Deepgram CLI — Getting Started

The dg CLI lets you transcribe files, stream live audio, synthesize speech, analyze text, and manage your Deepgram account from the terminal.

• Python 3.10 or later
• A Deepgram API key (get one free)

Account commands are flag-based. Run dg keys --help or dg projects --help for the full set.

The CLI defaults to human-readable output in the terminal. Use -o or --output to switch formats:

-o belongs to dg itself, so it goes before the subcommand name. After the subcommand it fails to parse and exits 1. On dg speak the collision is quieter: there, a bare -o is the output file path, not a format.

Agent-friendly mode selects JSON on its own, without -o. A piped stdout alone does not trigger it.

For dg -o json listen, parse errors and progress output go to stderr, so redirecting stderr leaves stdout carrying the payload:

Some command-level errors still print to stdout — an authentication failure is the common one — so check the exit code rather than assuming stdout parses.

Most command and usage outcomes use these exit codes, so scripts and CI steps can branch on them:

The CLI auto-detects AI agent environments, including Claude Code, Aider, and OpenAI Codex, and adjusts its behavior:

• Disables interactive prompts
• Defaults to JSON output

To force the mode on:

--agent-friendly does something different on a subcommand: it prints that command’s parameter documentation as JSON and exits without running it.

The CLI also includes commands for models, requests, profiles, updates, debugging, starter scaffolding, audio probing, and coding-assistant skills:

• Install the CLI — More installation methods including pip, pipx, and Homebrew
• Authenticate — Learn about authentication options
• Speech-to-Text — Full transcription reference
• Text-to-Speech — Full TTS reference