GripForge CLI Setup for Claude Code: Connect, Authorize, Follow Jobs

Install Node.js 22.19 or later and Claude Code separately, install the GripForge CLI from its official page, then run grip-forge login to connect your GripForge account and workspace. Use grip-forge connect claude for Claude Code's own account connection, and grip-forge --agent claude to start the agent with GripForge tools. Generation jobs remain visible through grip-forge jobs and grip-forge jobs watch <job-id>.

There are two account connections in that sequence. GripForge login authorizes your workspace; Claude Code uses your own Anthropic account. Workspace generation credits and the agent provider's usage are separate. Connecting them does not purchase a subscription.

The official CLI page provides the current installer. For an overview of when to use the terminal, visual studios or MCP directly, read GripForge Studio vs CLI vs MCP.

1. Check the prerequisites

You need Node.js 22.19 or later, a separately installed Claude Code executable, and a GripForge account with access to an editable workspace. Check Node before installing:

node -v

Confirm that Claude Code also launches independently in your terminal. Installing the GripForge CLI does not install the native agent for you. Start from the project directory you intend the agent to work in, so you can inspect the files it creates there.

2. Install GripForge CLI

Follow the installer or downloadable-package instructions on the CLI page. Once installation finishes, check the command:

grip-forge --help

You should see usage information. If the shell says the command is missing, resolve installation or PATH setup before proceeding. Running grip-forge without arguments starts the agent-selection or launch flow; use --help when you only want to verify installation.

3. Authorize your GripForge account

Run:

grip-forge login

Open the browser authorization page requested by the terminal. Sign into GripForge, compare the displayed code with your terminal, choose the intended starting workspace, and approve that request. A mismatched code is a reason to restart this login flow instead of approving the wrong terminal.

After successful authorization, inspect the account, workspace and generation balance:

grip-forge whoami

The selected workspace determines which GripForge assets and jobs the session can access. This is independent of the account Claude Code uses for its model requests.

4. List and select a workspace

List the editable workspaces associated with your GripForge account:

grip-forge workspaces

To change the selection, use the singular command:

grip-forge workspace <workspace-id>

Replace the placeholder with an ID from the list, then confirm the result with grip-forge whoami. Listing workspaces alone does not switch the active selection. If the project is missing, check the GripForge account and its workspace membership rather than changing the Claude account.

5. Connect Claude Code and launch

Use Claude Code's own connection flow through:

grip-forge connect claude

Then start the native agent with GripForge tooling connected:

grip-forge --agent claude

The agent remains responsible for its normal project permissions. GripForge login does not disable those checks. Hosted GripForge tools return results, jobs or asset URLs; writing into your local project requires the native agent's file operations or the appropriate local integration. The MCP documentation explains the hosted and local tool options.

For a first task, ask the agent to inspect the selected workspace's existing assets before requesting a new generation. This checks access while helping you reuse an asset that already fits the project.

6. Follow long-running generation jobs

List the workspace's generation jobs:

grip-forge jobs

Watch one using its actual ID:

grip-forge jobs watch <job-id>

The watcher follows job status. Closing it does not cancel a server-side generation. If you reopen your terminal, list the jobs again and inspect the existing job before starting another copy.

A completed generation is not proof that its files were downloaded or integrated into your game. Check the result, import it into the intended project, and review it in the relevant studio or engine. For failed jobs, read the reported error before deciding whether retrying the same request is useful.

7. Resume a conversation or change agents

To continue the selected native agent's previous conversation, run:

grip-forge resume

Conversation resumption and generation-job monitoring are separate operations. Resuming does not itself retry a failed generation.

To change the saved agent preference, exit the current agent and run:

grip-forge switch

Choose a supported agent, then run grip-forge to launch it. The switch command preserves the GripForge login and selected workspace; it does not launch the new agent itself or migrate a conversation between providers. The incoming agent may still need its own account connection.

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Does login buy credits or a provider subscription?

No. The authorization connects your account and workspace. GripForge generation uses the workspace's existing credit system, while the native agent uses its own provider authentication and usage arrangement.

Do I need to keep a watcher open for generation to finish?

No. Jobs run through the server's generation service. Reopen the job list to inspect progress; closing a watcher is not a cancellation.

Is the GripForge AI option available in the agent chooser?

It is currently labelled coming soon. Use one of the available agent integrations shown on the CLI page.