Email, calendar, and contacts from your terminal.
Pipe-friendly, headless-first. Give any agent email, calendar, and contacts in one command.
Nylas CLI is a free, open-source command-line tool that provides unified access to email, calendar, and contacts across Gmail, Microsoft 365, Exchange, Yahoo, iCloud, and IMAP providers. It includes a built-in MCP server for AI agents, GPG encryption, webhook management, and 72+ commands for scripting and automation.
Features
Agent-native
Built-in MCP server lets Claude, Cursor, and VS Code read and send email in one command. Typed tools across email, calendar, and contacts — no API keys or middleware required.
Runs anywhere
Works over SSH, inside containers, and in CI pipelines. No GUI, no browser, no display server. Pipe JSON output to jq, scripts, or other CLI tools.
Unified email
One interface for Gmail, Outlook, Exchange, Yahoo, iCloud, and any IMAP server. Send, search, list, and read email across 6 providers with a single command.
Calendar
List, create, update, and delete events. AI scheduling with natural language, DST-aware timezone handling, and free/busy availability checks.
Contacts
Search and sync contacts across every connected provider. List contact groups, look up by name or email, and export as JSON for automation.
Sandboxed
OAuth tokens stored in your OS keyring. GPG signing and encryption keep messages private. Your credentials and keys never leave your machine.
Guides
Learn by doing
Email Threads from Terminal: List, Read, Reply
List, read, and reply to email threads from the terminal with Nylas CLI. Group conversations by subject, navigate replies, and mark them as read in one command.
Manage Email Drafts from Terminal
Create, list, inspect, and send email drafts from the terminal. Use drafts as a safety net before any email goes out — works with Gmail, Outlook, and IMAP.
Email Webhook Events: Developer Reference
Trigger types, payload shapes, retry behavior, and HMAC signature verification for Nylas email, calendar, contact, and grant webhook events — one place.
Contacts API: Google vs Microsoft vs CardDAV
Compare Google People API, Microsoft Graph Contacts, and CardDAV (RFC 6352). Auth, CRUD, search, sync, rate limits, and a decision matrix for choosing.
Calendar API Compared: Google, Microsoft, CalDAV
Google Calendar API, Microsoft Graph, and CalDAV each handle auth and events differently. Compare all three to find the right calendar integration for your app.
Email Auth: OAuth vs API Key vs App Password
Compare OAuth 2.0, API keys, and app-specific passwords for email API authentication. Security trade-offs, token lifetimes, provider support, and setup guides.
Install
One install. Then pipe it to anything.
brew install nylas/nylas-cli/nylasThen run guided setup
- 1.Run
nylas init— log in, create or choose an app, generate an API key, and sync grants. - 2.Prefer manual setup? Sign up at dashboard-v3.nylas.com.
- 3.Start using commands — the same setup works across email, calendar, contacts, and MCP.
nylas init