Getting Started

The Amp CLI runs in your terminal. It can run the Amp agent on your machine, in an orb, or on a connected runner.

The CLI supports macOS, Linux, and Windows through WSL. On Windows, we recommend WezTerm or Alacritty instead of Windows Terminal for fully functional clipboard support.

Install

Here’s how you can install the Amp CLI:

Use the CLI

After installing, run amp to start the Amp CLI.

Without any arguments, it runs in interactive mode:

$ amp

If you pipe input to the CLI, it uses the input as the first user message in interactive mode:

$ echo "commit all my changes" | amp

To see more of what the CLI can do, run amp --help.

Shell Completions

Amp provides Tab completion for commands, aliases, options, and declared argument choices in Bash, Zsh, Fish, and PowerShell. Setup reads the command definitions from the installed Amp version. Pressing Tab runs a small JavaScript resolver with Amp’s bundled Bun runtime, without starting the Amp application. You do not need Usage, a separate Bun installation, or a command spec. Completions work without signing in or connecting to the network.

For Bash 4 or later, install and load bash-completion, then add this line to ~/.bashrc after loading it:

source <(amp completions bash)

For Zsh, add this line to ~/.zshrc after your existing compinit call. If you have not enabled Zsh completions, first run autoload -Uz compinit; compinit in that file.

source <(amp completions zsh)

For Fish, add this to ~/.config/fish/config.fish:

if status is-interactive
    amp completions fish | source
end

For PowerShell 7, add this line to your $PROFILE file:

amp completions pwsh | Out-String | Invoke-Expression

Open a new shell or run the setup line in your current shell. Remove any earlier Amp completion setup to avoid conflicts. After updating Amp, open a new shell or run the setup line again to refresh the command definitions. Amp does not change your shell configuration.

Attach Images

Press Ctrl+V to paste an image from your clipboard into the prompt. Use Ctrl+V, not Cmd+V, even on macOS. You can also drag and drop image files from your file manager into the terminal to attach them.

If your terminal intercepts Ctrl+V, press Ctrl+O and run prompt: paste image from clipboard. See CLI Keybindings for more shortcuts.

Choose Where the Thread Runs

By default, amp starts a local thread. Use --executor to open the interactive TUI with a new thread that will run locally, in an orb, or on one of your runners:

$ amp --executor local
$ amp --executor orb
$ amp --executor runner:grandmas-garage-server

Orb threads use the Amp project that matches the current directory’s Git remote. If no project matches, Amp warns you and uses a no-project orb. A runner ID identifies a connected runner started with amp --no-tui --runner-id <id>.

Update

Amp automatically checks and installs new versions in the background. You don’t have to do anything except regularly restart Amp.

You can also manually check for updates:

amp update

You can check which version you have by running:

amp version

Connect an Editor

Amp can connect to VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, and Neovim. Open the editor, run amp, then open the command palette with Ctrl+O and select ide connect.

The integration lets Amp:

• See the current open file and selection, so Amp can better understand the context of your prompt
• Edit files through your IDE, with full undo support

Neovim also requires the Amp Neovim plugin.