WorkFlowy API

This is a WorkFlowy client for Deno and Node. The goal of this library is to enable WorkFlowy power users to access WorkFlowy lists programatically and perhaps create some new automations and integrations.

Features

• Reading and updating WorkFlowy lists
• Export of lists to JSON or formatted plain text
• Basic search of items in lists
• Support for live copies (mirrors)
• Downloading file attachments (images and other files)

Basic usage

Authentication

In order to access WorkFlowy content, you need to provide your WorkFlowy username and password. Authentication via one-time code or two-factor authentication are not supported because of technical limitations of WorkFlowy API.

Fetching a WorkFlowy document

import { WorkFlowy } from "workflowy";

// Log in with your username and password
const workflowy = new WorkFlowy("your@email.com", "your-password");
// Load WorkFlowy outline into an interactive document structure
const document = await workflowy.getDocument();

Finding lists in a document

const rootList = document.root;
const topLevelLists = document.items; // array of lists in the root
const myList = topLevelLists[0];

myList.findOne(/^Needle/); // Finds a sublist using a RegExp
myList.findAll(/^Needle/); // Finds all sublists using a RegExp

Accessing basic list properties

const rootList = document.root;
const myList = document.items[0];

myList.name; // name of the list
myList.note; // note of the list
myList.isCompleted; // whether or not the list or item is completed
myList.items; // items and sublists
myList.file; // file attachment metadata (if present)
myList.hasFile; // true if a file is attached

Editing lists

myList.setName("New name").setNote("New note"); // sets a name and a note
const sublist = myList.createList(); // Creates a sublist
const subitem = myList.createItem(); // Alias for createList

myList.move(targetList); // moves a list or item to a different list
myList.delete(); // deletes the list

Saving the changes to WorkFlowy

if (document.isDirty()) {
  // Saves the changes if there are any
  await document.save();
}

Working with file attachments

WorkFlowy supports attaching files and images to lists. The file property provides metadata about attached files:

// Check if a list has a file attachment
if (myList.hasFile) {
  console.log(myList.file.fileName);    // Original filename
  console.log(myList.file.fileType);    // MIME type (e.g., "image/png")
  
  // For images, dimensions are available
  console.log(myList.file.imageOriginalWidth);
  console.log(myList.file.imageOriginalHeight);
}

Downloading file attachments

To download a file attachment, use the getFileUrl() or getPreviewUrl() methods on the list:

const workflowy = new WorkFlowy("your@email.com", "your-password");
const document = await workflowy.getDocument();

// Find a list with a file attachment
const listWithFile = document.findOne(/some pattern/);

if (listWithFile?.hasFile) {
  // Get a signed URL for the original file
  const url = await listWithFile.getFileUrl();
  
  // Or get a signed URL for a preview (resized image)
  // Parameters: maxWidth, maxHeight (default: 800x800)
  const previewUrl = await listWithFile.getPreviewUrl(800, 800);
  
  // Download the file
  const response = await fetch(url);
  const buffer = await response.arrayBuffer();
  
  // Save or process the file
  console.log(`Downloaded ${buffer.byteLength} bytes`);
}

Note:

• getFileUrl() returns a URL to download the original file
• getPreviewUrl(maxWidth, maxHeight) returns a URL to a resized preview (for images)

Installation

From npm (Node/Bun)

npm install workflowy    # npm
yarn add workflowy       # yarn
bun add workflowy        # bun
pnpm add workflowy       # pnpm

From deno.land/x (Deno)

Unlike Node, Deno relies on direct URL imports instead of a package manager like NPM. The latest Deno version can be imported like so:

import { WorkFlowy } from "https://deno.land/x/workflowy/mod.ts";

Acknowledgements

Big thanks to Mike Robertson for providing the workflowy NPM package name!

License

MIT