How to Configure Auto-Update Settings for OfficeCLI Using the Config Command

Use officecli config autoupdate true to enable automatic background updates, or officecli config autoupdate false to disable them, with settings persisted in ~/.officecli/config.json.

The iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI repository provides a built-in configuration system that lets you control automatic update behavior through simple command-line arguments. Understanding how to configure auto-update settings for OfficeCLI ensures you can maintain security patches on schedule or freeze versions for reproducible environments.

Understanding the Auto-Update Configuration

OfficeCLI stores its runtime configuration in a JSON file located at ~/.officecli/config.json within the current user’s home directory. The AutoUpdate field in this file determines whether the binary periodically checks for newer releases and applies them in the background.

Configuration File Structure

The configuration file tracks several properties, but only AutoUpdate controls the automatic upgrade path:

{
  "AutoUpdate": true,
  "Log": false,
  "InstalledBinaryVersion": "1.0.137",
  "LastUpdateCheck": "2026-07-17T12:34:56Z",
  "LatestVersion": "1.0.150"
}

When AutoUpdate is set to false, the background check is skipped entirely, allowing you to control updates manually.

Command Routing in Program.cs

When you run officecli config …, the program parses arguments in src/officecli/Program.cs within the if (args.Length >= 2 && args[0] == "config") block. This detection logic delegates the work to UpdateChecker.HandleConfigCommand, which handles the actual reading and writing of configuration values.

Reading and Modifying Auto-Update Settings

The HandleConfigCommand method in src/officecli/Core/UpdateChecker.cs reads the current configuration via LoadConfig() and supports both read and write operations.

Check Current Auto-Update Status

To view the current setting without changing it, supply only the configuration key:

officecli config autoupdate

# → true   (or false, depending on your current config)

This prints the stored value for the autoupdate key directly from the JSON configuration.

Enable or Disable Automatic Updates

To modify the setting, provide a second argument with the desired boolean value:

# Disable automatic updates

officecli config autoupdate false

# Output: autoupdate = false

# Re-enable automatic updates

officecli config autoupdate true

# Output: autoupdate = true

When writing values, the command updates the AppConfig.AutoUpdate property and persists the change using SaveConfig().

Truthy Value Parsing

The configuration parser uses ParseHelpers.IsTruthy from src/officecli/Core/ParseHelpers.cs to interpret values. This accepts multiple representations of boolean truth, including true, 1, yes, and on, making the command flexible for different scripting environments.

How Auto-Update Works Under the Hood

The actual update logic resides in UpdateChecker.CheckInBackground(), which consults config.AutoUpdate before spawning a background refresh. If the property is set to false, the background check is bypassed entirely, preventing any network calls to check for newer versions.

According to the source code in src/officecli/Core/UpdateChecker.cs (lines 30-48), this check occurs early in the application lifecycle, ensuring that disabled updates impose no network overhead.

Manual Configuration Methods

While the CLI command is the recommended approach, you can also edit the configuration directly for batch changes or automation scripts.

View Raw Configuration

Inspect the current settings by reading the JSON file directly:

cat ~/.officecli/config.json

Edit Configuration Manually

For environments where you need to change multiple keys simultaneously, open the file in your preferred editor:

$EDITOR ~/.officecli/config.json

Example manual configuration:

{
  "AutoUpdate": false,
  "Log": true,
  "InstalledBinaryVersion": "1.0.137",
  "LastUpdateCheck": "2026-07-17T12:34:56Z",
  "LatestVersion": "1.0.150"
}

After saving, subsequent OfficeCLI invocations will respect the new AutoUpdate value immediately without requiring a restart.

Summary

• Configuration location: ~/.officecli/config.json stores the AutoUpdate boolean field that controls background updates.
• Command syntax: officecli config autoupdate [value] reads or writes the setting, with values parsed by ParseHelpers.IsTruthy.
• Source implementation: src/officecli/Program.cs routes config commands to UpdateChecker.HandleConfigCommand, which uses LoadConfig() and SaveConfig() to persist changes.
• Background behavior: UpdateChecker.CheckInBackground() checks config.AutoUpdate before attempting network updates; setting it to false disables automatic checks entirely.
• Flexibility: Both CLI commands and direct JSON editing are supported, with changes taking effect immediately on the next command execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does OfficeCLI store its auto-update configuration?

OfficeCLI persists settings in ~/.officecli/config.json within the current user's home directory. This JSON file contains the AutoUpdate field alongside version tracking and logging preferences. The file is created automatically after the first run if it does not exist.

What values can I use when setting autoupdate via the command line?

The officecli config autoupdate command accepts any truthy value recognized by ParseHelpers.IsTruthy, including true, 1, yes, or on to enable updates, and false, 0, no, or off to disable them. The parser is case-insensitive for these inputs.

Does disabling auto-update prevent me from manually updating OfficeCLI?

No. Setting autoupdate to false only stops the background check in UpdateChecker.CheckInBackground(). You can still trigger manual updates through explicit update commands or by reinstalling the binary. The setting merely controls the automatic background behavior.

How do I verify that my auto-update configuration change was applied successfully?

Run officecli config autoupdate without a value argument to read the current setting, or execute cat ~/.officecli/config.json to inspect the raw JSON. The change takes effect immediately, and the next command execution will respect the new value without requiring an application restart.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}