# Orca CLI > Use the public `orca` CLI to operate Orca-managed worktrees/workspaces, terminals, repos, automations, worktree comments, and the browser embedded inside the Orca app. Use when the user says "$orca-cli", "use orca cli", "Orca worktree/workspace", "child workspace", "spawn codex/claude in a workspace", "read/wait/send Orca terminal", "terminal send", "Orca browser", or "control the browser inside Orca". Prefer this over raw `git worktree`, ad hoc PTYs, Playwright, or Computer Use when the task touches Orca-managed state. Use Computer Use for browser windows, webviews, or desktop UI outside Orca's embedded browser. - Skill: `rheinmir/orca-cli` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add rheinmir/orca-cli` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/rheinmir/orca-cli/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Productivity - Author: rheinmir (https://skillmd.com/u/rheinmir) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/rheinmir/orca-cli --- # Orca CLI > 🧭 Dispatch backend — chọn agent/model rẻ, chạy nhiều worker song song, cú pháp opencode/orchestration → xem **orca-dispatch-reference** (nguồn chân lý duy nhất, đừng nhân bản syntax ở đây). Use `orca` when Orca's running editor/runtime is the source of truth. On Linux, use `orca-ide` wherever this file says `orca`. Use plain shell tools when Orca state does not matter. ## Start Here ```bash command -v orca || command -v orca-ide orca status --json orca worktree ps --json orca terminal list --json ``` If Orca is not running, start it: ```bash orca open --json orca status --json ``` Prefer `--json` for agent-driven calls. If the CLI is missing, say so explicitly instead of inspecting source files first. ## Worktrees An Orca worktree/workspace is Orca's tracked view of a repo checkout, its metadata, terminals, browser tabs, and UI state. Common commands: ```bash orca repo list --json orca repo show --repo id: --json orca repo add --path /abs/repo --json orca repo set-base-ref --repo id: --ref origin/main --json orca repo search-refs --repo id: --query main --limit 10 --json orca worktree list --repo id: --json orca worktree ps --json orca worktree current --json orca worktree show --worktree --json orca worktree create --repo id: --name related-task --json orca worktree create --name child-task --agent codex --prompt "hi" --json orca worktree create --name independent-task --no-parent --json orca worktree set --worktree id: --display-name "My Task" --json orca worktree set --worktree active --comment "reproduced bug; testing fix" --json orca worktree rm --worktree id: --force --json ``` Selectors: - `id:`, `path:`, `branch:`, `issue:` - `active` / `current` for the enclosing Orca-managed worktree from the shell cwd Lineage rules: - When creating from inside an Orca-managed worktree, Orca infers the current workspace as the parent when it can. - Use `--parent-worktree active` when the child relationship should be explicit. - Use `--no-parent` only when the new work is independent. - If `--repo` is omitted, Orca infers the repo from the current Orca worktree when possible. Agent/setup flags: ```bash orca worktree create --name task --agent codex --prompt "hi" --json orca worktree create --name task --agent claude --setup run --json orca worktree create --name task --setup skip --json orca worktree create --name task --run-hooks --json ``` - `--agent ` launches that agent in the first terminal; `--prompt ` sends initial work to it. - `--setup run|skip|inherit` controls repo setup hooks. Default is `inherit`, which follows the repo's setup policy. - `--run-hooks` is a legacy alias for `--setup run`; it also reveals/activates the new worktree. - `--agent`, `--activate`, and `--run-hooks` reveal the new worktree. Plain create stays in the background. - Let Orca choose setup terminal placement from repo settings, including tab vs split behavior. Do not manually create extra setup terminals. - If an older installed CLI rejects `--agent`, `--prompt`, or `--setup`, create the worktree normally, then run `orca terminal create --worktree --command "codex"` and `orca terminal send` if a prompt is needed. ## Worktree Comments A worktree comment is the short status text shown in Orca's workspace list/card for quick progress visibility. Coding agents should update the active worktree comment at meaningful checkpoints: ```bash orca worktree set --worktree active --comment "fix implemented; running integration tests" --json ``` Update after meaningful state changes such as repro, fix, validation, handoff, or blocker. Keep comments short/current; failures are best-effort unless Orca state was requested. ## Terminals Common commands: ```bash orca terminal list --worktree id: --json orca terminal show --terminal --json orca terminal read --terminal --json orca terminal read --terminal --cursor --limit 1000 --json orca terminal read --json orca terminal send --terminal --text "continue" --enter --json orca terminal send --text "echo hello" --enter --json orca terminal wait --terminal --for exit --timeout-ms 5000 --json orca terminal wait --terminal --for tui-idle --timeout-ms 300000 --json orca terminal stop --worktree id: --json orca terminal create --json orca terminal create --title "Worker" --json orca terminal create --worktree active --command "codex" --json orca terminal split --terminal --direction vertical --json orca terminal split --terminal --direction horizontal --command "npm test" --json orca terminal rename --terminal --title "New Name" --json orca terminal switch --terminal --json orca terminal close --terminal --json ``` Terminal rules: - `--terminal` is optional for most commands; omitted means the active terminal in the current worktree. - Use `terminal read` before `terminal send` unless the next input is obvious. - Use `terminal send` only for direct terminal input or one-off prompts where no task state, inbox, or reply tracking is needed. - For structured coordination, invoke the `orchestration` skill; it uses `orca orchestration ...` commands for messages, handoffs, task DAGs, dispatches, inbox/reply flows, and coordinator loops. - Use `terminal wait --for tui-idle` for agent CLIs such as Claude Code, Gemini, and Codex; always pass `--timeout-ms`. - Terminal handles are runtime-scoped. If Orca restarts or returns `terminal_handle_stale`, reacquire with `terminal list`. - For long output, use cursor reads. After a limited tail preview, page from `oldestCursor`; after a cursor read, continue with `nextCursor` while `limited` is true and `nextCursor !== latestCursor`. - `--direction horizontal` splits left/right. `--direction vertical` splits top/bottom. ## Automations An automation is a scheduled Orca prompt run by a chosen provider against either a repo-created worktree or an existing workspace. ```bash orca automations list --json orca automations show --json orca automations create --name "Daily review" --trigger daily --time 09:00 --prompt "Review open changes" --provider codex --repo id: --json orca automations create --name "Weekday triage" --trigger "0 9 * * 1-5" --prompt "Triage issues" --provider claude --repo path:/abs/repo --disabled --json orca automations create --name "Inbox digest" --trigger hourly --prompt "Summarize unread mail" --provider codex --workspace active --reuse-session --json orca automations edit --trigger weekdays --time 09:30 --fresh-session --json orca automations run --json orca automations runs --id --json orca automations remove --json ``` Schedules accept `hourly`, `daily`, `weekdays`, `weekly`, 5-field cron, or RRULE. Use `--time ` with `daily`/`weekdays`/`weekly`, and `--day <0-6>` only with `weekly` where Sunday is `0`. Use `--repo ` for a new worktree per run, or `--workspace ` / `--workspace-mode existing` for an existing Orca worktree. `--repo` and `--workspace` are mutually exclusive. Use `--reuse-session` only for existing-workspace automations; if the previous terminal is gone, Orca falls back to a fresh session. Prefer `--disabled` while testing setup. ## Built-In Browser The built-in browser is Orca's embedded browser tab surface, scoped to Orca worktrees; it is not Chrome/Safari or desktop app UI. These commands control only Orca's embedded browser tabs. For external Chrome/Safari/webviews or Orca app chrome/settings, use the Computer Use skill/tool. If the user explicitly asks for Orca CLI desktop control, use `orca computer ...`; do not use browser commands for desktop UI. Use a snapshot-interact-re-snapshot loop: ```bash orca goto --url https://example.com --json orca snapshot --json orca click --element @e3 --json orca snapshot --json ``` Common commands: ```bash orca goto --url --json orca back --json orca reload --json orca snapshot --json orca screenshot --json orca full-screenshot --json orca pdf --json orca click --element --json orca fill --element --value --json orca type --input --json orca select --element --value --json orca check --element --json orca scroll --direction down --amount 1000 --json orca hover --element --json orca focus --element --json orca keypress --key Enter --json orca upload --element --files --json orca wait --text --json orca wait --url --json orca wait --selector --json orca wait --load networkidle --json orca eval --expression --json orca tab list --json orca tab create --url --json orca tab switch --index --json orca tab close --index --json orca cookie get --json orca capture start --json orca console --limit 50 --json orca network --limit 50 --json orca exec --command "help" --json ``` Browser rules: - Re-snapshot after navigation, tab switches, clicks that change the page, and any `browser_stale_ref`. - Refs like `@e1` are assigned by `snapshot`, scoped to one tab, and invalidated by navigation or tab switch. - Browser commands default to the current worktree and its active tab. Use `--worktree all` only intentionally. - For concurrent browser work, run `orca tab list --json`, read `tabs[].browserPageId`, and pass `--page ` on later commands. - Use typed tab commands (`orca tab list/create/close/switch`), not `orca exec --command "tab ..."`, so Orca keeps UI state synchronized. - Prefer `wait --text`, `--url`, `--selector`, or `--load` after async page changes instead of bare timeouts. - Less common workflows can use typed commands above or `orca exec --command ""` passthrough. - If `fill` or `type` fails on a custom input, try `orca focus --element @e1 --json` then `orca inserttext --text "text" --json`. Common recoveries: - `browser_no_tab`: open a tab with `orca tab create --url --json`. - `browser_stale_ref`: run `orca snapshot --json` and retry with fresh refs. - `browser_tab_not_found`: run `orca tab list --json` before switching or closing. ## Next Action Confirm `orca status --json` unless already checked this turn, then choose the narrowest command for the job: `worktree ps/current/create`, `terminal list/read/wait/send`, `automations list`, or built-in browser `snapshot`.