> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mandate.md/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CLI Overview

> Install and use the Mandate CLI to register agents, validate transactions, and scan codebases for unprotected wallet calls.

## What is the Mandate CLI?

The Mandate CLI (`@mandate.md/cli`) is a command-line tool for managing agent wallets, validating transactions against your policies, and scanning codebases for unprotected financial calls. It wraps the Mandate API into 9 commands that cover the full agent lifecycle: registration, activation, validation, broadcasting, and monitoring.

## Install

Run any command directly with `npx`:

```bash theme={null}
npx @mandate.md/cli <command>
```

Or install globally:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="bun">
    ```bash theme={null}
    bun add -g @mandate.md/cli
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="npm">
    ```bash theme={null}
    npm install -g @mandate.md/cli
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

After global install, use `mandate` directly:

```bash theme={null}
mandate validate --action transfer --amount 10 --to 0xRecipientAddress --token USDC --reason "Invoice #42"
```

## Commands

| Command    | Auth Required | Description                                 |
| ---------- | :-----------: | ------------------------------------------- |
| `login`    |       No      | Register a new agent, get a runtime key     |
| `activate` |      Yes      | Set wallet address after registration       |
| `whoami`   |      Yes      | Show current agent info and credentials     |
| `validate` |      Yes      | Validate a transaction against your policy  |
| `transfer` |      Yes      | Validate an ERC20 transfer                  |
| `event`    |      Yes      | Post a txHash after broadcast               |
| `status`   |      Yes      | Check an intent's current state             |
| `approve`  |      Yes      | Wait for human approval on a pending intent |
| `scan`     |       No      | Scan codebase for unprotected wallet calls  |

## Credential storage

The `login` command saves your runtime key and agent metadata to `~/.mandate/credentials.json`. All authenticated commands read from this file automatically.

```json theme={null}
{
  "runtimeKey": "mndt_test_abc123...",
  "agentId": "a1b2c3d4-...",
  "claimUrl": "https://app.mandate.md/claim/...",
  "evmAddress": "0x...",
  "chainId": 84532,
  "baseUrl": "https://app.mandate.md"
}
```

The file is created with `0600` permissions (owner-only read/write). If you need to switch agents, delete the file and run `login` again.

<Warning>
  Never commit `~/.mandate/credentials.json` to version control. The runtime key grants full agent access to the Mandate API.
</Warning>

## Agent discovery

AI agents can discover CLI commands programmatically using two flags:

```bash theme={null}
npx @mandate.md/cli --llms          # Machine-readable command manifest
npx @mandate.md/cli --llms-full     # Full manifest with option schemas
```

Each response includes a `next` field pointing to the logical next step, so agents can chain commands without hardcoded workflows.

## MCP server mode

Start the CLI as an MCP stdio server for integration with tools like Claude Code:

```bash theme={null}
npx @mandate.md/cli --mcp
```

This exposes all CLI commands as MCP tools over standard input/output.

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Register an Agent" icon="arrow-right" href="/cli/login">
    Create your first agent and get a runtime key.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Validate a Transaction" icon="arrow-right" href="/cli/validate">
    Run your first policy check from the command line.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scan Your Codebase" icon="arrow-right" href="/cli/scan">
    Find unprotected wallet calls before they reach production.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>