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CLI reference

`rodeo`

Command-line interface for Roblox Studio

Usage: rodeo [OPTIONS] <COMMAND>

Subcommands:

serve — Start persistent server (no Studio launch — use run --place for that)
run — Run a script in Studio
state — Show the canonical rodeo state: studios, their DOMs, and runs
kill — Kill a run or close a Studio by id
save — Save the Studio place
setup — Generate type definitions, configure .luaurc, and install the rodeo skill into the project’s .claude/skills and .agents/skills folders (those that exist), replacing a copy for an older rodeo

Options:

-v, --verbose — Enable debug output

`rodeo serve`

Start persistent server (no Studio launch — use run --place for that)

Usage: rodeo serve [OPTIONS]

Options:

--port <PORT> — Master port. Resolution: this flag, then RODEO_PORT, then 44872. The studio backend listens on port + 1. With —studio, the studio backend’s own port instead (default: —master-port + 1)
--master — Run as master only (central orchestrator)
--studio — Run as studio backend only (connects to master)
--master-host <MASTER_HOST> — Master host to connect to (for —studio)

Default value: localhost
--master-port <MASTER_PORT> — Master port to connect to (for —studio). Resolution: this flag, then RODEO_PORT, then 44872
--ppid <PPID> — Parent PID — exit when this process dies

`rodeo run`

Run a script in Studio

Usage: rodeo run [OPTIONS] [SCRIPT] [-- <SCRIPT_ARGS>...]

Arguments:

<SCRIPT> — Path to the script to execute, or ’-’ for stdin
<SCRIPT_ARGS> — Script arguments (passed after —)

Options:

-s, --source <SOURCE> — Execute source code passed as string. Hyphen-leading values are legal — Luau hotcomments (--!native, --!optimize 2) start scripts, and clap would otherwise reject them as flags
--sourcemap <SOURCEMAP> — Path to sourcemap.json for instance resolution
--adapter <ADAPTER> — Run code written for another Luau runtime: its standard library requires (lune: @lune/; lute: @lute/, @std/, @batteries/) reach that runtime, which rodeo runs alongside the script. Repeatable

Possible values: lune, lute
--output <OUTPUT> — Path to file for execution output (prints/logs)
--return <RETURN_FILE> — Path to file for return value JSON
--show-return — Print return value to stdout
--mode <MODE> — Studio mode to run in (auto-transitions Studio, ending a running session of another kind first). Defaults to edit; never inferred from —context/—dom, so a server/client run must pass —mode explicitly (e.g. —mode run —context server). An explicit —mode edit ends a running session first; omit —mode (e.g. —dom edit) to leave it running

Possible values: edit, run, test, play
--dom <DOM> — Which DOM receives the script: edit, server, or client (usually inferred). edit targets the edit DOM even while a session runs

Possible values: edit, server, client
--context <CONTEXT> — Identity level the code executes at: plugin, server (server-runtime identity), client (client-runtime identity), mcp (Studio MCP’s execute_luau identity — any DOM, needs Studio’s MCP server), or cmd (command bar via the launch bootstrap’s bridge — edit DOM of a rodeo-launched Studio, no MCP server needed)

Possible values: plugin, server, client, mcp, cmd
--studio-id <STUDIO_ID> — Scope routing to one studio by id (from rodeo state; unique prefix ok)
--no-warn — Disable warning output
--no-error — Disable error output
--no-info — Disable info output
--no-print — Disable print statements
--no-output — Disable all output
--reload-requires — Re-evaluate instance requires instead of reusing the VM’s require cache. By default a require resolves to the live module the game is already using; this gives the run its own fresh copies
--ppid <PPID> — Parent PID — exit when this process dies
--host <HOST> — Host of running server

Default value: localhost
--port <PORT> — Master port of the running server. Resolution: this flag, then RODEO_PORT, then 44872

Default value: 44872
--place <PLACE> — Launch Studio: empty (no value), place ID (number), or file path (.rbxl/.rbxlx)
--dom-id <DOM_ID> — Pin the run to a specific DOM by id (from rodeo state; unique prefix ok). Only —context may accompany it — no mode/dom routing
--place.universe <UNIVERSE_ID> — Universe ID (resolved from place ID if omitted)
--focus — Bring Studio to the front on launch (default: background). Studio only takes keyboard focus when it opens on the display you are working on; on another display it is raised there and your focus stays put
--detach — Keep Studio/Player running after rodeo exits
--show-widgets <WIDGETS> — Allow-list of Studio dock widgets to keep visible; everything else (panels, ribbon, command bar) is hidden. none hides all; a comma list keeps those (aliases: output, explorer, properties, editor, toolbox, assistant, ribbon, commandbar, rodeo (this serve’s own panel); or a raw panel ID). Restored on exit
--profile <PROFILE> — Enable microprofiler auto-capture and collect dumps (optional: output directory)
--save <SAVE> — Save Studio place on exit, optionally to a specific path. With —studio-id/—dom-id instead of —place, saves that Studio after a successful run, like rodeo save <id> [--out <path>]
--fflag.override <KEY=VALUE> — Set FFlag override (Key=Value, repeatable)
--fflag.file <PATH> — Load FFlag overrides from a JSON file

`rodeo state`

Show the canonical rodeo state: studios, their DOMs, and runs

Usage: rodeo state [OPTIONS]

Options:

--json — Print the raw state snapshot as JSON
--host <HOST> — Host of running server

Default value: localhost
--port <PORT> — Master port of the running server. Resolution: this flag, then RODEO_PORT, then 44872

Default value: 44872

`rodeo kill`

Kill a run or close a Studio by id

Usage: rodeo kill [OPTIONS] <ID>

Arguments:

<ID> — Run ID or Studio ID (from rodeo state; prefixes accepted). Killing a Studio fails its active runs as disconnected

Options:

--host <HOST> — Host of running server

Default value: localhost
--port <PORT> — Master port of the running server. Resolution: this flag, then RODEO_PORT, then 44872

Default value: 44872

`rodeo save`

Save the Studio place

Usage: rodeo save [OPTIONS] [ID]

Arguments:

<ID> — Studio ID to save (from rodeo state; prefixes accepted). Defaults to the only connected Studio

Options:

--out <OUT> — Copy saved file to this output path (overrides the default of copying back to the launch’s SOURCE_PATH)
--host <HOST> — Host of running server

Default value: localhost
--port <PORT> — Master port of the running server. Resolution: this flag, then RODEO_PORT, then 44872

Default value: 44872

`rodeo setup`

Generate type definitions, configure .luaurc, and install the rodeo skill into the project’s .claude/skills and .agents/skills folders (those that exist), replacing a copy for an older rodeo

Usage: rodeo setup

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