CLI

cadastre is Cadastre's command-line client for the API: screens, rankings, comparisons and metro profiles in your terminal and your scripts, with the credit every answer requires printed under it, and a command that adds the MCP server to your AI agent. It is open source (Apache-2.0) and in beta, like the API. Its README (opens in a new tab) is the full reference.

It reads what the API serves, and works without signing in: the data commands read the public datasets at 30 requests a minute. cadastre login gives higher limits, with an account that has API access turned on (write to support@getcadastre.com to ask for it).

Install

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/waratuman/cadastre-cli/main/install.sh | sh

The script works on macOS and Linux (x86_64 and arm64): it downloads the release for your machine, checks its SHA-256 checksum, and installs cadastre to ~/.local/bin (/usr/local/bin as root). It edits no shell profile. Each release (opens in a new tab) has a static binary for Linux (x86_64 and aarch64), macOS (x86_64 and Apple silicon) and Windows (x86_64), with checksums; on Windows, download it from the releases page. The Windows build is listed but has not been tested yet.

Sign in (optional)

Signing in raises the limits; nothing else needs it.

cadastre login            # opens your browser: approve "Cadastre CLI" for an account
cadastre login --device   # no browser on this machine: type the code it shows at https://getcadastre.com/oauth/device
cadastre login --key      # use an API key from Settings instead (read from stdin, never an argument)
cadastre whoami           # who the CLI acts as and its limits, or "Not signed in (anonymous ...)"
cadastre logout

The browser sign-in is the same consent page every app uses: choose the account, and approve. The CLI keeps its tokens in the system keychain where there is one and refreshes them itself. CADASTRE_API_KEY, when set, is used instead of any saved sign-in, for CI. Only start a device sign-in yourself: never type a code someone sent you.

Commands

cadastre help <command> lists every flag. For example:

cadastre screen --min-pop 500k --max-unemployment 5.5 --states TX,OK
cadastre rank --min-pop 250k --criterion unemployment_rate:2:lower --criterion population
cadastre compare 26620 48620 46140 --json

screen and rank compute an answer and save nothing, as the API's do.

Output and attribution

Answers print as tables; --json prints the API's answer exactly as it came, attribution included, for jq and for agents. Under every table the CLI prints each source's credit, licence, notices and retrieval date: carry them with the figures wherever you use them, as the Terms of Service require. Values marked * are Cadastre's own computations from the publisher's figures. Rights and attribution explains each source.

Connect an AI agent

cadastre mcp add claude-code     # or codex, cursor, vscode
cadastre mcp add cursor --write  # edit the client's config file for you

It prints the client's own command (where it has one) and the config file alternative; nothing is written without --write, and with it the file is backed up first and only a cadastre entry is added. The agent works without signing in. With --sign-in the entry uses the server's sign-in address, and the agent signs in through your browser itself, for higher limits. Connect an AI agent has a guide for each client.

Exit codes