Skip to main content
meshagent ask is the direct terminal prompt path for MeshAgent. Use it when you want to:
  • ask one question through the active MeshAgent project
  • get a streamed terminal answer without starting a room agent
  • open a lightweight interactive terminal UI
If you want another tool such as Codex CLI or Claude Code to talk through MeshAgent, use Using CLI Coding Agents with the MeshAgent LLM Proxy instead.

​
Before you start

If you have not set up MeshAgent yet, start with:
bash
meshagent setup
meshagent ask uses:
  • the active MeshAgent project
  • either a MeshAgent token in MESHAGENT_TOKEN or a logged-in CLI session from meshagent auth login
If meshagent ask cannot find a MeshAgent token or logged-in CLI session, run meshagent setup first, then retry.

​
One-shot prompt

bash
meshagent ask --message "Summarize the differences between queue channels and messaging channels."
You can also choose the output format:
bash
meshagent ask \
  --message "Write release notes for this diff." \
  --format markdown
And override the model for the request:
bash
meshagent ask \
  --message "Explain this API at a beginner level." \
  --model gpt-5.4

​
Interactive terminal UI

Run meshagent ask with no --message in a TTY to open the interactive prompt UI:
bash
meshagent ask
This is useful when you want a quick back-and-forth in the terminal but do not need a persistent room agent.

​
When to use meshagent ask vs meshagent process

Use meshagent ask when:
  • you want direct terminal prompting
  • you do not need a room-connected agent identity
  • you do not need chat, queue, mail, or toolkit channels
Use meshagent process when:
  • the agent should stay available in a room
  • the agent should accept chat, queue, mail, or toolkit work
  • the workflow needs persisted room and thread behavior