ByteRover CLI

Website: https://byterover.dev CLI Tool: brv (byterover-cli) Documentation: https://docs.byterover.dev Authentication: OAuth browser-based login

Description

ByteRover CLI is a CLI-native context/memory management tool designed for agentic coding. It allows developers and AI coding agents to curate, query, and sync context across projects and teams. Works seamlessly with 20+ coding platforms including Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf, Cline, and more. Features a Context Tree structure for organized memory management and supports team collaboration via remote workspaces.

Install

npm install -g byterover-cli

Verify installation:

brv --version

Prerequisites

• Node.js 20+
• ByteRover account (https://byterover.dev)
• Active team and space in ByteRover web app

Linux (libsecret required)

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt-get install libsecret-1-dev

# Red Hat-based
sudo yum install libsecret-devel

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S libsecret

Usage

Start REPL

brv

Start the interactive REPL interface. All commands are executed as slash commands within the REPL.

Authentication

/login

Authenticate via browser OAuth. Required on first use.

Initialize Project

/init

Initialize ByteRover in your project directory. Sets up .brv/ folder and syncs remote context.

Curate Context (Add Memory)

# Via coding agent prompt
> Use brv curate command to curate essential contexts of this project

# Manual in REPL
/curate "unit tests should run fast and completely in memory"

# Curate from specific files
/curate "context description" @file1.ts @file2.ts

# Multiple files at once
/curate "API patterns" @src/api/routes.ts @src/api/middleware.ts

Store context into local space (.brv/context-tree). Runs asynchronously in the background.

Query Context (Retrieve Memory)

# Via coding agent prompt
> Use brv query command to check what testing strategies are in this project

# Manual in REPL
/query "What are unit testing strategies in this project?"
/query "How does authentication work?"

Retrieve relevant context from your workspace for the current task.

Sync Commands

# Push local context to remote workspace
/push

# Pull latest context from team workspace
/pull

Status and Management

# View context tree status
/status

# View/change coding agent connectors
/connectors

Commands Reference

REPL Interface

The REPL has multiple tabs: - Console: Run slash commands - Activity: Track all curate/query executions across agents - Use Ctrl + o to view full response for operations in progress - Use Tab to switch between tabs

Context Tree Structure

ByteRover organizes memory into a Context Tree (.brv/context-tree):

Domains (high-level categories)
├── Architecture
├── API
├── Frontend
├── Testing
└── Database
    └── Topics (specific subjects)
        └── Context Files (markdown with actual knowledge)

Examples

Daily Workflow with Coding Agent

# Start ByteRover REPL
brv

# Initialize if first time
/init

# Before coding, query relevant context
> Use brv query to understand the authentication flow

# After implementing, curate new patterns
> Use brv curate to save the new OAuth implementation pattern

# Push to share with team
/push

Manual Context Curation

brv

# Curate project conventions
/curate "All API routes must use the withAuth middleware"
/curate "Database queries should use the connection pool from db/pool.ts"

# Curate from existing docs
/curate "Setup instructions" @README.md @docs/setup.md

# Check what was added
/status

Team Collaboration

brv

# Pull latest team context
/pull

# Query for team conventions
/query "What are the code review guidelines?"

# Add new context and share
/curate "PR must include test coverage report"
/push

Notes

• Beta Status: Still in beta, recommended for personal/side projects first
• Context Tree: Replaces old flat memory organization for better retrieval
• Async Operations: brv curate runs in background, allowing continued work
• Cross-Platform: Works consistently across macOS, Linux, Windows (WSL)
• Agent Agnostic: Compatible with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Windsurf, Cline, etc.
• Local Storage: Context stored in .brv/ folder in project root
• Remote Sync: Push/pull to team workspace on ByteRover web app
• Secure Credentials: AES-256-GCM encrypted, stored in ~/.local/share/brv/
• Not for CI/CD: Requires interactive terminal, not headless environments
• Connectors: Auto-configured based on your coding agent IDE