> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://build.restless.ai/llms.txt).

# Install the Restless CLI

Install and drive the Restless command-line tool, with an agent setup prompt and the commands you'll use most.

## Install

npx restless init

## Authentication

Authorizing a machine opens a browser once (`npx restless login`), after which the session is reused for 24 hours. `npx restless key` writes your project's `RESTLESS_KEY` straight to `.env`. Name your agent non-interactively with `RESTLESS_AGENT=cursor` (or `--agent cursor`) so it gets recorded on the project.

## Machine-readable output

Pass `--json` to `update` commands (e.g. `npx restless update --status --json`) for parseable output.

## Common commands

A few common commands. Run `npx restless --help` to list every command.

- `npx restless init` - Scan the repo for supported APIs and set up spec + SDK wiring; inside a coding agent it prints instructions for the agent to follow.
- `npx restless key` - Register the project and write RESTLESS_KEY to .env (safe to re-run; re-adopts an existing project).
- `npx restless register --oas <file>` - Record an OpenAPI spec in .restless/settings.json (rejects localhost servers).
- `npx restless verify --url <url>` - Send one request and confirm the SDK saw it, the log landed, and no owner-id placeholder remains.
- `npx restless update --status --json` - Read-only check: reports specChanged and whether the dashboard is behind; writes nothing.
- `npx restless update --refresh --json` - Re-run the spec's source, then push spec and settings.

## Agent setup prompt

Run `npx restless init` to set up API success tracking. Inside a coding agent it prints setup instructions for you to carry out (reading routes, writing the OpenAPI spec, wiring middleware) rather than driving your repo itself. Use `npx restless guide oas` and `npx restless guide sdk` to get the spec-writing and SDK-wiring instructions. If init misjudges the stack, re-run with `RESTLESS_SKIP_STACK_CHECK=1 npx restless init`. Run `npx restless --help` and `npx restless <cmd> --help` to discover commands and flags. For changes after setup use `npx restless update` (not init): `--status --json` to check without writing, `--refresh --json` to re-run the spec source and push, `--oas <file|url>` to point at a different spec, `--sync` to push settings, and `--project <id>` to pick one API in a multi-API repo. Identify yourself with `RESTLESS_AGENT=<tool>` or `--agent <tool>`.

See the full README for details: https://build.restless.ai/installs/cli/full.md

## Package details

- Package: `restless` (v0.7.0)
- Last published: 2026-08-17
- README: https://build.restless.ai/installs/cli/full.md

# MCP Server

There's an MCP server at `https://build.restless.ai/mcp` exposing tools like `search_endpoints`, `get_endpoint`, and operation lookup. When you need specifics about an endpoint - parameters, status codes, examples - query the MCP server first; do not guess.

If the user has not yet connected the MCP server in their client, they can install it from the docs at `https://build.restless.ai`.