---
title: Quickstart, CLI
description: Install the looot CLI, sign in, top up, search the catalog and run your first job from a terminal.
---

1. **Install**

    ```bash
    npm install -g looot
    looot --version
    ```

    Needs **Node.js 20 or newer**. See [Install](/get-started/install) for `looot doctor` and
    output formats.

2. **Sign in**

    ```bash
    looot login
    ```

    Opens a link and a code in your browser. Approve it on looot.ai and the CLI saves your token.
    See [Sign in](/get-started/sign-in).

3. **Check your balance and top up**

    ```bash
    looot balance
    ```

    A new workspace starts at $0. `looot balance` prints the minimum top-up and a link to pay; pay
    at [looot.ai/usage?top_up=1](https://looot.ai/usage?top_up=1). See
    [Before your first run](/money#before-your-first-run).

4. **Search the catalog**

    ```bash
    looot search "scrape a page to markdown"
    ```

    Returns endpoint ids, providers and prices for the job. No account needed for `search` and
    `inspect`; see [Browse without an account](/get-started/browse).

5. **Inspect an endpoint**

    ```bash
    looot inspect <endpoint-id>
    ```

    Use an endpoint id from your search results. Signed in, `inspect` returns the exact input
    schema, the price formula and the estimated maximum cost of one run.

6. **Run it**

    ```bash
    looot run job:web.scrape.markdown --input '{"url":"https://example.com"}' --wait
    ```

    `job:web.scrape.markdown` runs the job: looot picks a provider for you. `--wait` blocks until
    the run finishes and prints it inline.

7. **Read the run**

    ```bash
    looot runs get <run-id>
    looot runs evidence <run-id>
    ```

    `runs get` shows the status, result and cost. `runs evidence` shows every attempt made for
    the run: status, latency, receipt id and cost.

:::note
`looot` 1.1.0 does not accept `--fallback` or `--prefer` yet, and there is no `looot catalog
overview` command in 1.1.0. `looot run job:<id>` still works: the CLI sends whatever you type as
the positional argument. For fallback or `prefer` ordering on a job run today, use the
[MCP](/get-started/quickstart-mcp) or [REST API](/reference) instead.
:::

## Next

[Run your first paid job](/get-started/first-paid-run) walks the same flow in more detail,
including run statuses and idempotency keys.

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