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Write your first workflowWrite promptsAdd branchesAdd a loopRun steps in parallelReuse a workflowPass context between stepsAdd gates and waits
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Create a projectWorktrees and deliverySwitch a run's harnessUse different modelsGive steps a roleSettings
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Connect a coding agentUse the shipped skillsCommand line
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting

The orbital command

Run Orbital, validate workflows and start runs from a terminal

Use the orbital command to run Orbital from a terminal. For example, start the server and the browser app, then check a workflow without running it:

Terminal window
orbital serve
orbital validate ~/.orbital/workflows/<name>.dot

The command also opens Orbital in a window of its own, starts runs and changes settings on a running server, and installs the shipped skills. Run orbital with no arguments to print its help.

Before you start

Section titled “Before you start”

The Mac app carries the command. Install it from Settings > Command line and skills, or with Orbital > Install Command Line Tool in the menu bar. On Linux or Windows, install it with npm. Install Orbital gives both routes.

Settings, Command line and skills page showing the orbital command installed and the agent skills installed.
The orbital command shows as installed once the link is in place.

The subcommands

Section titled “The subcommands”
Subcommand What it does
orbital serve Runs the server and the browser app on one port, prints its address and opens it in your browser.
orbital app Opens Orbital in a window that runs its own server. Closing the window stops the server.
orbital validate Checks a workflow without running it. It starts neither the server nor an agent.
orbital run start Queues a run on the server running on this machine, the desktop app’s or orbital serve’s, and prints the run’s ID and page address.
orbital settings set Changes one setting on the server running on this machine. Settings > Recent changes lists the change.
orbital skill install Installs every skill that ships with Orbital, for agents and for Claude.

Every subcommand takes --version, which prints the version the command is running. A usage error, such as an unknown flag, prints the problem and the help. The command line reference lists every flag, exit code and environment variable.

Section titled “Related”