Orca

Orca CLI reference

Commands, selectors, and agent-friendly patterns for driving Orca from a shell.

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The orca CLI talks to a running Orca runtime. Use it when a shell script or agent needs to inspect worktrees, launch terminals, open files, automate the built-in browser, or report progress back into Orca.

Verify the runtime

Register the CLI under Settings -> Experimental -> CLI, then check that it can reach Orca:

command -v orca
orca status --json

If Orca is not already running:

orca open --json
orca status --json

Use --json when another tool will parse the result. Human-readable output is for quick terminal checks.

Selectors

Most commands accept selectors instead of requiring long IDs:

orca repo show --repo id:<repoId> --json
orca worktree show --worktree active --json
orca worktree show --worktree path:/abs/path/to/worktree --json
orca worktree show --worktree branch:feature-name --json
orca worktree show --worktree issue:123 --json

active and current resolve to the enclosing Orca-managed worktree from the shell's current directory or terminal context. Use explicit selectors in scripts that may run outside the target worktree. For remote runtimes, prefer full server-side selectors such as id:<repoId>::<absolute-worktree-path> or path:<absolute-server-path> because the local shell's current directory may not exist on the runtime host.

Choose a host

List every machine the current Orca host can target and the selector for each one:

orca host list --json

The result includes this machine, its registered SSH targets, and paired Remote Orca Servers. Use --host local for this machine, --host ssh:<target-id> for an SSH target, and --environment <server-name> for a paired server. SSH labels and paired-server names also resolve when they are unique; use the IDs from host list when names collide. If you put a machine name on the wrong selector, Orca reports the matching machine and the flag to use instead of returning an empty result.

Runtime commands

orca open --json
orca status --json
orca serve --port 6768 --pairing-address 100.64.1.20 --json

orca serve starts a runtime server in the foreground without opening the desktop window. Use it for Remote Orca Servers or headless environments, and stop it with Ctrl-C.

Repos

orca repo list --json
orca repo add --path /abs/path/to/repo --json
orca repo show --repo id:<repoId> --json
orca repo set-base-ref --repo id:<repoId> --ref origin/main --json
orca repo search-refs --repo id:<repoId> --query main --limit 10 --json

Set the repo base ref before creating lots of worktrees so new tasks branch from the right place by default.

Search indexed agent transcripts from the shell:

orca search --query "rate limit" --scope conversation --limit 20 --json
orca search --query "migration" --agent codex --since 30d --sort recent --json
orca search --index-status --json

Use --scope conversation|all to choose conversation matches or all indexed text. --fresh refreshes the index before searching; --limit, --cursor, --agent, --path, --since, and --sort narrow or page the results. --index-status reports indexing state without running a query. Results can include sessions from connected computers and paired servers when those hosts have granted access.

Worktrees

orca worktree list --repo id:<repoId> --json
orca worktree ps --json
orca worktree current --json
orca worktree show --worktree active --json
orca worktree create --repo id:<repoId> --name fix-login --json
orca worktree create --name child-task --agent codex --prompt "Investigate the flaky login test" --json
orca worktree set --worktree active --comment "reproduced failure; testing token refresh fix" --json
orca worktree rm --worktree id:<worktreeId> --force --json

When worktree create runs from inside an Orca-managed worktree, Orca records the new worktree as a child when it can infer the relationship. Pass --parent-worktree active to be explicit, or --no-parent when the new work is independent.

Agent startup flags:

orca worktree create --name review-api --agent claude --setup run --json
orca worktree create --name quick-check --agent codex --prompt "Summarize the diff" --setup skip --json
orca worktree create --name hidden-setup --setup inherit --json

--agent launches the selected agent in the first terminal. --prompt sends initial work directly to that agent, including agents running in a terminal. --setup run|skip|inherit controls repo setup hooks; inherit follows the repo policy.

Terminals

orca terminal list --worktree active --json
orca terminal show --terminal <handle> --json
orca terminal read --terminal <handle> --json
orca terminal read --terminal <handle> --screen --json
orca terminal read --terminal <handle> --cursor <cursor> --limit 1000 --json
orca terminal send --terminal <handle> --text "continue" --enter --json
orca terminal wait --terminal <handle> --for tui-idle --timeout-ms 300000 --json
orca terminal create --worktree active --title "tests" --command "npm test" --json
orca terminal split --terminal <handle> --direction horizontal --command "npm run dev" --json
orca terminal rename --terminal <handle> --title "runner" --json
orca terminal switch --terminal <handle> --json
orca terminal close --terminal <handle> --json

Omit --terminal to target the active terminal in the current worktree. Read before sending when you are not sure what the terminal is waiting for.

terminal list reports each terminal's executionHostId when Orca can verify it, plus a result-level hostScope with covered and omitted host IDs. Treat a missing host identity or scope as unverifiable, not local. A missing terminal is evidence that it exited only when its execution host is listed in hostScope.hostIds.

By default, terminal read returns the accumulated output stream with terminal escapes stripped. Programs that redraw lines can therefore appear as stacked fragments. Use --screen when you need the currently rendered frame; the response's source identifies stream, screen, or screen-unavailable. Screen reads have no history to page, so --screen and --cursor are mutually exclusive.

For long output, use cursor reads. Save nextCursor from one stream read, then pass it back with --cursor to fetch only new output.

Files

orca file open src/App.tsx --worktree active --json
orca file diff src/App.tsx --staged --worktree active --json
orca file open-changed --mode both --worktree active --json

Paths are relative to the selected worktree. open-changed reads git status and opens changed files in edit, diff, or both modes.

Built-in browser

Browser commands control Orca's embedded browser tab for the selected worktree. They do not control Chrome, Safari, or the Orca desktop UI.

Use a snapshot -> act -> snapshot loop:

orca goto --url http://localhost:3000 --worktree active --json
orca snapshot --worktree active --json
orca click --element @e3 --worktree active --json
orca fill --element @e1 --value "[email protected]" --worktree active --json
orca wait --text "Welcome" --worktree active --json
orca screenshot --worktree active --json

Refs such as @e3 come from snapshot. Re-snapshot after navigation, tab switches, clicks that change the page, and any stale-ref error.

Tab and capture commands:

orca tab list --worktree active --json
orca tab create --url http://localhost:3000 --worktree active --json
orca tab switch --index 1 --worktree active --json
orca capture start --worktree active --json
orca console --limit 50 --worktree active --json
orca network --limit 50 --worktree active --json
orca full-screenshot --worktree active --json
orca pdf --worktree active --json

Use orca exec --command "<agent-browser command>" --json only for browser actions that do not have a typed Orca command yet.

Browser device emulation:

orca set device --name "iPhone 12" --worktree active --json
orca screenshot --worktree active --json

Desktop computer use

Use orca computer for native desktop apps outside the built-in browser:

orca computer permissions --json
orca computer list-apps --json
orca computer get-app-state --app com.apple.Safari --json
orca computer click --app com.apple.Safari --element-index 12 --json
orca computer paste-text --app com.apple.Safari --text "hello" --json

See Computer use for the full workflow and permission setup.

Mobile emulator

The mobile emulator commands control iOS Simulator devices through Orca's worktree-scoped bridge. Use them instead of raw serve-sim or simctl when an agent is operating from inside Orca, so lifecycle and active-device state stay attached to the current worktree.

orca emulator list --worktree active --json
orca emulator attach "<device-name-or-udid>" --worktree active --json
orca emulator tap 0.5 0.7 --worktree active --json
orca emulator type "hello" --worktree active --json
orca emulator gesture '[{"type":"begin","x":0.5,"y":0.8},{"type":"move","x":0.5,"y":0.4},{"type":"end","x":0.5,"y":0.2}]' --worktree active --json
orca emulator button home --worktree active --json
orca emulator rotate landscape_left --worktree active --json
orca emulator exec --command "tap 0.5 0.7" --worktree active --json
orca emulator kill --worktree active --json
orca emulator shutdown --worktree active --json

Coordinates are normalized from 0 to 1. Prefer tap for single taps, and use gesture for drags or multi-step touch input. Pass --device <udid-or-name> or --emulator <id> when a script must target a specific simulator instead of the worktree's active emulator.

Linear

The orca linear surface is what agents use via the orca-linear skill (legacy install name linear-tickets still works). Prefer --json. Linked worktrees resolve with --current.

Read

orca linear issue --current --full --json
orca linear issue ENG-123 --comments --children --relations --activity --json
orca linear search "auth bug" --workspace all --json
orca linear list --filter assigned --limit 10 --json
orca linear list-issues --team ENG --state started --assignee me --json
orca linear list-issues --query auth --updated-at -P7D --cursor <cursor> --workspace <id> --json
orca linear team list --json
orca linear team states --team ENG --json
orca linear team labels --team ENG --json
orca linear project list --query launch --json

--full expands comments, children, attachments, relations, and activity. Section flags (--comments, --children, --attachments, --relations, --activity) work individually.

MCP-style write

# Create or update (omit id/--current to create; requires --team and --title on create)
orca linear save-issue --team ENG --title "Fix auth" --priority high --json
orca linear save-issue ENG-123 --state "In Progress" --assignee me --json
orca linear save-issue --current --project null --due-date null --json

orca linear relation add ENG-1 --related ENG-2 --type blocks --json
orca linear relation remove ENG-1 --related ENG-2 --type related --json

save-issue labels replace the full label set (Linear MCP save_issue semantics). Literal null clears assignee, estimate, due date, project, or parent.

Field helpers (still valid)

orca linear status set --current --to "In Progress" --json
orca linear assignee set --current --me --json
orca linear priority set ENG-123 --to high --json
orca linear estimate set --current --to 3 --json
orca linear due-date set --current --to 2026-08-01 --json
orca linear label add --current --label backend --json
orca linear comment add --current --body "Investigating regression" --json
orca linear attach --current --url https://example.com/repro --title "Repro" --json
orca linear create --title "Flaky login test" --team ENG --priority high --json

Run orca linear --help or orca skills get orca-linear for the version-matched list. Pass an explicit issue id (e.g. ENG-123) when a script may run outside an Orca-linked worktree.

Skills (local, no runtime required)

List bundled guides, print a version-matched guide, or install/update hybrid skill packages without the desktop Settings UI:

orca skills list
orca skills get orca-cli
orca skills get orchestration --full
orca skills install --skill orca-cli --skill orchestration
orca skills install --all --dry-run
orca skills update --all

install / update shell out to the same npx skills commands Settings uses. They do not contact the Orca runtime. See Orca skills.

Account (host-local runtime)

On a headless host running Orca (orca serve or the desktop app), add managed Claude/Codex accounts when the remote client cannot use Add account (remote runtime scope disables that button):

orca account list
orca account add                 # Claude by default
orca account add --agent codex

account add runs claude login / codex login in this terminal on the host, then registers the captured credentials with the local runtime. Codex uses device authorization so the browser can finish on another machine. Run these on the machine that owns the accounts — not through a client-only remote session.

Artifacts

Publish HTML or Markdown through the signed-in Orca account. Viewing a public link does not require sign-in; create/list/update/delete do. Publishing is off by default — a human must enable Settings → Artifacts → Allow publishing public artifact links on the device. There is no CLI flag that grants the gate. list, unshare, and delete stay available so you can audit or revoke links after turning publishing off.

orca artifacts share ./report.html --json
orca artifacts share ./notes.md --json
orca artifacts update ./notes.md --json
orca artifacts unshare ./notes.md --json
orca artifacts list --json
orca artifacts list --cursor <cursor> --json
orca artifacts delete <id> --json
  • Accepted files: .html, .htm, .md, .markdown.
  • Shared artifact content is limited to 10 MiB per file.
  • share stores the edit token in the active Orca profile and does not print it. update / unshare resolve by the same local path and profile that originally shared the file.
  • list is paged (nextCursor → --cursor). delete takes the artifact id from list and does not need the original file.
  • Relative HTML assets are not uploaded — share self-contained HTML or absolute asset URLs.
  • Denied publish/update fails with artifact_sharing_disabled; fix Settings instead of retrying.
  • Desktop: open a local HTML or Markdown file and use Share as artifact, or manage links from the sidebar Artifacts page.

Automations, environments, and hooks

Scheduled prompts:

orca automations list --json
orca automations create --name "Daily review" --trigger daily --time 09:00 --prompt "Review open changes" --provider codex --repo id:<repoId> --disabled --json
orca automations run <automationId> --json

Remote runtime environments:

orca environment add --name work-laptop --pairing-code "orca://pair?code=..." --json
orca environment list --json
orca environment rm --environment <selector> --json

Agent status hooks:

orca agent hooks status --json
orca agent hooks on --json
orca agent hooks off --json

Agent habits

  • Prefer --json for automation and agent calls.
  • Prefer selectors over parsing UI labels.
  • Read terminal state before sending input unless the next input is obvious.
  • Use worktree comments for progress checkpoints. See Worktree checkpoints.
  • Use Orchestration for tracked multi-agent dispatches instead of ad hoc terminal prompts.