CLI Reference¶

Bernstein ships 163 CLI commands registered in cli/main.py. This page is the single-source reference for every flag on every visible command. For driving Bernstein from a script, also read cli/task-lifecycle.md and cli/replay.md.

Find a command fast: Ctrl-F for the command name. Every entry below cites its source as cli/<file>:<line>. Get rich help in the terminal: bernstein --help (root rich-formatted help) and bernstein help-all (the same, exhaustive). Per-command help: bernstein <command> --help works on every visible command and group.

Root command flags¶

bernstein itself accepts these flags (defined at cli/main.py:482-572). Most of them only matter when invoked without a subcommand — i.e. when you run bernstein to start orchestration from bernstein.yaml or an inline --goal.

The hidden flags (--evolve, --max-cycles, --interval, --github, --headless, --yes) are visible via --help-all and via bernstein --evolve --help once you know they exist.

Any global flag may also be set via bernstein.yaml (e.g. budget: 5.00); the CLI flag wins on conflict.

Commands by category¶

The 163 commands are organised below by purpose, not alphabetically. Use the table inside each category for quick lookup; the longer per-command entries follow for the highest-traffic commands.

Conventions¶

• Synopsis lines use [flags] where every visible flag is listed in the flag table below it.
• All commands accept the root-level --json / -v / -q flags.
• Hidden subcommands (task compose, task sync, etc.) are documented in the Hidden commands section at the end.
• Flags marked auth require a logged-in session (bernstein login).

Run & control¶

The "do work" commands. This is where most operators live.

bernstein run¶

Execute a plan file (or start orchestration with no plan).

Synopsis: bernstein run [PLAN_FILE] [flags]

The full flag list is large (28 flags inherited from the root group and re-exposed; see cli/run_bootstrap.py:533+). Most commonly used:

bernstein stop¶

Graceful or force stop.

bernstein stop (no flag) sends SIGTERM to the orchestrator and waits for agents to finish their current step and persist artefacts. bernstein stop --force terminates everything immediately and runs orphan-recovery on the next start.

bernstein cancel¶

See cli/task-lifecycle.md#bernstein-cancel.

bernstein cleanup¶

bernstein replay / bernstein replay-filter¶

See cli/replay.md for full reference.

bernstein checkpoint¶

Snapshots .sdd/ state so a later bernstein run can resume from it.

bernstein wrap-up¶

End a session with a summary, retrospective, and learning capture. Hides under no flags; useful at the end of a long-running orchestration.

bernstein init / bernstein init-wizard¶

init-wizard adds an interactive prompt flow (project type, default agent, budget, etc.) and is preferred for first-time users.

Plan & tasks¶

bernstein plan¶

The graph view shows the critical path in bold yellow with a star (★) and lists bottlenecks at the bottom.

bernstein plan generate¶

bernstein add-task¶

See cli/task-lifecycle.md#bernstein-add-task.

bernstein review¶

See cli/task-lifecycle.md#bernstein-review--bernstein-verify.

bernstein delegate¶

Status & monitoring¶

bernstein status¶

Compact one-screen project view.

bernstein live¶

The default is the 3-column Textual TUI: Agents | Tasks | Activity feed. --classic falls back to a single-pane Rich Live view.

bernstein dashboard¶

bernstein logs¶

A subcommand group; defaults to bernstein logs tail.

bernstein logs (no subcommand) is equivalent to bernstein logs tail.

bernstein recap¶

bernstein retro¶

bernstein watch¶

bernstein trace¶

bernstein slo¶

Quality & autofix¶

bernstein autofix¶

bernstein autofix start flags include --workdir, --server URL, --poll SEC, --max-attempts N, --token. See cli/commands/autofix_cmd.py:172-200 for full list.

bernstein ci¶

Common flags: --token (env: GITHUB_TOKEN), --server, --interval. (cli/commands/ci_cmd.py:49+.)

bernstein chaos¶

Most subcommands accept --agent-id, --duration, --pattern as relevant. (cli/commands/chaos_cmd.py:32+.)

bernstein eval / bernstein benchmark¶

The two groups share most flags:

bernstein eval run is the typical command for SWE-bench-style evaluations; bernstein benchmark run for Bernstein-internal performance benchmarks. See cli/commands/eval_benchmark_cmd.py:127+ and :426+.

bernstein api-check¶

bernstein dep-impact¶

bernstein diff¶

Show what changed between two task states.

Adapters & agents¶

bernstein agents¶

bernstein test-adapter¶

bernstein worker¶

See operations/cluster-mode.md for the full setup walkthrough.

bernstein evolve¶

bernstein evolve is hidden behind a confirmation prompt by default — see the safety guard at cli/main.py:455.

Plugins & skills¶

bernstein plugins¶

Lists plugins in .bernstein/plugins/<name>/meta.json.

bernstein skills¶

(cli/commands/skills_cmd.py:13-81.)

bernstein prompts¶

bernstein manifest¶

bernstein templates¶

Cloud & cluster¶

bernstein cloud¶

(cli/commands/cloud_cmd.py:35+.)

bernstein gateway¶

bernstein tunnel¶

(cli/commands/tunnel_cmd.py:62-117.)

bernstein remote¶

(cli/commands/remote_cmd.py:52-200.)

bernstein connect¶

bernstein fleet¶

Multi-project dashboard.

(cli/commands/fleet_cmd.py:50+.)

Auth & security¶

Task-level approve / reject are different commands — see Plan & tasks.

bernstein login¶

(cli/commands/auth_cmd.py:145-146.)

bernstein auth¶

bernstein creds¶

(cli/commands/creds_cmd.py:214-282.)

bernstein users¶

bernstein policy¶

bernstein compliance¶

(cli/commands/compliance_cmd.py:26+.)

bernstein audit¶

(cli/commands/audit_cmd.py:25+.)

bernstein quarantine¶

(cli/commands/advanced_cmd.py:1120-1174.)

bernstein approve-tool / bernstein reject-tool¶

Tool-call approval gate (op-002). When an agent requests a sensitive tool call (network egress, file write outside its worktree, exec outside its sandbox), the orchestrator pauses and writes a request to .sdd/runtime/tool_approvals/. Resolve with these commands.

bernstein approve-tool <request_id>
bernstein reject-tool  <request_id>

Cost & tokens¶

bernstein cost¶

bernstein estimate¶

bernstein token-report¶

Maintenance & debug¶

bernstein doctor¶

(cli/commands/advanced_cmd.py:536-550 re-exposes cli/status_cmd.py:doctor.)

bernstein debug-bundle¶

bernstein self-update¶

bernstein completions¶

eval "$(bernstein completions --shell bash)"
bernstein completions --shell zsh > ~/.zsh/completion/_bernstein

bernstein config¶

bernstein workspace¶

bernstein session¶

bernstein memory¶

bernstein cache¶

(cli/commands/cache_cmd.py:45-146.)

bernstein notify¶

(cli/commands/notify_cmd.py:63+.)

bernstein triggers¶

bernstein dr¶

Disaster recovery; see operations/disaster-recovery.md.

bernstein daemon¶

systemd / launchd unit installer.

(cli/commands/daemon_cmd.py:76+.)

bernstein man-pages¶

bernstein config-path¶

Print the path Bernstein would read config from. Useful for shell completion and CI. No flags.

Integration & MCP¶

bernstein mcp¶

The root MCP command — runs Bernstein as an MCP server itself.

bernstein mcp catalog¶

See reference/mcp-catalog.md for the full reference.

bernstein chat¶

bernstein hooks¶

bernstein pr¶

(cli/commands/pr_cmd.py:183-220.)

bernstein review-responder¶

bernstein preview¶

(cli/commands/preview_cmd.py:46-220.)

Misc¶

bernstein ab-test¶

bernstein acp serve¶

bernstein fingerprint¶

(cli/commands/fingerprint_cmd.py:37+.)

bernstein graph¶

bernstein voice / bernstein listen¶

Experimental voice control (see operations/voice-control.md when published).

bernstein explain¶

bernstein ideate¶

bernstein test¶

Convenience wrapper for the project's test suite. Honours the project's configured test runner (bernstein.yaml: quality_gates.tests); typically just delegates to pytest -q or equivalent.

Hidden commands¶

Four task-related commands are wired but hidden from --help. They are stable and supported; just not surfaced because their UX is uneven or because their visible counterpart (bernstein add-task, bernstein logs) is what most users want.

To invoke any of them, just type the full path (bernstein task compose ...) — they accept the same flags as their visible siblings.

See also¶

• cli/task-lifecycle.md — driving Bernstein from a script.
• cli/replay.md — replay + replay-filter reference.
• reference/mcp-catalog.md — MCP catalog walkthrough.
• reference/openapi-reference.md — REST + WebSocket + ACP/A2A endpoints.
• reference/FEATURE_MATRIX.md — capability matrix vs other tools.
• operations/CONFIG.md — every config key Bernstein recognises.