Grok CLI Cheatsheet - xAI Grok Build Terminal Coding Agent

Grok CLI is the xAI Grok Build terminal AI coding agent, for developers who want to code, analyze projects, and run scripts with xAI Grok models in the terminal. It authenticates with XAI_API_KEY, offers grok inspect to review context/config, and its -p headless mode plugs into scripts. This sheet covers install, sessions, headless execution, and project analysis.

AI CLI·11 commands·Last updated 2026-08-26

Install & Auth 4

curl -fsSL https://x.ai/cli/install.sh | bash

One-line install for macOS/Linux/WSL

irm https://x.ai/cli/install.ps1 | iex

Install on Windows via PowerShell

grok --version

Print the installed version

export XAI_API_KEY="xai-..."

Authenticate with an API key in browser-less envs

Interactive & Sessions 4

grok

Start an interactive session in the project dir (browser auth on first run)

/model

Switch the model inside the TUI

grok inspect

Discover config, instructions, skills, hooks, MCP in the cwd

cat ~/.grok/config.toml

View/edit user-level model and endpoint config

Headless Mode & Scripts 3

grok -p "Explain this codebase"

Run headless, print, then exit

grok -p "Explain the architecture" --output-format streaming-json

Stream JSON output for parsing

grok -p "Hello" -m my-model

Run with a custom model

Tips

Grok CLI is a single Rust binary; first launch opens a browser to authorize. In browser-less/CI environments, the `XAI_API_KEY` env var runs headless tasks.
`grok inspect` lists the config, skills, hooks, and MCP servers Grok discovered in the cwd — handy when debugging why your config is not picked up.
Custom models live under `[model.my-model]` in `~/.grok/config.toml`; select them in the TUI with `/model` or via `-m`.

FAQ

Is the Grok CLI the same as the community grok-cli (npm) package?

No. This sheet covers xAI official Grok Build CLI (command `grok`, distributed via the x.ai/cli install script). The npm `grok-cli` (e.g. airplne/grok-cli) is a third-party community implementation with different commands and config — do not mix them.

How do I use Grok CLI without a graphical browser?

Set the `XAI_API_KEY` env var and run `grok -p "..."` for headless tasks — no browser auth needed. Only the interactive TUI requires the first browser OAuth.

Official References

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

xAI Grok Build Docs

Maintained by LaoHand

Publicly updated on Aug 26, 2026, continuously proofread against official docs.

Contact Us

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