Roo Code CLI cheat sheet
Every command, flag and slash command for roo — Roo Code's agent as a standalone terminal CLI — runs its modes (code / architect / ask / debug) without VS Code. 12+ commands, verified July 2026.
The RooCodeInc/Roo-Code repo is archived / read-only (last push 2026-05-15) — the roo binary still works but won't evolve. Interactive mode auto-approves all actions unless you pass --require-approval.
# Node 20+, macOS arm64 / Linux x64. Installs to ~/.roo/cli, symlinks ~/.local/bin/roo
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code/main/apps/cli/install.sh | sh
roo upgraderoo "What is this project?" -w ~/proj # interactive TUI (auto-approves)
roo --print "Summarize this repository" # headless: print + exit
roo "Refactor utils.ts" --require-approval
roo --provider anthropic -m anthropic/claude-opus-4.6 --mode code "…"Key flags
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
-w, --workspace <path> | Workspace directory (default cwd) |
-p, --print | Print and exit (non-interactive) |
--output-format <fmt> | text · json · stream-json (with --print) |
-a, --require-approval | Require manual approval before actions |
--provider <p> / -m, --model <m> | Provider / model |
--mode <mode> | code · architect · ask · debug |
-c, --continue · --oneshot | Resume the latest task · exit on completion |
In-session (trigger keys)
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
/ | Slash commands (dynamic — run roo list commands) |
@ | Insert a file / folder reference |
! | Switch mode |
# | Task history — search & resume |
? | Keyboard-shortcuts help |
# No config file — flags + env vars. Installed under ~/.roo/cli.
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY=… # or ANTHROPIC_API_KEY / OPENAI_API_KEY / GOOGLE_API_KEY
roo list commands | modes | models | sessionsroo "What is this project?" -w ~/Documents/my-project
roo --print "Summarize this repository"
roo "Refactor utils.ts" --require-approval --provider anthropic -m anthropic/claude-opus-4.6
roo list sessionsMore CLI cheat sheets
Claude Code
OpenAI Codex CLI
Gemini CLI
Cursor CLI
Aider
OpenCode
Goose
Qwen Code
Crush
Kimi CLI
Grok CLI
OpenHands CLI
Cline CLI
Pi
OpenClaw
Antigravity CLI
Continue CLI
Stop memorizing flags
Run Roo Code CLI — and every other agent — from one app
TheVibeFather orchestrates Roo Code CLI alongside every other coding CLI in one native macOS app. Bring the models you already pay for; keep your keys.