# Continue CLI Guide

Continue’s cn terminal agent for interactive coding and headless workflows.

Canonical URL: https://aiidelist.com/blog/traeide-continue-cli

Language: en

Published: 2026-10-03

Updated: 2026-10-03

> Editorial snapshot from September 2026. Prices, models and interface labels may change; this is a practical guide, not a live product feed.

Continue’s cn terminal agent for interactive coding and headless workflows.

Coding agent · Continue · macOS · Windows · Linux

 

## Suitable workflows

Developers connecting Continue configurations to terminal work and CI scripts.

## Limitations and billing

Headless mode excludes tools that require approval unless you explicitly allow them.

## Capabilities we verified

Agent workflow · CLI surface · MCP · Bring your own key

This is an evidence-based shortlist, not an exhaustive feature inventory. Omitted capabilities have not been checked for this record.

## Pricing & usage

**See official pricing**

Account configuration or model-provider usage. The cost of metered usage or an external agent can be separate from the subscription.

## Models & access

Continue-configured models or a directly supplied Anthropic API key.

Verified families: Claude.

<span id="cli-setup"></span>

## Install and start the CLI

The shell installer bundles its runtime; the npm installation path requires Node.js 20+.

```
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/continuedev/continue/main/extensions/cli/scripts/install.sh | bash
```

Open your project folder in a terminal, then run:

```
cn
```

## Account and authentication

Use cn login for a Continue account, or configure the supported direct API-key path.

## Project configuration and tools

Set allow, ask and exclude policies in ~/.continue/permissions.yaml; avoid granting every tool for routine automation.

## First task to try

Start with a read-only project summary, then grant only the tools needed for a focused change.

## Script usage

This example asks for a project summary. Tool permissions still apply; a prompt is not a sandbox.

```
cn -p "Summarize the project structure without modifying files." --readonly
```

## Related CLI tools

[All AI CLI tools →](/blog/traeide-coding-agents)

[Cline CLI](/blog/traeide-cline-cli) — Cline’s terminal agent for interactive work, headless tasks and configurable providers.

[Claude Code](/blog/traeide-claude-code) — Anthropic’s coding agent for terminal and editor workflows.

[OpenCode](/blog/traeide-opencode) — An open-source coding agent with a terminal UI and configurable model providers.

## Project evaluation checklist

1. Open a small, familiar project and confirm that your essential language tooling works.
2. Give the agent one bounded change with an observable acceptance criterion.
3. Review the diff, run the project’s checks and compare the result with your current workflow.
4. Inspect usage after the task. Estimate a month of similar work, including any separate model or agent bill.

## Related TRAE guides

- [TRAE product overview](/ide/trae)
- [Trae IDE / TraeCode Download](/blog/traeide-download)
- [TraeCode Guide](/blog/traeide-traecode)
- [TraeWork Guide](/blog/traeide-traework)
- [TRAE Pricing: TraeCode & TraeWork](/blog/traeide-pricing)
- [TRAE Models & Model Access](/blog/traeide-models)
- [TraeWork vs TraeCode (Trae IDE)](/blog/traeide-traework-vs-traecode)
- [Trae MCP Setup & Troubleshooting](/blog/traeide-mcp)