The machine-ide command
Start, follow, and script Machine Code agents from your terminal.
Machine Code comes with a command, machine-ide, that controls the same
agents you see in the app. Use it to script agents, start them from other
tools, or check on them from a terminal.
It's a different command from the Machine CLI (machine),
which works with your Machine project in the cloud.
Install it
Open Settings › Integrations, find Command line, and click
Install. It adds machine-ide to ~/.local/bin in your home folder.
Make sure that folder is on your PATH.
Machine Code needs to be running, or its background service started with
machine-ide daemon start.
Common commands
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
machine-ide run "<task>" | Create and start an agent with a task. |
machine-ide ls | List agents. Archived ones are left out. |
machine-ide attach <id> | Follow a running agent's output. |
machine-ide logs <id> | Show an agent's activity. |
machine-ide send <id> "<message>" | Send a message to an existing agent. |
machine-ide wait <id> | Wait until an agent is idle. |
machine-ide inspect <id> | Show details about an agent. |
machine-ide stop <id> | Interrupt an agent if it's running. |
machine-ide archive <id> | Archive an agent. |
machine-ide status | Check the background service. |
machine-ide daemon start | Start the background service. |
An agent id can be shortened to its first few characters. The Copy id button in the Running view copies one.
Run machine-ide --help, or machine-ide <command> --help, for every
command and option. There are also commands for schedules, terminals,
workspace scripts, providers, and usage.
Most commands take --json for output that scripts can read.