巧匠Developer Cheatsheet

Continue CLI (cn) Cheatsheet - Terminal Open-source Coding Agent

Continue CLI (command `cn`) is an open-source terminal coding agent sharing the engine with the Continue VS Code/JetBrains extensions, for developers who want a consistent AI-coding experience across editors and the terminal and prefer keyboard/script-driven work. Being same-engine means context and config from the plugins apply in the terminal too. This sheet covers install, interactive/headless modes, login, and thread resume.

AI CLI·25 commands·Last updated 2026-08-23
continuecnaicliagentCoding AgentOpen Source

Install & Auth 5

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/continuedev/continue/main/extensions/cli/scripts/install.sh | bash
Install cn via official script
cn --version
Show installed version
cn login
Browser sign-in (assistants/MCP/models)
cn logout
Sign out of the session
export CONTINUE_API_KEY=...
Headless/CI auth via API key

Interactive (TUI) 5

cn
Start an interactive session in the project dir
@src/auth/middleware.ts why does it reject valid tokens
@-reference files/dirs as context
/clear
Clear conversation history
/compact
Compact chat to free context
/whoami
Show current signed-in identity

Headless (scripts/CI) 5

cn -p "add tests for the auth module"
-p runs once and exits after printing
cn -p "..." --auto
Auto-approve all tool calls (no prompt)
cn -p "..." --readonly
Read-only plan mode, no file changes
cn -p "..." --config ./my-config.yaml
Run with a specific config file
cn -p "..." --verbose
Verbose logging

Threads & Config 5

cn --resume
Resume the most recent session
/resume
Reopen history from the picker in-session
cn --model <slug>
Specify a model at launch
cn --mcp <slug>
Attach a named MCP server
cn --agent <slug>
Load a named agent file

Tips 5

cn TUI shares the agent with IDE plugins
Config/habits carry over
CI: -p + CONTINUE_API_KEY
Headless env needs no login state
@-reference feeds precise context
More accurate/cheaper than full-project scan
--readonly to plan first
Plan before big changes
--rule injects rules
cn --rule "use TS strict mode" persists

Tips

  • Continue CLI (command `cn`) shares the same agent as the Continue VS Code/JetBrains extensions — reuse your IDE models/MCP/rules in the terminal.
  • `cn -p "..."` is headless: it prints and exits, ideal for scripts/CI; pair with `CONTINUE_API_KEY` to automate in browser-less envs.
  • `@file/dir` feeds precise context — more accurate and cheaper than a full-project scan; use `--readonly` to plan before big changes.
  • `--rule` repeatedly injects constraints (e.g. "use TypeScript strict mode"); `--mcp`/`--agent` attach external capabilities and custom agents.

Related Cheatsheets

6 related cheatsheets

Claude Code CLI Cheatsheet - Anthropic AI Coding Agent Full ReferenceFull command reference for Claude Code, Anthropic terminal AI coding agent: install & auth, -p print mode and session resume, --permission-mode/--worktree, dev slash commands, MCP server management, and @ file references, all flags matching official docs.Codex CLI Cheatsheet - OpenAI Terminal Coding Agent Full ReferenceCommand reference for OpenAI Codex CLI, the Rust-built terminal coding agent: install & auth, interactive and non-interactive codex exec, session management, model & config, sandbox and approval modes, MCP, and Codex Cloud.Gemini CLI Cheatsheet - Google Terminal AI Agent Full ReferenceCommand reference for Gemini CLI, Google open-source (Apache 2.0) terminal AI agent: install & auth, run modes and global flags, session slash commands, MCP/extension management, and GEMINI.md project memory, with a 2M context.Cursor Editor CLI Cheatsheet - AI Editor Command Line & Agent FlagsCommand-line and Cursor Agent reference for Cursor, the VS Code-based AI editor: opening files/folders, window management, diff compare, extension management, rendering & performance, remote dev, debugging, cursor-agent non-interactive calls, and git core.editor integration.Aider Cheatsheet - Open-Source Terminal AI Pair Programming Full ReferenceCommand reference for Aider, the open-source Apache 2.0 terminal AI pair programmer (100+ models, auto git commits): install, model & reasoning, files & context, chat modes, Git & run, session tools, and advanced usage.OpenCode CLI Cheatsheet - Open-Source TUI AI Coding Agent Full ReferenceCommand reference for OpenCode, the open-source Claude Code-style TUI terminal AI coding agent: launch & resume, CLI flags, session and subcommands (agent/auth/github/mcp/run/serve/web), and interactive slash commands.

Official References

Each command links to its official documentation below, so you can verify the latest usage and read deeper.

Maintained by LaoHand

Publicly updated on Aug 23, 2026, continuously proofread against official docs.

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