Managing SaaS Pegasus projects

You are managing a SaaS Pegasus project on behalf of the user. Pegasus is a Django boilerplate; a "project" is a configuration of features (frontend framework, auth providers, billing, AI, etc.) that the Pegasus build pipeline later renders into a real Django codebase. Your job is to translate the user's intent into the right CLI calls.

Running the CLI

The Pegasus CLI is published on PyPI as pegasus-cli (binary name pegasus) and also ships installed in every Pegasus project's venv, pinned to that project's release version.

Pick the invocation form at session start:

1. Run command -v pegasus.
2. If it returns a path → use bare pegasus .... This is the

preferred form whenever it's available — the local install is version-matched to the project and may even be ahead of what's on PyPI (e.g. unreleased CLI changes that ship with the local repo).

1. If it returns nothing → use uvx --from pegasus-cli pegasus ...

for every command. The --from is required because the binary name differs from the package name. Works from any cwd, no venv needed. First call caches the env (a few seconds); subsequent calls are fast.

Don't mix forms within a session. Pick one based on the command -v result and stay consistent — including for the auth login command the user runs in a separate terminal (tell them to use the same form you're using).

For readability, the rest of this document writes commands as bare pegasus .... Mentally prepend uvx --from pegasus-cli if you're in the uvx case.

Setup (one time)

Authentication uses an API key from saaspegasus.com.

• Check auth status with pegasus auth status — non-interactive, safe

to run from a Bash tool call. It exits 0 when a key is configured (via ~/.pegasus/credentials or $PEGASUSAPIKEY) and non-zero otherwise.

• If unauthenticated, do not try to log in from this session.

pegasus auth login is interactive (it pauses waiting for the user to paste their key) and will hang if you run it via Bash or the ! prefix. Instead, tell the user to open a separate terminal and run pegasus auth login themselves. They'll be prompted to paste a key from https://www.saaspegasus.com/. Once that finishes, re-run pegasus auth status here to confirm and continue.

• Alternative for advanced users: export PEGASUSAPIKEY=<their-key> in

the shell that launched Claude Code, then restart this session.

• Never try to guess or generate a key yourself — only the user has it.

Commands

pegasus projects list                              # list all projects
pegasus projects fields --json                     # schema for a new project
pegasus projects fields --for <id> --json          # schema for an existing project
pegasus projects show <id> --json                  # full config of one project
pegasus projects create --json [--set k=v ...] [--config-file path]
pegasus projects update <id> --json [--set k=v ...] [--config-file path]
pegasus projects push <id>                         # push to GitHub (separate flow)

ALWAYS pass --json when you (an agent) are inspecting output. The default is a Rich table for humans that may truncate or scroll past your visible viewport — a 60+ field schema looks like fields are missing when they aren't. JSON output is always complete and parseable. Treat tables as human-only.

The standard workflow

For any non-trivial create or update, work in this order:

1. Get the schema. The endpoint is project-aware — call the variant

that matches your task: - Creating a new project: pegasus projects fields --json - Updating an existing project: pegasus projects fields --for <id> --json

The schema omits fields the project's release/state can't configure. For a new project on a modern release, expect fields like bundler, cssframework, database, and pythonpackage_manager to be absent — there's only one valid choice and the server applies it. For an existing legacy project (e.g. one still on bundler=webpack), those fields reappear with both choices so you can see and change them. Trust what the schema shows. If bundler isn't in the response, don't try to set it.

Response shape: ``json { "usertier": "free" | "basic" | "pro" | "unlimited", "fields": { "projectname": { "type": "string", "maxlength": 100 }, "usecelery": { "type": "boolean", "mintier": "free" }, "usesubscriptions": { "type": "boolean", "mintier": "pro" }, "frontendframework": { "type": "choice", "mintier": "free", "choices": [ { "value": "htmx" }, { "value": "react", "min_tier": "basic" } ] }, ... } } ``

- Read usertier first and treat it as a constraint, not a starting point. Build a configuration that fits the user's current tier. Don't propose features above their tier unless they explicitly asked for one. The default assumption is "stay where you are"; an upgrade is something the user opts into, not something you steer them toward. - mintier can appear at two levels — both must clear the user's tier for a value to be usable. Tier ordering is free < basic < pro < unlimited. - Field-level (field.mintier): floor to configure the field at all. field.mintier <= usertier. - Per-choice (field.choices[i].mintier, choice fields only): floor to set that specific value. choice.mintier <= usertier. Choices without mintier are always available (assuming the field itself is). - Fields without mintier (projectname, projectslug, etc.) are tier-agnostic. - Choices are objects, not bare strings — the value to send is at choice.value. The schema lists every choice regardless of tier and tags gated ones with min_tier; filter client-side before proposing a value to the user. Don't hardcode choice lists, always read them from the schema.

1. If the user explicitly asked for a tier-gated feature they can't use,

surface that before attempting the call, and lead with the in-tier path. Something like: "Subscriptions requires a Pro license; you're on free. I can skip it and build the rest, or if you want to upgrade I can wait." Don't bring up upgrades unprompted when the user hasn't asked for anything gated.

1. Construct the payload. Two ways to provide settings, combinable:

- --set key=value (repeatable) for individual fields. Booleans accept true/false/yes/no/y/n. null/none/empty parse to None on the client side, but most string fields reject null server-side (you'll get field: This field may not be null.). Use null only on fields explicitly documented as nullable — pegasusversion and license are the main ones. - --config-file path to load a YAML or JSON file. If the file has a defaultcontext: top-level key (real pegasus-config.yaml shape), it's unwrapped automatically. --set values override file values.

1. Call create or update. The response is the full project in

pegasus-config.yaml shape (see "The config shape" below).

1. On a 400, read the response body. Two shapes are possible:

- Field-keyed (DRF serializer errors — bad slug, invalid choice, missing required field): ``json { "projectslug": ["Sorry, your project ID must be a valid Python module name..."] } ` The CLI renders each as field: message. - Flat with optional helpurl (business / license errors, e.g. a license tier that doesn't support a requested feature): `json { "error": "Subscriptions is not available on your current license...", "helpurl": "https://www.saaspegasus.com/billing/"; } ` When helpurl is present, always relay it to the user — it's where they go to fix the underlying issue (upgrade their license, set up a GitHub repo, etc.). The CLI prints it as a second line prefixed More info: <url>`.

Either way, adjust and retry, or report to the user.

The config shape

The API speaks the same key shape as a project's local pegasus-config.yaml, with a few specifics:

• JSON booleans on output, but input also accepts "y"/"n" strings —

so an agent can paste yaml back without translating.

• Required on create: only projectname and projectslug. Everything

else uses model defaults. author_name, email, and license auto-populate from the user's profile if omitted.

• project_slug must be a valid Python identifier, lowercase, no leading

or trailing underscore, and not a reserved name (apps, templates, pegasus, stdlib module names, etc.). Server normalizes/validates.

• Renamed wire keys (different from the model field name):

- projectname ↔ model name - useautoreload ↔ model usebrowser_reload

• pegasus_version is the pinned version (e.g. "2026.5" for a

major release or "2026.5.1" for a patch) or null to track latest. Major versions do not have a trailing .0 — it's "2026.5", not "2026.5.0". The value must match an actual released version — the server validates against its release list and rejects guessed strings like "2026.5.0" with Unknown Pegasus version. If the user just wants the latest, use null; don't try to construct a version string. Output also includes pegasusversion (read-only, the resolved version that would be used at build time).

• csstheme is a read-only output field derived from cssframework.
• license is a UUID string. Pass null for free tier. Must belong to

the requesting user.

Read-only fields (output only, ignored on input)

• id
• pegasusversion (resolved version)
• github_username (computed from the linked GitHub repo or user profile)
• csstheme (computed from cssframework)

You can safely PATCH the entire GET response back — read-only keys are silently dropped.

Defaults you should usually leave alone

The schema decides which choice fields you can touch. Don't try to be clever about deprecated alternatives — if bundler isn't in the schema, the question "vite or webpack?" doesn't exist for this context. Similarly, don't ask the user "should we use tailwind or bootstrap?" when the schema only lists tailwind.

For feature booleans the user hasn't mentioned, omit them from the payload — the server applies the model default. Don't enumerate them when proposing the call; it bloats the conversation. The booleans that default on because they're recommended for typical SaaS apps: usesentry, usehealthchecks, useimpersonation, useasync, usecelery, usetranslations, usebrowserreload, usedarkmode, useapikeys, postprocess (ruff). Only flip these to false if the user explicitly asks.

For AI coding-tool rules (useairules*), all default off. If the user asks for "AI rules" / "agents" generically without naming a tool, prefer useairulesclaude=true (its UI label is "Claude Code (Recommended)"). Only set useairulesagents, useairulescursor, or useairules_junie when the user names that specific tool.

For the front-end framework, strongly prefer HTMX. Don't surface React as an option unprompted — when proposing a project config, just go with HTMX and move on. Only switch to React if the user explicitly asks for React, a SPA, or describes a JS-heavy frontend (rich client-side state, live collaboration, etc.). HTMX is the right default for typical server-rendered SaaS apps and keeps the project simpler.

Field interdependencies

The server enforces several couplings. Knowing them keeps you from proposing conflicting settings:

• bundler=vite forces includestaticfiles=false.
• cssframework != tailwind forces useflowbite=false and use_shadcn=false.
• usesubscriptions=false clears subscriptionbilling_model and

subscriptionpricingui.

• useteams=false clears useteams_example.
• useasync=false clears useasync_example.
• docker_mode=full requires database=postgres (rejected otherwise).
• deploy_platform=kamal requires database=postgres.

License × feature gating

License tiers (low to high): free, basic, pro, unlimited.

The server validates feature compatibility at create/update time and again at build time. If a project has features its license can't support, the API rejects with a 400 keyed per offending feature.

You should pre-check via the schema's min_tier rather than discovering through 400s. If the user wants something their tier can't do, default to the in-tier path:

• Propose the specific subset of gated features to drop, and proceed with

what their tier supports.

• Only if the user pushes back ("but I really need subscriptions") should

you surface the upgrade option, and even then as information rather than a sales pitch.

• If the user came in asking for an upgrade, that's different — help

them there.

If the user has no license at all and the free tier flag is active for them, their tier is free. Otherwise no license means they can't build at all (the API will create projects but pegasus projects push will refuse).

Common patterns

"Create a project for me with X, Y, Z":

1. Get schema → check user_tier supports X, Y, Z.
2. If anything's gated, tell the user and confirm before proceeding.
3. pegasus projects create --json --set projectname="..." --set projectslug=... [--set k=v ...]
4. Show the resulting project to confirm.

"Show me my project / what's in it":

• pegasus projects show <id> --json and present relevant subset to user.

"Add feature X" / "switch to React" / etc:

1. pegasus projects show <id> --json to see current state.
2. pegasus projects fields --for <id> --json to confirm the field is

configurable for this project's release/tier.

1. pegasus projects update <id> --json --set key=value.

"Apply these settings from this yaml file":

• pegasus projects update <id> --json --config-file path/to/pegasus-config.yaml.
• Combine with --set to override specific values.

"What can I configure?" / "What features are available?":

• For a new project: pegasus projects fields --json.
• For an existing project: pegasus projects fields --for <id> --json —

the response will reflect that project's release and current values.

• Parse JSON; don't rely on the table.

Pushing the project

pegasus projects push <id> is what actually generates the code — it renders the project into a linked GitHub repo. It's a separate flow from create/update.

Before the first push: connect a GitHub repo

A push will fail with No GitHub repository configured for this project unless a GitHub repo has been linked to the project. A newly-created project never has one — repo linking happens in the Pegasus web UI, not via the CLI.

When you're about to push a project for the first time, proactively tell the user up front that they need to visit https://www.saaspegasus.com/projects/download/<id>/ to connect a GitHub repo before the push will work. Don't wait for the 400 — flag it when you confirm "ready to push?" so they don't bounce off an avoidable error. The same page is where they'd attach a license if their tier requires one.

The upgrade prompt (interactive trap)

The push command is interactive when a newer Pegasus version is available, which is essentially always for a freshly-created project. It prompts:

Upgrade options:
  1. Upgrade to latest stable version
  2. Upgrade to latest dev version
  3. Don't upgrade
Select an option (1, 2, 3) [3]:

A bare pegasus projects push <id> from a Bash tool call will hang on this prompt and abort. Always pass one of these flags:

• --no-upgrade — push at the project's currently-pinned Pegasus

version. This is the right default for a first push of a freshly-created project (matches option 3, the prompt's default).

• --upgrade — upgrade to the latest stable Pegasus version, then push.
• --dev — upgrade to the latest dev version, then push.

If the user just created the project and you're pushing for the first time, default to --no-upgrade and don't bring up the upgrade options unprompted — they picked their version at create time. For pushing an existing project to a newer release (the "upgrade Pegasus" flow), see the upgrade-pegasus skill.

Setting the PR title (--pr-title)

pegasus projects push accepts --pr-title "<text>" to set the title of the resulting GitHub PR. When the push follows a config change, always pass it — a good title makes the PR reviewable at a glance, and the agent has all the context to write one the user won't have to.

The natural title is a short summary of what just changed in pegasus projects update. Examples:

• After --set frontendframework=react →

--pr-title "Switch frontend to React"

• After turning on multiple features →

--pr-title "Add subscriptions and teams"

• After --set pegasus_version=2026.5.1 →

--pr-title "Upgrade Pegasus to 2026.5.1"

When the change set is large, lead with the headline change rather than exhaustively listing every flag — the PR diff covers the rest.

For the first push of a new project, --pr-title is optional; something like "Initial Pegasus project setup" is fine if you want to set one. For the upgrade-an-existing-project flow, see upgrade-pegasus for title conventions specific to upgrades.

After a successful push

The push output includes the resulting GitHub repository URL. Once it completes, offer to clone the repo locally (e.g. git clone <url> <path>) so the user can start working on it. Don't auto-clone — ask first and let them pick the target directory. If they're not local-dev oriented (e.g. they're pushing from CI or just wanted the rendered code in GitHub), they'll say no, and that's fine.

Gotchas

• Always parse JSON, never the table. Repeating because it bites:

pegasus projects fields without --json is a Rich table that can be truncated by terminal height. If you think the schema is "missing" a field, you're almost certainly reading truncated output — re-run with --json.

• Slug uniqueness is per-user. Two users can both have a project with

slug my_app. You can't have two on one account.

• PATCH is partial. Unspecified fields stay as-is. To "reset" a field,

you must explicitly set it (e.g., --set aichatmode=none).

• License downgrade can break a project. If the user PATCHes to a lower

license tier while pro features are on, the API will 400. Either remove the pro features in the same PATCH or do it as two steps.

• Don't try to discover available choices. The schema endpoint lists

every choice for every choice-typed field. Use it.

• Pegasus build is a separate step. Creating/updating a project doesn't

generate any code — that happens via pegasus projects push (creates a GitHub PR with the rendered project). Build-time validation is stricter than create-time validation; if it passes the API it might still fail at build with a license/feature/release combo issue.

Output for the user

Pegasus CLI commands print Rich tables by default. When you're acting as an agent for a human:

• Show meaningful state changes (the project's new name, the feature you

changed, etc.), not the entire 60-field config dump.

• Surface license/tier issues clearly — these are conversion moments where

the user might want to upgrade.

• For multi-step flows (check tier → propose payload → confirm → execute),

pause at each step rather than running blind.