Getting started with the Bodega One Code CLI

Most of 2026 has been about coding agents moving into the terminal, and we shipped ours as a first-class client rather than a wrapper. If you want the wider context on why terminal agents took over, we wrote about that separately. This post is the hands-on start: install, first run, and the handful of commands you will actually use.

Install (one line)

Windows - Scoop is the recommended path (no SmartScreen prompt):

PS>scoop install https://github.com/BodegaoneAI/bodegaone-cli-releases/releases/latest/download/bodega.json

Or the PowerShell one-liner:

PS>irm https://github.com/BodegaoneAI/bodegaone-cli-releases/releases/latest/download/install.ps1 | iex

macOS / Linux:

$curl -fsSL https://github.com/BodegaoneAI/bodegaone-cli-releases/releases/latest/download/install.sh | sh

macOS bundles are signed and notarized. Prefer to grab a binary by hand? Per-platform archives and checksums live on the release mirror; unpack anywhere and run bin/bodega. Open a new terminal after installing so your PATH picks up the command.

First run

Run bodega. On a machine that already runs the desktop app, it finds your existing providers and settings through the shared data directory, so there is no setup. On a fresh machine, a short wizard walks you through picking a provider.

Two commands make the first five minutes painless:

• bodega doctor verifies the install end to end (runtime, backend, data directory, providers) with PASS/WARN/FAIL rows and a fix for anything red.
• No API keys and want to stay local? bodega models recommends local models that fit your hardware, installs the runtime, and pulls one. After that you are coding fully offline.

If startup ever fails, it prints a plain-English cause and the exact command that fixes it, rather than a stack trace.

Your first task

There are two ways to drive it. For an interactive session, just run bodega and describe what you want. For a one-shot, hand it a task directly:

$bodega run "add a /health endpoint and a test that hits it"

The important detail: bodega run exits with a code derived from QEL verification, not from “the model stopped typing.” A zero exit means the change actually passed the syntax, compile, and test gates. That is what makes it safe to put in a script or a pipeline.

The commands you will reach for

• bodega - interactive session (wizard on first run).
• bodega run "<task>" - headless one-shot; exit code follows QEL.
• bodega models - local runtimes and models: status, pull, rm, install-runtime.
• bodega mcp - add, edit, or remove MCP servers, or import them from another MCP client's config.
• bodega fleet "<task>" --split N - run N attempts in parallel, each in its own isolated git worktree; QEL recommends the winner.
• bodega session - portable session export and import (redaction-gated).
• bodega config - typed settings against the shared store.
• bodega self-update - check the official channel for a newer version.
• bodega help <topic> - in-depth docs for any topic, in the terminal.

Headless, CI, and air-gap

Because the exit code follows verification, bodega run drops straight into CI: gate a step on verified work instead of on the model finishing. You can narrow what a run is allowed to touch with --deny-tools, and air-gap mode is enforced by the same shared engine as the app, so a CLI run cannot reach the network when the machine is air-gapped. No separate config, no way to accidentally punch through it from the terminal.

Fleet: several attempts at once

When a task is worth more than one shot, bodega fleet "<task>" --split 4 runs four attempts in parallel, each in an isolated worktree so they never step on each other. QEL scores the results and points you at the one that actually verified. It is the terminal version of the desktop app's Fleet.

It shares a brain with the desktop app

The CLI is not a separate product with its own settings to keep in sync. It spawns the same local backend the desktop app runs, against the same data directory. A provider key you saved in the app just works in the terminal. A session you start in the terminal shows up in your history in the app. MCP servers, spend settings, and air-gap state are shared. Install it once and use whichever surface fits the moment.

Staying current

bodega self-update checks the official release channel and tells you when a newer version is out. It never swaps the binary behind your back. Upgrade by re-running the installer, or let your package manager do it: scoop update bodega or brew upgrade bodega.

Where to go next

1. Install the CLI and run bodega doctor to confirm it is healthy.
2. Read the full CLI documentation for the complete command and flag reference.
3. Bring your own model. If you are new to local models, the local LLM rankings show what runs on your hardware.