# SubmitForBacklinks terminal reference

Use the CLI when the owner asks to submit a SaaS, AI tool, or startup.
The server API is internal transport. MCP is not a supported public setup path.

## Guided terminal

curl -fsSL 'https://submitforbacklinks.com/install.sh' | sh

Requires macOS or Linux, curl, and Node.js 22+. Enter a URL, inspect all nine fields, use edit to correct them, then approve browser authorization once. Choose Free or Featured and confirm the listing and terms.

## Install without starting an interactive session

The following downloads a versioned CLI and checks its SHA-256 before execution. It does not change your shell profile.

set -eu
SFB_CLI_FILE='submitforbacklinks-1.4.11.mjs'
SFB_CLI_SHA256='547d892f18bd0b94532ecf35592b1abc98acee9c60b21ecb61e345f82331b0de'
curl -fsSL 'https://submitforbacklinks.com/downloads/submitforbacklinks/1.4.11' -o "$SFB_CLI_FILE"
node - "$SFB_CLI_FILE" "$SFB_CLI_SHA256" <<'SFB_VERIFY'
const { createHash } = require("node:crypto");
const { readFileSync } = require("node:fs");
const [file, expected] = process.argv.slice(2);
const actual = createHash("sha256").update(readFileSync(file)).digest("hex");
if (!/^[a-f0-9]{64}$/.test(expected) || actual !== expected) {
  console.error("Checksum verification failed.");
  process.exit(1);
}
console.log(file + ": checksum verified");
SFB_VERIFY
chmod +x "$SFB_CLI_FILE"
ln -sf "$SFB_CLI_FILE" submitforbacklinks
./submitforbacklinks --version

## Repeatable CLI commands

After owner authorization through the guided flow, the saved credential is reused by commands. An existing scoped credential can also be supplied through SUBMITFORBACKLINKS_API_KEY in the process environment. Never put it in a prompt, command argument, repository, URL, or log.

./submitforbacklinks capabilities
./submitforbacklinks scan https://yourproduct.com --pretty > reviewed-scan.json

Read and correct the draft in reviewed-scan.json. Review all nine fields: name, tagline, shortDescription, fullDescription, primaryCategorySlug, tags, pricingModel, platformType, productType. Keep the sourceUrls unchanged. The file is bound to the product hostname.

Only after the owner authorizes submission and the caller reviews the fields, run:

SFB_RETRY_KEY="$(node -e 'console.log(require("node:crypto").randomUUID())')"
./submitforbacklinks submit https://yourproduct.com --from-scan reviewed-scan.json --idempotency-key "$SFB_RETRY_KEY" --confirm-terms --confirm-badge --confirm-representative --confirm-reviewed

This command submits a Free listing. Omit --week to select the next available launch week. Use the guided flow to choose Featured before review. An approved Free listing can also be upgraded using checkout below. Never choose a paid plan without owner authorization.

Keep the returned submission ID:
./submitforbacklinks status SUBMISSION_ID --pretty
./submitforbacklinks badge-status SUBMISSION_ID --pretty
./submitforbacklinks --help

## Featured checkout and recovery (CLI 1.4.9+)

Only after the owner approves the $8.99 one-time purchase, generate a new UUID for checkout and keep it for identical retries:
./submitforbacklinks checkout SUBMISSION_ID --confirm-payment --idempotency-key CHECKOUT_UUID --pretty

The command returns a Stripe checkoutUrl, paymentStatus, and expiry. It does not pay or open a browser by default. Give the payment link to the owner; --open-browser only requests a local browser launch, which cannot prove the page loaded. After payment:
./submitforbacklinks status SUBMISSION_ID --wait 120 --pretty

Read completion.paymentStatus, completion.featuredActive, completion.published, and completion.nextActions separately. --wait stops when payment is no longer PENDING or the bounded wait expires; waitTimedOut does not cancel checkout. Successful command execution is not payment success. Status uses persisted Stripe webhook/server reconciliation results. Never collect card details in a prompt or terminal. After a timeout retry checkout with the same key. After a confirmed expired checkout, use a new key for a new checkout. Do not resubmit the product to recover payment.

For Free submissions, ISSUE_BADGE means run badge-issue with its own UUID, then install the returned markup on the authorized product site and run badge-verify. Publication alone does not activate dofollow. BADGE_FOLLOW_WINDOW_EXPIRED cannot be reset by reissuing a badge.

For badge issue, badge verification, updates, or finalization, generate a separate UUID before each distinct mutation. Reuse that UUID only for an identical retry. Keep the original key after a timeout; starting again with a new key can create a duplicate request. Read status before repeating a completed action.

## Results and remaining actions

A submitted result is queued for editorial review; it is not publication.
Free listings start as nofollow. Install the issued badge on an authorized public HTTPS page of the product domain and use badge-verify to activate one 60-day dofollow window after publication. Daily rechecks do not restart the window.
Expired Free listings are removed by hourly cleanup after booked ads, open checkouts, and refunds finish. After removal, create a new submission for the same website with a new idempotency key. Fresh approval and a new verified badge are required for a new 60-day window. Featured and Editorial listings are excluded from this cleanup.
Featured costs $8.99 once. After approval it has a permanent dofollow link while published and in good standing. Rejected paid submissions are refunded.
Optional media remains browser-managed. No indexing, ranking, or traffic outcome is guaranteed.

## Errors

Exit codes: 0 success, 1 network/server failure, 2 usage error, 3 authorization failure, 4 rejected request.
Commands return JSON. Correct validation errors before creating a new operation.
HTTP 426 CLI_UPGRADE_REQUIRED means reinstall the current release before troubleshooting other steps.
For badge HTTP 429, wait the exact Retry-After delay.
Lost or expired credentials require a fresh browser authorization through start.

## Reading

- Quickstart: https://submitforbacklinks.com/docs/quickstart
- CLI: https://submitforbacklinks.com/cli
- Guidelines: https://submitforbacklinks.com/guidelines
- Terms: https://submitforbacklinks.com/terms
- Privacy: https://submitforbacklinks.com/privacy