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Before you start

1

Confirm plan access

The non-interactive API-key flow requires an Agentic API key from a CodeRabbit organization where the user has an assigned seat. CLI reviews use the assigned user’s plan allowance first.Enable the Usage-based Add-on if you want eligible over-limit reviews to continue with usage credits after the plan allowance is exhausted.
2

Create an Agentic API key

Open API Keys for your US account or EU account, then generate an Agentic API key for the organization that should power your CLI reviews.API-key authentication always uses that key’s organization for billing and review behavior. Browser-based organization selection does not apply in this mode.
3

Store the key as a secret

Save the key in your automation platform as a secret such as CODERABBIT_API_KEY, then expose it as an environment variable wherever your automation runs.
4

Install the CodeRabbit CLI

Make the CLI available in the environment using your preferred install method.
If coderabbit is not available immediately after installation, start a new shell, or run the exact shell-specific reload command printed under Next steps. If the install script offers browser sign-in without first asking for a region, EU users should skip it and authenticate later with an explicit --region eu.

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Headless setup

The CLI uses the US region when no region is specified or saved. Use --region eu with an EU account.
Pass the key directly to the command:
An authenticated login saves the selected region, so later review commands reuse it without another --region flag. coderabbit auth status displays the saved region. For a single-command review, --region must be used together with --api-key.

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Common automation patterns

Use --agent when another tool needs structured output:
Plain-text output is the default. Use the default review command when you want readable logs in the workflow output:
If your workflow edits code in place and wants feedback on staged and tracked local edits, use --uncommitted.
If your workflow creates new files without staging them, add --include-untracked.
If your workflow compares a branch against a base branch, set the base explicitly:
cr is the short alias for coderabbit, so cr review --agent and coderabbit review --agent work the same way. If the review scope has no file changes, the CLI exits cleanly. In --agent mode the complete event has status: "review_skipped" and findings: 0.

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Troubleshooting

If authentication fails with a message saying user API keys are not supported, generate an Agentic API key instead. The CLI validates the key before storing it locally and rejects unsupported key types.
If a later review step says no stored API key was found, make sure the coderabbit auth login --api-key step ran successfully earlier in the same environment and that the secret was exposed to that step.

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What’s next

Usage-based Add-on

Enable credits, manage billing, and understand how CLI reviews consume usage

CLI Command Reference

Review authentication commands, review modes, and CLI options

Codex integration

Combine headless CLI authentication with Codex-driven implementation and review loops