.md](integrations/whisperx-json.md)
  - [integrations/output-schemas.md](integrations/output-schemas.md)
- Synthetic examples: [../examples/README.md](../examples/README.md)
- Public output schemas:
  - [../schema/minimal-output.schema.json](../schema/minimal-output.schema.json)
  - [../schema/intermediate-output.schema.json](../schema/intermediate-output.schema.json)
  - [../schema/full-output.schema.json](../schema/full-output.schema.json)