# Command Line This page documents Pi's built-in command-line commands and options. Run `pi --help` or append `--help` to a command for the exact interface in your installed version. The top-level help also includes options registered by loaded extensions. ```sh pi [options] [--] [@files...] [messages...] pi install [options] pi remove [options] pi uninstall [options] pi update [target] [options] pi list pi config [options] pi auth [options] ``` ## Invocation and output ```sh pi pi --print "Summarize this repository" git diff | pi --print "Review this change" pi --mode json "Inspect this repository" > events.jsonl ``` With terminal stdin and stdout, Pi opens the terminal UI unless `--print`, `--mode json`, or `--mode rpc` selects another interface. When either stream is redirected and neither JSON nor RPC mode is selected, Pi uses print mode. See [CLI Integration](cli-integration.md) for choosing between interactive, print, JSON, RPC, and SDK integration. | Input | Behavior | |---|---| | `message` | Provide an initial prompt | | `@path` | Include a text file or image in the first prompt | | Piped stdin | Prepend its contents to the first prompt | | `--` | Stop option parsing so a prompt can begin with `-` | Pi resolves `@path` from the current working directory. The working directory also controls project configuration, resource discovery, and session grouping. `--print` controls whether Pi runs once and exits. `--mode` selects the output interface. `--mode text` does not force one-shot execution when stdin and stdout are terminals; use `--print` for that behavior. | Option | Behavior | |---|---| | `-p`, `--print` | Run the supplied prompts, write the final assistant text to stdout, then exit | | `--mode text` | Select text output; still open the terminal UI when stdin and stdout are terminals | | `--mode json` | Run the supplied prompts, write JSONL events to stdout, then exit | | `--mode rpc` | Read JSONL commands from stdin and write responses and events to stdout until shutdown | | `--export [output]` | Export a session file to HTML and exit; derive the destination when `output` is omitted | RPC mode rejects `@file` arguments. JSON and RPC modes reserve stdout for protocol records. See [JSON Event Stream](json.md) and [RPC Protocol](rpc.md). ## Models ```sh pi --model sonnet:high ``` See [Choose a Model](models.md) for model selection and [Provider Authentication](providers.md) for credentials. - `--provider `
Restricts `--model` lookup to one provider. - `--model `
Selects by exact ID or fuzzy ID/name match. It accepts `provider/id` and an optional `:` suffix. - `--api-key `
Uses a non-persistent API-key override. It requires a model selected through `--model` or `--models`. - `--thinking `
Sets `off`, `minimal`, `low`, `medium`, `high`, `xhigh`, or `max`. It overrides a `--model` suffix and is clamped to the model's capabilities. - `--models `
Sets a comma-separated scope for startup and cycling. It accepts exact IDs, fuzzy matches, case-insensitive globs, and optional `:` suffixes. - `--list-models [search]`
Lists available models, optionally filtered by a fuzzy search, then exits. ## Sessions ```sh pi --continue ``` See [Sessions and Context](sessions.md) for resuming, forking, naming, and storing sessions. - `-c`, `--continue`
Continues the most recent session for the current project. - `-r`, `--resume`
Opens the session selector. - `--session `
Opens by file path, exact ID, or partial ID. Pi searches the current project first and offers to fork a cross-project match. - `--session-id `
Opens the exact project session ID or creates it if absent. IDs accept letters, numbers, `.`, `_`, and `-`. - `--fork `
Forks an existing session into a new session for the current project. - `--session-dir `
Overrides storage and lookup. It takes precedence over `PI_CODING_AGENT_SESSION_DIR` and the `sessionDir` setting. - `--no-session`
Uses an in-memory session that is not persisted. - `-n`, `--name `
Sets the session display name. Constraints: - Session IDs must start and end with a letter or number. - `--fork` cannot be combined with `--session`, `--continue`, `--resume`, or `--no-session`. - `--session-id` cannot be combined with `--session`, `--continue`, or `--resume`. Combine it with `--fork` to choose the new ID. ## Tools ```sh pi --tools read,grep,find,ls --print "Review this project" ``` See [Settings](settings.md#tools) for configuring the default tool selection. - `-t`, `--tools `
Replaces the default selection with a comma-separated allowlist of built-in, extension, or custom tools. - `-xt`, `--exclude-tools `
Disables comma-separated tool names after all other selection options. - `-nbt`, `--no-builtin-tools`
Disables default built-in tools while retaining extension and custom tools. - `-nt`, `--no-tools`
Starts with all built-in, extension, and custom tools disabled. Default enabled tools are `read`, `bash`, `edit`, and `write`, unless `defaultTools` changes them. | Built-in | Purpose | |---|---| | `read` | Read text files and supported images | | `bash` | Run shell commands | | `powershell` | Run PowerShell commands on Windows | | `edit` | Apply exact text replacements to an existing file | | `write` | Create or overwrite a file | | `grep` | Search file contents | | `find` | Find paths using glob patterns | | `ls` | List directory contents | ## Resources ```sh pi --extension ./review.ts ``` See [Configuration](configuration.md) for conventional directories and project trust, [Settings](settings.md#resources) for configured paths, and [Pi Packages](packages.md) for package sources. - `-e`, `--extension `
Loads an extension file or directory and is repeatable. - `-ne`, `--no-extensions`
Disables discovered and configured extensions. Explicit `-e` paths still load. - `--skill `
Loads a skill file or directory and is repeatable. - `-ns`, `--no-skills`
Disables discovered and configured skills. Explicit `--skill` paths still load. - `--prompt-template `
Loads a prompt-template file or directory and is repeatable. - `-np`, `--no-prompt-templates`
Disables discovered and configured templates. Explicit `--prompt-template` paths still load. - `--theme `
Loads a theme file or directory and is repeatable. - `--use-theme `
Selects the initial interactive theme for this run. - `--no-themes`
Disables discovered and configured themes. Explicit `--theme` paths still load. - `-nc`, `--no-context-files`
Disables `AGENTS.md` and `CLAUDE.md` discovery. Resource paths apply only to the current process. Relative paths resolve from the current working directory. ## Prompts and process ```sh pi --append-system-prompt ./instructions.md ``` See [Configuration](configuration.md) for saved configuration, [Security](security.md#understand-project-trust) for project trust, and [Environment Variables](environment-variables.md) for process controls. - `--system-prompt `
Replaces the default system prompt with text or the contents of an existing file. - `--append-system-prompt `
Appends text or an existing file to the system prompt and is repeatable. - `--tui-mode `
Uses `regular` or `fullscreen` terminal mode. - `--verbose`
Shows verbose interactive startup information, overriding `quietStartup`. - `-a`, `--approve`
Trusts project-local configuration and resources for this process. - `-na`, `--no-approve`
Ignores trust-gated project-local configuration and resources for this process. - `--offline`
Disables automatic network activity, including model catalog refreshes. Equivalent to `PI_OFFLINE=1`. - `-h`, `--help`
Shows help, including flags registered by loaded extensions, then exits. - `-v`, `--version`
Shows the Pi version, then exits. Extensions may register additional long-form options. Unknown short options are rejected. ## Package commands ```sh pi install npm:@scope/package ``` See [Pi Packages](packages.md) for source formats, filtering, installation, and project scope. ### Common tasks | Task | Command | |---|---| | Install a package | `pi install ` | | List configured packages | `pi list` | | Remove a package and its settings entry | `pi remove ` | | Configure which package resources load | `pi config` | Add `--local` or `-l` to `install`, `remove`, `uninstall`, or `config` to use project settings instead of global settings. ### Update Pi or packages Running `pi update` without a target updates Pi itself. | Task | Command | |---|---| | Update Pi | `pi update` | | Update all installed packages | `pi update --extensions` | | Update one installed package | `pi update ` | | Refresh model catalogs | `pi update --models` | | Update Pi and all installed packages | `pi update --all` | Add `--force` to reinstall Pi when the selected update includes Pi. ### Aliases and command options - `pi uninstall ` is an alias for `pi remove `. - `pi update --self`, `pi update self`, and `pi update pi` are aliases for `pi update`. - `pi update --extension ` is an alias for `pi update `. - `-a`, `--approve` trusts project-local files for one command. `-na`, `--no-approve` ignores trust-gated project-local files. - Append `-h` or `--help` to a command for its exact usage and option constraints. ## Credential commands ```sh pi auth check --provider openai --json ``` Authentication commands require `--provider ` or `--model `. See [Provider Authentication](providers.md) for supported methods. | Command | Description | |---|---| | `pi auth check` | Print `ready`, `not_ready`, or `invalid`; exit with status `0`, `1`, or `2`, respectively | | `pi auth print-api-key` | Print the resolved API key | | `pi auth print-bearer-token` | Print a resolved OAuth bearer token | | Option | Applies to | Description | |---|---|---| | `--provider ` | All | Resolve credentials for a provider | | `--model ` | All | Resolve credentials from a model; may be combined with `--provider` | | `--json` | `auth check` | Write the structured result as JSON | | `--credentials` | `auth check` | Emit the resolved credential when ready | | `--no-refresh` | `auth check` | Do not refresh expired OAuth credentials; refresh is the default | | `--min-expiry ` | `print-bearer-token` | Require remaining token lifetime using `ms`, `s`, `m`, or `h`, such as `30m` | Credential-printing commands write secrets to stdout.