Command line interface

Karabiner-Elements provides a command line interface which provides the following functions.

Switch a profile by name.
Show current profile name.
Show all profile names.
Set variables which are used in complex modifications.
Copy the current profile to system default profile. (Administrator privilege is required.)
Remove the system default profile. (Administrator privilege is required.)
Lint complex_modifications.json.
Display version.

Usage

Show help

Run the following command in terminal.

'/Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-Elements/bin/karabiner_cli'

Result:

A command line utility of Karabiner-Elements.
Usage:
  karabiner_cli [OPTION...]

      --select-profile arg      Select a profile by name.
      --show-current-profile-name
                                Show current profile name
      --list-profile-names      Show all profile names
      --set-variables arg       Json string: {[key: string]:
                                number|boolean|string}
      --copy-current-profile-to-system-default-profile
                                Copy the current profile to system default
                                profile.
      --remove-system-default-profile
                                Remove the system default profile.
      --lint-complex-modifications complex_modifications.json
                                Check complex_modifications.json
      --version                 Displays version.
      --version-number          Displays version_number.
      --help                    Print help.

Examples:
  karabiner_cli --select-profile 'Default profile'
  karabiner_cli --show-current-profile-name
  karabiner_cli --list-profile-names
  karabiner_cli --set-variables '{"cli_flag1":1, "cli_flag2":2}'

Examples

Switch profile

Run the following command in terminal.

'/Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-Elements/bin/karabiner_cli' --select-profile 'Default profile'

Show current profile name

Run the following command in terminal.

'/Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-Elements/bin/karabiner_cli' --show-current-profile-name

Show all profile names

'/Library/Application Support/org.pqrs/Karabiner-Elements/bin/karabiner_cli' --list-profile-names