---
title: "axiom flow save"
description: "Save a flow as an editor document openable in the visual editor"
category: reference
surfaces: [cli]
related: [reference/cli/axiom-flow]
last_reviewed: 2026-06-06
---

<!-- GENERATED by docs/scripts/gen-cli-reference — DO NOT EDIT.
     Source of truth: the cobra command definitions in cmd/axiom/cmd/.
     Regenerate from the repo root with: go run ./docs/scripts/gen-cli-reference -->

# axiom flow save

Save a flow as an editor document openable in the visual editor

Save a flow.yaml as an editable flow document (a type GRAPH artifact):

```text
1. validate the file structurally
2. resolve each node's package + node name to a registry node ULID and its
   input/output message types (same assembly as compile)
3. auto-layout any unpinned nodes on the grid
4. POST the assembled SourceGraph to the registry as a GRAPH document
```

Unlike "axiom flow compile" — which produces a runnable COMPILED_GRAPH snapshot
that is intentionally hidden from the saved-flows list — "save" creates the GRAPH
document the visual editor lists in File > Open, so a CLI-authored flow becomes
openable and editable in the UI. Run it with "axiom flow compile" + "axiom flow run".

Requires a prior "axiom login". Prints the graph document id. Defaults to
./flow.yaml.

## Usage

```sh
axiom flow save [flow.yaml] [flags]
```

## Flags

| Flag | Shorthand | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `--help` | `-h` | bool |  | help for save |
| `--json` |  | bool |  | Emit a single JSON result object |

## See also

- [axiom flow](./axiom-flow.md) — Author and compile flows (graphs of published nodes)