Computer Use

This file is a discovery stub, not the usage guide. The full, version-matched computer-use reference is served by the terminalx binary itself — kept out of this file on purpose so it can never drift from the binary that will actually run your commands.

Engage TerminalX's computer-use surface whenever you must inspect or operate a local desktop app window — reading its accessibility tree, taking screenshots, or performing safe UI actions (click controls, type, press keys, scroll, drag, set values). It also covers browser windows, webviews, and TerminalX's own UI. Triggers include "computer use", "terminalx computer", "read Spotify", "read Slack", "control/click/read in a desktop app", and "get app state".

Resolve the CLI for this session

Choose the executable once and reuse it for every later command:

• If the TERMINALX_CLI_COMMAND environment variable is set, use its value. TerminalX exports this for managed WSL sessions.
• Otherwise, in a dev checkout whose session exposes TERMINALX_DEV_REPO_ROOT, use terminalx-dev.
• Otherwise, on Linux outside a TerminalX-managed terminal, use terminalx-ide. That is the executable name the Linux package installs; bare terminalx is not on PATH outside TerminalX's terminals.
• Otherwise, use terminalx.

Below, TERMINALX is a placeholder for the executable you resolved. Substitute it before running anything; do not create a shell variable or run TERMINALX literally. This works the same way in POSIX shells, PowerShell, and cmd.exe.

If the selected executable cannot run, report its exact error and stop. Do not fall through to another executable, which could silently target a different TerminalX build.

Load the full guide before running TerminalX commands

TERMINALX skills get computer-use

That prints the complete, version-matched guide for the exact binary that will handle your next commands — listing apps/windows, reading UI, and driving clicks, typing, and other accessibility actions. Read it first, then run the specific command you need.

Don't guess subcommands or flags from memory or from a cached copy of this stub. They change between TerminalX releases, and this file deliberately no longer lists them. Confirm the app is up with TERMINALX status --json (start it with TERMINALX open --json if needed), and prefer --json for agent-driven calls.

If an older TerminalX does not recognize skills get

Use this fallback only when the selected binary explicitly reports that skills get is an unknown command. Another failure is not proof of an older binary; report it rather than guessing or changing executables. For a confirmed pre-guide binary, use only this bounded, read-only bootstrap to orient. Do not dead-end and do not invent commands:

TERMINALX status --json
TERMINALX computer capabilities --json
TERMINALX computer list-apps --json

Then tell the user that updating TerminalX restores the full, version-matched guide via TERMINALX skills get computer-use. Beyond these commands, ask the user rather than guessing a command surface this older binary may not support.