Cycle CLI

cycle-cli runs a Feature File, playlist, or group test from the command line, without opening the Cycle desktop app. The tests are the ones you already author in Cycle. What changes is who starts them: a build server, a scheduler, or a script, rather than a person clicking Run.

When to reach for cycle-cli

Situation	Why cycle-cli fits
A pipeline needs to run tests on every commit or release	It runs unattended, taking credentials on the command instead of through a sign-in prompt.
Tests need to run overnight or between shifts	Windows Task Scheduler can invoke it directly. See Scheduling Cycle Executions.
The machine running the tests has no one signed in	It runs headless, with no interactive Windows session required.
One run needs to cover many tests	A single invocation accepts several Feature Files, or a playlist.
Several runs need to share one machine	Parallel instances are supported. See Running cycle-cli in parallel.

If you are still writing or debugging a test, use the desktop app instead. cycle-cli skips steps that prompt the user, and the app gives you results as you iterate. See Executing Features.

Why run tests from the command line?

• Results a pipeline can act on: Cycle can emit a JUnit XML report, which CI systems parse into test result views, historical trends, and recurring-failure reports. See JUnit XML Reports.
• The same settings your team tests with: point a run at a .cycproj file and it uses that project's execution settings, so a command-line result is not configured differently from a desktop one.
• Credentials that belong to the subscription, not a person: a pipeline can authenticate with a client ID and secret rather than an individual's token, so the run does not break when someone changes roles. See Running Cycle CLI in Pipelines.
• Control over each run: parameters select the tags to execute, the error handling strategy, the report output directory, and the log level. See Cycle CLI Commands and Parameters.

Driving cycle-cli through an AI coding agent

You can also delegate cycle-cli runs to a connected AI coding agent (Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and so on) using Cycle's MCP server. The agent authors, validates, runs, and inspects failures structurally on your behalf. See Cycle MCP.