Working At Darktable

CLI Quick Reference

darktable-cli <input> [<xmp>] <output> [options]

Key flags: --width, --height, --hq, --style, --out-ext, --icc-type, --verbose

See references/darktable-cli.md for the full CLI reference with all export format options.

Processing Module Essentials

The recommended scene-referred workflow uses these core modules (in rough pipeline order):

1. white balance -- set color temperature
2. exposure -- adjust overall brightness
3. highlight reconstruction -- recover blown highlights
4. demosaic -- convert Bayer pattern to full color
5. color calibration -- chromatic adaptation, channel mixing
6. filmic rgb -- scene-referred tone mapping (replaces base curve)
7. color balance rgb -- color grading (shadows/midtones/highlights)
8. tone equalizer -- zone-based exposure adjustment
9. denoise (profiled) -- camera-specific noise reduction
10. diffuse or sharpen -- dehazing, sharpening, denoising via diffusion
11. lens correction -- automatic distortion/vignetting/CA correction
12. crop -- final framing

See references/darktable-modules.md for detailed module descriptions.

References

• references/darktable-cli.md -- Full CLI syntax, all flags, all export format parameters
• references/darktable-concepts.md -- Core concepts: lighttable, darkroom, pixelpipe, XMP, styles, file formats
• references/darktable-modules.md -- Key processing modules with parameters and usage guidance
• references/darktable-lua.md -- Lua scripting basics: luarc, events, API overview, useful scripts

Documentation Links

• User Manual: https://docs.darktable.org/usermanual/4.8/en/
• Lua API: https://docs.darktable.org/lua/stable/
• Lua Scripts Repo: https://github.com/darktable-org/lua-scripts

Maintenance

This skill is maintained by the skillz subagent. If you learn a durable fact about darktable while using this skill, delegate recording it to skillz.

When NOT to Use This Skill

• For pixel-level edits (retouching, compositing, text) -- use working-at-gimp instead
• For general photography theory -- use photography-principles instead