---
title: "overlane client install"
description: "Add Overlane to Grok Build, Cursor or Gemini CLI, or set up a Claude or Codex cloud session"
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.overlane.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# overlane client install

{/* Generated by apps/docs/scripts/generate.mjs (CLI pages from the command registry in packages/cli). Do not edit; run `pnpm --filter @overlane/docs gen`. */}

Writes the few project files each client reads (instructions and a remote MCP entry, plus every plugin hook and skill as committed setup for Claude cloud and a setup script for Codex cloud) into the project. Safe to repeat: it only changes what it owns, keeps your other settings, and writes no credential; sign in happens in the client. Use --surface cloud for Cursor's cloud agent file. Claude cloud needs the built plugin (--marketplace-root). Every capability the client lacks is labelled advisory or unavailable by the compatibility suite.

## Usage

```sh
overlane client install client [--surface local|cloud] [--dir DIR] [--service URL] [--marketplace-root DIR] [--dry-run]
```

## Arguments

| Argument | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `client` | yes | grok \| cursor \| gemini \| claude \| codex |

## Flags

| Flag | Type | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--surface` | one of `local`, `cloud` | no | `local` | local files, or the files a cloud agent also needs |
| `--dir` | string | no |  | Project directory (default: the current directory) |
| `--service` | string | no |  | Service address (https); default is the hosted service |
| `--marketplace-root` | string | no |  | Folder holding the built claude/ and codex/ plugin marketplaces (Claude cloud) |
| `--dry-run` | boolean | no |  | Print the requests and file changes this command would make, then stop. Needs no credentials. |

## Examples

```sh
overlane client install cursor
overlane client install gemini --dry-run
overlane client install claude --surface cloud --marketplace-root dist/plugins
overlane client install codex --surface cloud
```

## Behavior

- Effect: `write` (changes local or hosted state).
- Needs credentials: no. Uses the network: no.
- Supports `--dry-run`: yes. Accepts `--force`: no.
- Machine-readable description: `overlane schema client install`.

## Result

With `--json` (the default when stdout is not a terminal) the command prints this JSON Schema's shape on stdout.

```json
{
  "anyOf": [
    {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "client": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": [
            "grok",
            "cursor",
            "gemini",
            "claude",
            "codex"
          ]
        },
        "surface": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": [
            "local",
            "cloud"
          ]
        },
        "dir": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "files": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "path": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "action": {
                "type": "string",
                "enum": [
                  "created",
                  "updated",
                  "unchanged"
                ]
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "path",
              "action"
            ],
            "additionalProperties": false
          }
        },
        "next": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "type": "string"
          }
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "client",
        "surface",
        "dir",
        "files",
        "next"
      ],
      "additionalProperties": false
    },
    {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "dryRun": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "const": true
        },
        "service": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "requests": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "method": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "path": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "body": {},
              "note": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "method",
              "path"
            ],
            "additionalProperties": false
          }
        },
        "commands": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "type": "string"
          }
        },
        "writes": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "path": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "action": {
                "type": "string",
                "enum": [
                  "write",
                  "append",
                  "delete"
                ]
              },
              "description": {
                "type": "string"
              }
            },
            "required": [
              "path",
              "action",
              "description"
            ],
            "additionalProperties": false
          }
        },
        "notes": {
          "type": "array",
          "items": {
            "type": "string"
          }
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "dryRun",
        "requests",
        "commands",
        "writes",
        "notes"
      ],
      "additionalProperties": false
    }
  ]
}
```

See [exit codes](/cli/#exit-codes) for the status the process returns.

Source: https://docs.overlane.app/cli/client-install/index.mdx