file-definitions
Parsing and generation rules for structured file formats — fixed-width, delimited (CSV/TSV), X12, and EDIFACT. Referenced by exports and imports that process file-based payloads.
REST API: File Definitions
celigo file-definitions <subcommand> [args] [flags]Supports all global flags.
Subcommands
list
List every file definition in the account.
get
Fetch a single file definition by ID.
create
Create a file definition from a JSON body (--file <path> or stdin).
update
Full replace from a JSON body (--file <path> or stdin); destructive PUT.
set
Patch one or more fields via GET → modify → PUT. Supports key=file://<path>.
delete
Delete a file definition by ID.
dependencies <id> (alias used-by)
List resources that depend on this file definition.
audit <id>
Show the file definition's audit log (change history).
celigo file-definitions list
List all file definitions configured on the account.
Signature
Arguments
None.
Flags
None beyond the global flags (--format, --jq, --profile, --verbose).
Example
Default table columns: _id, name, lastModified.
Corresponds to: GET /v1/filedefinitions
celigo file-definitions get
Fetch one file definition, including its full parsing rule tree.
Signature
Arguments
<id>
string
Yes
File definition _id (24-character hex).
Flags
None beyond the global flags.
Example
Corresponds to: GET /v1/filedefinitions/{_id}
celigo file-definitions create
Create a new file definition from a JSON body. Read the body from a file with -f, --file, or pipe it on stdin. See the create request schema for the full body shape (format, rule tree, delimiters, and EDI globalId).
Signature
Arguments
None.
Flags
-f, --file <path>
string
—
Read the JSON body from a file instead of stdin (--file - also means stdin). Added in celigo-cli 2026.6.1.
Blocked in read mode.
Example
Corresponds to: POST /v1/filedefinitions
celigo file-definitions update
Replace an existing file definition with a JSON body (--file <path> or stdin). PUT is a full replace — omitted fields are cleared.
⚠️
PUTfully replaces the file definition. Any omitted field is cleared, including the nested parsing rule tree. Preferset, orget | jq | update, to preserve the rest of the document.
Signature
Arguments
<id>
string
Yes
File definition _id to replace.
Flags
-f, --file <path>
string
—
Read the JSON body from a file instead of stdin (--file - also means stdin). Added in celigo-cli 2026.6.1.
--force
boolean
false
Submit even if the body contains masked credential values (***) copied from a GET.
Blocked in read mode.
Example
Corresponds to: PUT /v1/filedefinitions/{_id}
celigo file-definitions set
Patch one or more fields on a file definition without re-sending the full document. The CLI does GET → apply assignments → PUT, which preserves unmodified fields (including the nested rule tree).
Signature
Arguments
<id>
string
Yes
File definition _id to modify.
<key=value>
string
Yes (≥1)
One or more assignments. Values are auto-parsed as JSON — null removes the field. Dot notation (rules.delimiter=",") and array indexing (rules.elements[0].name=orderId) are supported. Use key=file://<path> to load a value from a file (added in celigo-cli 2026.6.1).
Flags
None beyond the global flags. Blocked in read mode.
Examples
Corresponds to: GET /v1/filedefinitions/{_id} followed by PUT /v1/filedefinitions/{_id}.
celigo file-definitions delete
Delete a file definition by ID. Prompts for confirmation unless -y/--yes is supplied.
⚠️ Deleting a file definition is destructive. Exports and imports that reference it by ID will break. Run
dependenciesfirst to confirm nothing references it.
Signature
Arguments
<id>
string
Yes
File definition _id to delete.
Flags
-y, --yes
boolean
false
Skip the interactive confirmation prompt.
Example
Corresponds to: DELETE /v1/filedefinitions/{_id}
celigo file-definitions dependencies
List resources that depend on this file definition (alias: used-by). Use it to check whether a file definition is safe to delete — an empty result means nothing references it.
Signature
Arguments
<id>
string
Yes
File definition _id.
Example
Corresponds to: GET /v1/filedefinitions/{_id}/dependencies
celigo file-definitions audit
Show the audit log (change history) for one file definition.
Signature
Arguments
<id>
string
Yes
File definition _id.
Example
Corresponds to: GET /v1/filedefinitions/{_id}/audit
Gotchas
EDI formats need a
globalId.delimited/x12anddelimited/edifactdefinitions must reference a known standard document definition viaglobalId. Accounts without an EDI license cannot create these formats via the API — use the UI to generate them from a standard.PUT is a full replace. The parsing rule tree is deeply nested; a bare
updatethat omitsruleswill erase it. Prefersetfor small edits, orget | jq | updateto preserve the rest of the document.File definitions are referenced, not owned. Exports and imports link to a file definition by ID (
file.fileDefinition._id). Deleting a file definition that is still referenced will break those flows — list the references first before removing.Name conflicts are not enforced. Two file definitions with identical
namevalues can coexist; always key off_idwhen linking from an export or import.
Related
edi-profiles — trading-partner-level EDI configuration that pairs with X12/EDIFACT file definitions.
exports — file-based exports (FTP, S3, local files) reference a file definition to parse inbound data.
imports — file-based imports reference a file definition to generate outbound files.
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