actionbook__actionbook/docs/api-reference/cli.mdx

---
title: "CLI Reference"
description: "Detailed reference for Actionbook CLI commands"
---

# CLI Reference

The Actionbook CLI (`actionbook`) is the primary interface for interacting with Actionbook. Every browser command is **stateless** — pass `--session` and `--tab` explicitly.

## `actionbook search`

Search for available action manuals.

**Usage:**

```bash
actionbook search [query]
```

**Arguments:**

- `query`: The search keyword (e.g., "airbnb", "google login").

**Example:**

```bash
actionbook search "airbnb search"
```

## `actionbook get`

Retrieve a specific action manual by its ID.

**Usage:**

```bash
actionbook get [actionId]
```

**Arguments:**

- `actionId`: The unique identifier of the action.

**Example:**

```bash
actionbook get "site/airbnb.com/page/home/element/search-button"
```

## `actionbook setup`

Initial setup wizard for API key, browser preferences, health checks, and optional skills install.

**Usage:**

```bash
actionbook setup
actionbook setup --target claude          # Quick mode: install skills for an agent
actionbook setup --non-interactive --api-key <KEY>
actionbook setup --reset
```

**Targets:** `claude`, `codex`, `cursor`, `windsurf`, `antigravity`, `opencode`, `hermes`, `standalone`, `all`

---

## `actionbook browser`

Browser automation commands.

<Note>
  After `actionbook setup`, browser command syntax is identical across all modes (local, cloud, extension).
</Note>

### Global Flags

These flags apply to all `actionbook browser` subcommands:

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `--session <id>` | Target a specific session (defaults to `default`) |
| `--tab <id>` | Target a specific tab |
| `--json` | Output results as JSON envelope |
| `--timeout <ms>` | Set command timeout in milliseconds |

### Session Lifecycle

#### `actionbook browser start`

Start or attach a browser session. Entry point for all modes including cloud providers.

**Options:**

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `--mode <mode>` | Browser mode: `local`, `extension`, or `cloud` |
| `-p, --provider <name>` | Cloud browser provider: `driver`, `hyperbrowser`, `browseruse`. Implies `--mode cloud` |
| `--session <id>` | Session ID (get-or-create: reuse if exists, create if not) |
| `--set-session-id <id>` | Always create a new session with this ID (fails if already exists) |
| `--open-url <url>` | Open this URL on start |
| `--cdp-endpoint <url>` | Connect to an existing CDP endpoint |
| `--header <KEY:VALUE>` | Headers for CDP endpoint (may be repeated) |
| `--headless` | Run in headless mode |
| `--profile <name>` | Profile name |
| `--stealth` / `--no-stealth` | Anti-detection mode (default: enabled) |
| `--max-tracked-requests <N>` | Network request buffer size per tab (default: 500, range: 1–100000) |

**Examples:**

```bash
actionbook browser start --set-session-id s1
actionbook browser start --session s1 --open-url https://google.com
actionbook browser start -p hyperbrowser --session s1
actionbook browser start --mode cloud --cdp-endpoint wss://browser.example.com/ws
```

<Note>
  `-p` is mutually exclusive with `--cdp-endpoint` and `--mode local/extension`.
  See [Cloud Providers](/guides/browser#cloud-providers) for provider-specific env vars.
</Note>

#### Other Session Commands

```bash
actionbook browser list-sessions                      # List all active sessions
actionbook browser status --session s1                # Show session status
actionbook browser close --session s1                 # Close a session (alias: stop)
actionbook browser restart --session s1               # Restart, preserving session_id
```

### Tab Management

```bash
actionbook browser list-tabs --session s1                         # List tabs
actionbook browser new-tab "https://example.com" --session s1     # Open new tab (alias: open)
actionbook browser close-tab --session s1 --tab t1                # Close a tab
```

### Navigation

```bash
actionbook browser goto <url> --session s1 --tab t1              # Navigate to URL
actionbook browser back --session s1 --tab t1                    # Go back
actionbook browser forward --session s1 --tab t1                 # Go forward
actionbook browser reload --session s1 --tab t1                  # Reload page
```

`goto` supports `--wait-until` to control when the command returns: `domcontentloaded` (default), `load`, or `none`.

### Observation

```bash
# Snapshot
actionbook browser snapshot --session s1 --tab t1                # Accessibility tree with refs
actionbook browser snapshot -i --session s1 --tab t1             # Interactive elements only
actionbook browser snapshot -i -c --session s1 --tab t1          # Interactive + compact

# Page info
actionbook browser title --session s1 --tab t1                   # Page title
actionbook browser url --session s1 --tab t1                     # Current URL
actionbook browser viewport --session s1 --tab t1                # Viewport dimensions

# Content
actionbook browser text --session s1 --tab t1                    # Full page text
actionbook browser text "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1       # Element text
actionbook browser html --session s1 --tab t1                    # Full page HTML
actionbook browser html "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1       # Element HTML
actionbook browser value "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1      # Input value

# Element inspection
actionbook browser attr "<selector>" href --session s1 --tab t1        # Single attribute
actionbook browser attrs "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1            # All attributes
actionbook browser box "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1              # Bounding rect
actionbook browser styles "<selector>" color fontSize --session s1 --tab t1  # Computed styles
actionbook browser describe "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1         # Full element description
actionbook browser state "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1            # State flags
actionbook browser inspect-point 420,310 --session s1 --tab t1         # Inspect at coordinates

# Query
actionbook browser query one "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1       # Exactly one match
actionbook browser query all "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1       # All matches
actionbook browser query count "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1     # Match count
actionbook browser query nth 2 "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1     # Nth match (1-based)

# Screenshot & PDF
actionbook browser screenshot output.png --session s1 --tab t1        # Screenshot
actionbook browser screenshot output.png --full --session s1 --tab t1  # Full page
actionbook browser screenshot output.png --annotate --session s1 --tab t1  # With labels
actionbook browser pdf output.pdf --session s1 --tab t1               # Save as PDF
```

### Interaction

```bash
# Click
actionbook browser click "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1           # Click element
actionbook browser click 420,310 --session s1 --tab t1                # Click coordinates
actionbook browser click @e5 --session s1 --tab t1                    # Click by snapshot ref
actionbook browser click "<selector>" --count 2 --session s1 --tab t1  # Double-click

# Text input
actionbook browser fill "<selector>" "text" --session s1 --tab t1     # Clear field, then set value
actionbook browser type "<selector>" "text" --session s1 --tab t1     # Type keystroke by keystroke

# Keyboard
actionbook browser press Enter --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser press Control+A --session s1 --tab t1

# Selection
actionbook browser select "<selector>" "value" --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser select "<selector>" "Display Text" --by-text --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser select "<selector>" @e12 --by-ref --session s1 --tab t1

# Mouse
actionbook browser hover "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser focus "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser mouse-move 420,310 --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser cursor-position --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser drag "<source>" "<target>" --session s1 --tab t1

# Scroll
actionbook browser scroll down --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser scroll down 500 --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser scroll into-view @e8 --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser scroll top --session s1 --tab t1

# JavaScript
actionbook browser eval "document.title" --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser eval "document.querySelectorAll('a').length" --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser eval "await fetch('/api/data').then(r => r.json())" --no-isolate --session s1 --tab t1

# File upload
actionbook browser upload "<selector>" /path/to/file.pdf --session s1 --tab t1
```

<Tip>
  `fill` clears the field and sets the value directly (like pasting). `type` simulates individual keystrokes and appends to existing content.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  `eval` isolates `let`/`const` scope by default. Use `--no-isolate` for multi-statement async expressions or when you need shared scope across calls.
</Tip>

### Wait

```bash
actionbook browser wait element "<selector>" --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser wait navigation --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser wait network-idle --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser wait condition "document.readyState === 'complete'" --session s1 --tab t1
```

Default timeout: 30000ms. Override with `--timeout <ms>`.

### Logs & Network

```bash
# Console logs
actionbook browser logs console --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser logs console --level warn,error --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser logs errors --session s1 --tab t1

# Network
actionbook browser network requests --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser network requests --filter /api/ --method POST --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser network requests --dump --out /tmp/dump --session s1 --tab t1  # Export to requests.json
actionbook browser network request <id> --session s1 --tab t1         # Full detail + response body
```

### Cookies & Storage

```bash
# Cookies (session-level, no --tab)
actionbook browser cookies list --session s1
actionbook browser cookies get session_id --session s1
actionbook browser cookies set token abc123 --session s1
actionbook browser cookies delete token --session s1
actionbook browser cookies clear --session s1

# Local Storage
actionbook browser local-storage list --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser local-storage get myKey --session s1 --tab t1
actionbook browser local-storage set myKey "value" --session s1 --tab t1

# Session Storage (same syntax as local-storage)
actionbook browser session-storage list --session s1 --tab t1
```

### Batch Operations

```bash
actionbook browser batch-new-tab --urls https://a.com https://b.com --session s1
actionbook browser batch-snapshot --tabs t1 t2 t3 --session s1
actionbook browser batch-click @e5 @e6 @e7 --session s1 --tab t1
```

---

## `actionbook extension`

Manage the Chrome extension used by extension mode. The extension bridge runs inside the actionbook daemon (auto-started by browser commands).

The recommended install method is the [Chrome Web Store](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/actionbook/bebchpafpemheedhcdabookaifcijmfo) (current version: 0.3.0). `actionbook extension install` is a local fallback — after running it, you must manually load the unpacked extension in Chrome via `chrome://extensions` > Developer mode > Load unpacked, using the path from `actionbook extension path`.

```bash
actionbook extension status                   # Bridge status + extension connection state
actionbook extension ping                     # Measure bridge RTT
actionbook extension install                  # Fallback: install to ~/Actionbook/extension/ (requires manual Chrome load)
actionbook extension install --force          # Force reinstall
actionbook extension uninstall                # Remove extension
actionbook extension path                     # Print install path, status, and version
```

`extension status` returns the bridge state (`listening`, `not_listening`, or `failed`) and whether the extension is connected. `extension ping` connects to the bridge WebSocket at `ws://127.0.0.1:19222` and measures round-trip time.

---

## `actionbook daemon`

The actionbook daemon runs in the background and manages browser sessions. It auto-starts on the first CLI call.

```bash
actionbook daemon restart                     # Stop the running daemon (next CLI call respawns)
```

---