# The command line

> Sign in, manage the wallet, and code with the same models and payment method from a terminal.

Section: Using Katara. Web page: https://docs.katara.com/customers/cli/

The Katara CLI is a coding assistant that works in a git repository, plus a few account commands. It uses the same account, models and payment method as the chat app: account credits, which a new account starts on, or USDC from your wallet. Like the chat app it pays from Live.

## Sign in

```sh
katara login
```

Opens the browser for sign-in and stores the session in your OS keychain.

## Money

These commands manage the wallet, for paying with USDC. Credits and the payment method are under **Billing** in the portal.

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `katara balance` | spendable, balance, approval, faucet state, and the next step |
| `katara faucet` | mint test USDC to your wallet where a faucet runs; `katara balance` shows whether one does |
| `katara fund` | print your address (and a QR code) for a transfer |
| `katara budget` | show the budget |
| `katara budget follow` | no cap: the approved amount follows the balance |
| `katara budget set 20` | cap the approved amount at 20 USDC |

Approving spending needs a passkey, so that step happens in the browser: `katara balance` tells you when it is needed.

## Coding

```sh
cd your-repo
katara --model katara/llama-3.1-8b-instruct@1
```

After each reply the CLI prints the tokens used and the cost in USDC for the message and the session. Your repository is not uploaded; only the conversation is synced to your account.

When a request cannot be served, the CLI prints the reason and the command that fixes it, for example `katara fund` when the balance is empty.