A couple of days ago I released the first version of the Beeline CLI for Hive. Then @gtg pointed out there was an existing CLI called Clive (which I wasn't aware of). The cool thing is that it validated the idea of a Hive CLI.
I think competition and choice is a good thing, so I didn't let that discovery deter me. If anything, it motivated me to push out more updates for Beeline and I've been burning the midnight oil to add new features (the blessing and curse of ADHD hyperfixation). I will admit I've purposely avoided looking at Clive since learning of it to avoid bias in my own wallet. I've had a vision for Beeline long before the discovery and want to keep on my mental path and roadmap.
Anyway. This leads me to the latest update (what this post is all about). I did A LOT.
Plugin system
This wasn't planned any time soon for Beeline. I was going to maybe get to this over the coming months. But like I said, learning about Clive motivated me to really forge ahead and implement this feature.
The Beeline wallet supports developing plugins which add different functionality into the CLI. I have done it in a way that it doesn't cause security vulnerabilities in your wallet and you control everything related to what is installed.
Documentation is available in the repository here which points you to docs on authoring plugins as well as the Hive Engine plugin that ships with the CLI.
There is a Hive Engine plugin which supports creating tokens as well as other Hive Engine operations like transfers, issuance, buy/sell orders, etc. By default there are no plugins that ship installed in Beeline, you need to explicitly enable them.
What else is new?
The latest release adds four major feature categories that transform Beeline from a basic wallet into a comprehensive Hive management tool.
Savings Operations with 20% APR
HBD savings on Hive offers some of the best returns in crypto, and now you can manage it entirely from your terminal. The new savings commands handle both deposits and withdrawals with full validation and safety checks.
Deposits happen instantly:
beeline deposit 1000 HBD # Earn 20% APR immediately
Withdrawals follow Hive's security model with a 3-day processing period:
beeline withdraw 500 HBD # Starts 3-day countdown
Each withdrawal gets a unique request ID for tracking, and you can cancel during the waiting period if needed. The commands show clear warnings about timing and include transaction capacity estimates.
Reward Claiming Made Simple
Managing author, curation, and vesting rewards used to require multiple steps across different interfaces. Now it's a single command that handles everything automatically.
Check what rewards are waiting:
beeline claim --show-only
Claim everything at once:
beeline claim
The system shows exactly what you're claiming (HIVE, HBD, and VESTS) before broadcasting, and includes mock mode for testing. No more lost rewards or confusion about what's available.
Resource Credits Monitoring
Resource Credits determine how many transactions you can perform on Hive, but tracking them was always awkward. The new RC monitoring gives you real-time status with transaction capacity estimates.
beeline rc # Current status
beeline rc --watch # Live monitoring
beeline rc --format json # Machine readable
The display includes a visual progress bar, transaction estimates for transfers/comments/votes, and customizable warning thresholds. The watch mode updates every 30 seconds, perfect for monitoring during heavy activity periods.
Power Operations Complete
Building on the previous power up implementation, power down operations are now fully supported with proper VESTS conversion and 13-week scheduling.
beeline powerup 100 HIVE @alice # Power up to any account
beeline powerdown 50 HP # 13-week power down
The system handles HP to VESTS conversion automatically and shows clear warnings about the 13-week commitment for power downs.
Visual Themes for Every Terminal Style
Beeline now includes two distinct visual styles that completely transform your terminal experience:
Terminal Style - Clean green monospace aesthetics inspired by classic terminal interfaces. Perfect for users who prefer the authentic command-line look with cascading digital rain effects during theme activation.
Neon Style - Electric cyan and magenta cyberpunk colors with bold highlights. Ideal for users who want that futuristic blockchain aesthetic.
Switch between styles instantly:
beeline theme set terminal # Classic green terminal look
beeline theme set neon # Cyberpunk neon aesthetics
beeline theme list # See available options
The theming system is comprehensive - it affects everything from command output to the full-screen UI interface. Your choice persists across all commands, creating a consistent visual experience whether you're checking balances, managing transfers, or using the interactive UI.
Both styles maintain excellent readability while providing distinct personalities that match different user preferences and terminal setups.
Implementation Details
All new operations use the official dhive library with proper operation names and parameters verified against Hive's blockchain documentation. The commands include:
- Full parameter validation
- PIN-encrypted key management
- Memory scrubbing for security
- Mock modes for safe testing
- Comprehensive error handling
- Dual-theme visual system with Terminal and Neon styles
- Consistent theming across all interfaces (CLI and full-screen UI)
Web searches confirmed that our savings implementation correctly reflects current HBD interest rates (witnesses have set it between 10-20% APR) and the 3-day withdrawal security period.
Testing and Safety
Every command includes a mock mode that simulates the operation without broadcasting to the blockchain. This lets you test transaction flows, verify amounts, and learn the interface safely.
beeline deposit 1000 HBD --mock # Test safely first
beeline withdraw 500 HBD --mock # Verify everything works
The mock modes show realistic transaction IDs and complete operation flows, but clearly indicate no real blockchain interaction occurred.
What This Means
With these additions, Beeline now covers the core operations most Hive users perform regularly:
- Account management and key security
- Balance checking and transfers
- Power operations (up/down)
- Savings management with APR tracking
- Reward claiming automation
- Resource credit monitoring
The terminal interface remains fast and efficient, with operations completing in seconds rather than the minutes required by web interfaces. Everything uses the same secure key management and PIN encryption system.
Next Steps
The immediate roadmap is now complete, which opens up development for more advanced features. The next major additions will likely include:
- Account history browsing with filters
- Witness voting and governance operations
- Transaction cost estimation
- Plugin system for extensions
User feedback has been consistently positive, with particular appreciation for the mock modes and comprehensive help system. The cyberpunk aesthetic continues to be a differentiator that makes terminal operations more engaging.
Getting Started
Existing Beeline users can update and immediately access all new commands. New users can install and be running operations within minutes:
npm install -g beeline-cli
beeline login youraccount
beeline balance # Check your status
beeline rc # Monitor your RC
All commands include detailed help (beeline <command> --help) and the mock modes provide safe learning environments for new users.
What comes next is more polish of the UI, additional themes and features. Ability to vote for witnesses, vote on posts on the blockchain without even having to use a web browser and a bunch of other things I want to build (time permitting).