This Book describes Kalem's main branch, which may be ahead of the latest release.

The command line

kalem is the editor and a set of command-line tools in one program. kalem --help lists them with the variables that move the settings and the log, and kalem COMMAND --help gives a command's options.

Command	What it does
`kalem [FILE]`, `kalem FOLDER`	The editor: graphical where there is a display, else in the terminal; `kalem gui` and `kalem tui` (`-t`) choose
`kalem check FILE-OR-FOLDER...`	Syntax diagnostics and a check that the file reads back as it is; exits 1 on errors (`--deny-warnings`, `--format json`); a folder stands for the Org, Markdown, LaTeX, CSV and BibTeX files under it, hidden ones left out; in Markdown, links to files that are not there
`kalem check FILE.tex --unrendered`	LaTeX: unbalanced groups, labels, citations, missing files; what shows as source
`kalem fmt FILE-OR-FOLDER...`	Formats Org (tables, tags, blank lines), LaTeX (`--align` lines up the `&` of tables) and code whose language has a formatter; leaves any other file as it is; `--check` for CI; a folder stands for the Org and LaTeX files under it
`kalem export FILE-OR-FOLDER... --to FORMAT`	Exports Org as Emacs does: `html`, `md`, `gfm`, `org`, `latex`, `txt`, `utf8`, `pdf` (through LaTeX), and `docx`, `odt`, `epub`, `rtf` through pandoc; `-o`, `--body-only`, `--subtree HEADLINE`; a folder stands for the Org files under it, each exported beside itself
`kalem import FILE...`	Converts Word, OpenDocument, Markdown, HTML, EPUB or RTF to Org through pandoc, the pictures into `NAME_assets`
`kalem view FILE`	A file a viewer opens (a PDF, a picture, a workbook): the text of a unit (`--unit N`, a page, frame or sheet) and the file's information, or a page or picture as PNG (`--to png -o OUT`)
`kalem table recalc FILE...`	Recalculates every table that has a `#+TBLFM` line and aligns it, as Emacs does; `--iterate`, `--check`
`kalem query FILE-OR-FOLDER... MATCH`	Headlines matching an Org match string, such as `'TODO`"NEXT"+work'=; a folder stands for the Org files under it; what the match string has that is no term is said, and left out as Emacs leaves it out
`kalem latex build FILE`	Builds the PDF of a LaTeX project; its problems at their files and lines (`--engine`, `--outdir`)
`kalem complete FILE:LINE:COL`	Prints the completions there: label, kind and completer, one a line
`kalem commands [--type T]`	Lists the commands (of text type `T`): ID, title, scope and keys
`kalem parse FILE`	The syntax tree of an Org, Markdown or LaTeX file, each by its own parser
`kalem plugin ACTION`	Plugins: `browse`, `install NAME` (or a link or a path), `list`, `check`, `remove ID`, `enable ID`, `new NAME`, `build [DIR]`, `dev [DIR]` (Plugins)
`kalem run PLUGIN COMMAND [FILE...]`	Runs an installed plugin's command without a window, as the editors run it: against each file (a folder as its listing) or once without one; the documents it writes printed (`--format json`), its notices on standard error, a prompt given the text it offers, a choice nothing, a confirmation no; a file it changed saved; `--args JSON` (Plugins)
`kalem lsp ACTION`	Language servers: `status [FILE]`, `check FILE...`, `ask REQUEST FILE [LINE:COL]` (Language plugins)
`kalem book build`, `kalem book check`	Builds this Book as a site, and checks that every chapter exports and every link leads somewhere

--format json gives stable output for scripts. The tools that compare Kalem with Emacs and pandoc (diff-emacs, diff-pandoc, dump, latex-coverage) still run but are left out of the help: they are for Kalem's own development.