Factory Droid CLI

Factory Droid CLI setup guide — install and configure this AI software engineering agent with Nova Router. Supports end-to-end development from planning to testing.

Project Introduction

Droid CLI is a command-line tool developed by Factory AI, designed to run as an AI software engineering agent. It allows users to interact with various large language models through the terminal, build, debug, and refactor code, and even create complete applications.

Official Homepage: https://factory.ai/product/cli
Official Documentation: https://docs.factory.ai/cli/getting-started/quickstart

Demo

Features

Category	Feature	Value/Capability	Example/Notes
Quick Start with CLI	30-second installation; launch droid interactive session in project directory; supports macOS/Linux and Windows	Rapid integration into current projects, no new tools required	Windows Installation: `irm https://app.factory.ai/cli/windows \| iex`; Launch: `droid`
End-to-End Feature Development	Full-process automation from planning to implementation to testing; transparent review process	Accelerate delivery, maintain human oversight	Native diff viewing and approval process (see "Transparency and Control")
Deep Codebase Understanding	Integrates organizational shared knowledge from codebases, documentation, issue tracking; context-aware, improves over time	More accurate suggestions and changes	Continuously leverages knowledge across repositories and documents
Engineering System Integration	Native integration with Jira, Notion, Slack, and other tools; development work stays synchronized with team processes	Reduce tool switching and information silos	"etc." indicates more integrations
Production-Grade Automation	Workflows reusable locally and in CI/CD; enterprise-grade security and compliance built-in	Consistency and auditability	Adapts to pipelines and enterprise environments
Enterprise Capabilities	Private deployment options, SOC-2 compliance, air-gapped environments	Meets security and compliance requirements	Prioritizes security and quality
Enhance Existing Tools	Works in terminal, IDE, and existing development environments; no need to switch editors or learn new interfaces	Maintain existing work habits, low migration cost	Deep integration with familiar tools
Transparency and Control	Every decision is visible and reviewable; complete oversight of code changes; native diff viewing and approval workflows	Reduce risk, enhance controllability	Audit-friendly, traceable
Model Flexibility	Not locked to a single AI provider; choose the best model per task; consistent organizational behavior and memory	Optimal choice between performance and cost	Supports multi-model routing
Next Steps & Resources	Quickstart, Common Use Cases, IDE Integration, Configuration, AGENTS.md	Facilitates adoption and practice	See "Next steps/Additional resources" on the page

AI Model Configuration Method

Windows Graphical Guide

1. Open Terminal

windows_open_terminal

2. Install Factory Droid CLI

Official one-click installation command:

One-click Installation Command

irm https://app.factory.ai/cli/windows | iex

windows-install

3. Modify Configuration File

Droid CLI can be connected to Nova Router without relying on the old setup script or branded screenshots.

Windows Manual Configuration Guide

Run droid for the first time and enter the custom model or third-party API setup flow
Find the Base URL or API Base URL field
Enter your Nova Router site address
Find the API Key field and paste the key copied from the Nova Router console
If the interface expects a full API path, enter https://<your-service-domain>/v1
If the tool auto-normalizes the address, you can start with https://<your-service-domain>

The configuration is typically written to:

C:\Users\<your-username>\.factory\config.json

If model calls still fail after saving, reopen the terminal and run droid again.

4. Start Using Droid CLI

Now you can start using Droid CLI!

Launch Droid CLI

Launch Droid CLI directly:

droid

Use in a specific project:

# Navigate to your project directory
cd C:\path\to\your\project

# Launch Droid CLI
droid

Press Enter to launch Droid CLI.

Droid CLI requires users to log in to an official account (free) before use.

5. Windows Common Issues Solution

Installation prompts "permission denied" error

This is usually a permission issue. Try the following solutions:

Run PowerShell as an administrator
Or configure npm to use the user directory: npm config set prefix %APPDATA%\npm

PowerShell Execution Policy Error

If you encounter an execution policy restriction, run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

macOS/Linux Graphical Guide

1. Install Droid CLI

Install Droid CLI

Open your terminal and run the following command:

curl -fsSL https://app.factory.ai/cli | sh

macos-open-terminal

Follow the installation prompts to modify environment variables (copy the installation prompt code directly):

For Linux, choose ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc as appropriate.

Droid CLI Environment Variables (Example Only)

echo 'export PATH=/Users/modify_here/.local/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

2. Modify Configuration File

Droid CLI can also be configured manually on macOS/Linux:

macOS/Linux Manual Configuration Guide

Run droid for the first time
Enter the custom model or third-party API configuration flow
Fill Base URL with your Nova Router site address
Fill API Key with the key copied from the Nova Router console
If a full endpoint is required, enter https://<your-service-domain>/v1
If the CLI auto-normalizes the address, https://<your-service-domain> is enough

Common config file path:

~/.factory/config.json

After saving, restart droid to load the updated model provider settings.

3. Start Using Droid CLI