***

title: Using the CLI with AI Agents
description: >-
Install the Brev CLI skill for AI coding agents like Claude Code and Codex to
manage GPU instances with natural language.
-------------------------------------------

The Brev CLI includes a skill that enables AI coding agents to manage GPU and CPU instances using natural language. After installation, use natural language such as "create an A100 instance for ML training" and your agent runs the appropriate `brev` commands.

## Supported Agents

The skill installs to the following agent platforms:

| Agent        | Install Path                 |
| ------------ | ---------------------------- |
| Claude Code  | `~/.claude/skills/brev-cli/` |
| Codex        | `~/.codex/skills/brev-cli/`  |
| Other agents | `~/.agents/skills/brev-cli/` |

## Installing the Skill

### Option 1: Using the CLI

```bash
brev agent-skill install
```

Or simply run `brev agent-skill` — it defaults to install.

### Option 2: One-Liner (curl)

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/brevdev/brev-cli/main/scripts/install-agent-skill.sh | bash
```

### Option 3: Automatic Prompt

When you run `brev login` and the CLI detects an AI coding agent on your system, it offers to install the skill automatically.

## What Gets Installed

The skill installs the following files to each agent directory:

```
~/.claude/skills/brev-cli/
├── SKILL.md              # Skill definition and quick reference
├── prompts/
│   ├── quick-session.md  # Quick GPU session workflow
│   ├── ml-training.md    # ML training setup workflow
│   └── cleanup.md        # Instance cleanup workflow
├── reference/
│   ├── commands.md       # Full command reference
│   └── search-filters.md # GPU/CPU search filter details
└── examples/
    └── common-patterns.md # Common usage patterns
```

## Agent-Driven Workflows

After installation, restart your agent (or start a new conversation) and use natural language:

```
"Create an A100 instance for ML training"
"Search for GPUs with 40GB VRAM under $3/hr"
"Stop all my running instances"
"Open my-instance in Cursor"
"What GPUs are available with fast boot times?"
```

The agent translates these requests into the appropriate `brev` CLI commands, confirms before destructive operations, and shows costs before creating instances.

## Safety Rules

The skill instructs agents to follow these safety rules:

* **Always confirm** before deleting or stopping instances
* **Always show cost/type** before creating instances
* **Always confirm** before creating expensive instances (H100, multi-GPU) or clusters (`--count > 1`)
* **Always check** `brev ls` before assuming an instance exists

## Updating the Skill

Re-run the install command to update to the latest version:

```bash
brev agent-skill install
```

### Testing from a Branch

To test skill changes from a specific branch:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash title="Using CLI"
  BREV_SKILL_BRANCH=my-branch brev agent-skill install
  ```

  ```bash title="Using curl"
  curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/brevdev/brev-cli/main/scripts/install-agent-skill.sh | bash -s -- --branch my-branch
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Uninstalling the Skill

```bash
brev agent-skill uninstall
```

Or with curl:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/brevdev/brev-cli/main/scripts/install-agent-skill.sh | bash -s -- --uninstall
```

This removes the skill from all agent directories. Restart your agent to apply the change.

## Troubleshooting

### Agent doesn't recognize Brev commands

* Verify the skill is installed: check that `~/.claude/skills/brev-cli/SKILL.md` exists
* Restart the agent or start a new conversation
* Try invoking the skill explicitly with `/brev-cli` (in Claude Code)

### Skill install fails

* Check your internet connection (files are downloaded from GitHub)
* Try the curl installer as an alternative
* Verify you have write permissions to `~/.claude/` and `~/.agents/`

### Agent runs wrong commands

* Update to the latest skill: `brev agent-skill install`
* Check that you're running the latest Brev CLI: `brev --version`