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This guide gets you from zero to a reviewed diff in under five minutes.
1

Install

Requires Node.js >= 20.0.0.
Verify the install:
kodus --version
kodus status
2

Authenticate

Pick the path that matches your situation. You can also skip auth and run kodus review directly — it works in trial mode with daily limits.
Sign in with a personal account:
kodus auth login
Tokens are stored in ~/.kodus/credentials.json and auto-refreshed.
Self-hosting Kodus? Point the CLI to your API before authenticating:
export KODUS_API_URL=https://kodus-api.yourcompany.com
HTTPS is required except for localhost.
Confirm the auth state:
kodus auth status
3

Run your first review

Inside any git repository with uncommitted changes:
kodus review
The CLI analyzes your working tree diff, prints a summary, and (in interactive mode) lets you browse file-by-file, preview suggested fixes, and apply them.Common variations:
kodus review --staged             # Only staged files
kodus review --branch main        # Compare current branch against main
kodus review --commit abc123      # Analyze a single commit
kodus review --fix                # Auto-apply every fixable issue
kodus review --prompt-only        # Compact output for AI agents
kodus review --fail-on error      # Exit non-zero on error-or-worse (CI-friendly)
Working-tree reviews (default) and --staged inline file contents so the backend sees your uncommitted changes. --branch and --commit modes skip inlining since the backend can fetch those commits itself — this is why those modes work well on huge branches.
4

Choose what's next

Depending on your goal:

Automate on every push

Install the pre-push hook with kodus hook install.

Run reviews in CI

GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and generic pipeline examples.

Plug into an AI agent

Feed --prompt-only into Claude Code, Cursor, or Codex for autonomous fix loops.

Configure the repo

Manage ignored files, base branches, and review settings from the CLI.

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Environment Variables

These env vars configure the CLI across all commands.
VariableDescription
KODUS_API_URLAPI endpoint (default: https://api.kodus.io)
KODUS_TEAM_KEYTeam key for shared access and AI agents
KODUS_TOKENCI/CD token generated via kodus auth token
KODUS_VERBOSESet to true for verbose output
KODUS_SKIP_HOOKSet to 1 to skip the pre-push hook for a single git push
KODUS_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MINPer-request timeout in minutes (default: 60)
CF_ACCESS_CLIENT_IDCloudflare Access client ID (APIs behind Zero Trust)
CF_ACCESS_CLIENT_SECRETCloudflare Access client secret
For self-hosted setups, tokens, and Cloudflare Access, see Self-Hosted Setup.

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Troubleshooting

Ran into an error? Check the Troubleshooting guide for common symptoms and fixes.