Quickstart
Install NextCLI (cn) as @nextcli/cli. Config stays in ~/.continue. There is no hub account.
NextCLI (
cn) is a terminal coding agent from the nextcli-dev organization. It edits files, runs commands, and works through multi-step tasks with a model you configure. The npm package is @nextcli/cli. It is not the old Continue CLI package.There is no hub account and no sign-in. Provider settings live in
~/.continue/config.yaml. A config you already kept for Continue is read from that same directory.
Install
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nextcli-dev/nextcli/main/extensions/cli/scripts/install.sh | bash
Verify the installation:
cn --version
Requirements
- Node.js 20+ — needed for the npm install path. The shell installer bundles its own runtime.
- An API key for a model provider, stored in local config. There is no NextCLI account.
First run
cd your-project
cn
On first launch,
cn asks for an Anthropic API key and writes it to ~/.continue/config.yaml. Other providers are added in that file. See Models.API key
For a terminal where there is no prompt, set
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY before you run cn:export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-key-here
cn -p "your prompt"
Or pass a config file with
--config. NextCLI does not sign you in, and it does not call a hosted API unless NEXTCLI_API_BASE is set.Two modes
TUI mode — run
cn to start an interactive session. You type messages, reference files with @, approve tool calls, and iterate with the agent. This is the default.Headless mode — run
cn -p "your prompt" for single-shot automation. The agent runs to completion and prints its response to stdout. Use this in scripts, CI/CD, and git hooks.Common flags
| Flag | Effect |
|---|---|
-p "prompt" | Headless mode — run prompt and exit |
--config <path or slug> | Use a specific config file or assistant |
--resume | Resume the most recent session |
--auto | Allow all tools without prompting |
--readonly | Plan mode — read-only tools only |
--allow <tool> | Allow a specific tool (repeatable) |
--exclude <tool> | Exclude a specific tool (repeatable) |
--rule <rule> | Add a rule — file path or string (repeatable) |
--mcp <slug> | Add an MCP server by slug (repeatable) |
--model <slug> | Add a model by slug (repeatable) |
--agent <slug> | Load an agent file by slug |
--verbose | Enable verbose logging |
Run
cn --help for the full list.