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New to the CLI? Start with Install the Mesh CLI and Using the Mesh CLI. If something isn’t working, find your symptom below.

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‘meshapi: command not found’ / ‘not recognized’

The install worked, but your terminal hasn’t picked up the new PATH — almost always because the close-and-reopen step was skipped.
  1. Close the Terminal / PowerShell window completely and open a new one, then try meshapi again.
  2. Still failing? Re-run pipx ensurepath, then open another new window:

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‘py’ or ‘python3: command not found’

Python isn’t installed, or (on Windows) the PATH checkbox wasn’t ticked during install.
  • Redo Install → Step 1.
  • On Windows, make sure you tick “Add python.exe to PATH” on the first installer screen before clicking Install.

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pipx mentions a missing ‘uv’ backend

Install with the pip backend instead:

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Wrong key or typo

Re-enter your API key from inside the CLI — no need to restart:
Then paste the correct rsk_... key. Grab a fresh one from app.meshapi.ai → API Keys if needed.

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‘Insufficient balance’ (402)

Your account balance is exhausted.
  • Top up at app.meshapi.ai, or
  • Switch to a cheaper model with /model (use /models to compare prices).
This is the same spend_limit_exceeded / 402 you’d see from the API — see Mesh API debugging.

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Updating to a newer version

The CLI offers new versions by itself — just press y when prompted. To update manually, quit with /exit and run:
Confirm with meshapi --version. See Staying up to date for details.

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It won’t write files or run commands automatically

That’s the permission mode, shown in the colored bar at the bottom.
  • default (green) asks before every file write, command, or search — that’s why it keeps prompting.
  • Press Shift+Tab to cycle to accept edits, auto, or bypass permissions for less prompting.
  • Even in bypass permissions, genuinely dangerous actions (rm -rf, sudo, writing to ~/.ssh) still stop and ask. See Commands & permission modes.

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What do the y / a / n prompts mean?

When the CLI wants to touch your computer it asks to approve tool call:
  • y — allow this once.
  • a — allow and don’t ask again for this tool for the rest of the session.
  • n — deny.
If you approved with a and want prompts back, restart the CLI or switch to a stricter permission mode.

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‘No models match’ or /model won’t switch

  • Type /model then start typing — fuzzy suggestions appear; pick with arrows + Enter, or type the full ID (e.g. openai/gpt-4o-mini).
  • /models browses the full catalog with prices; /models <filter> narrows it. A filter matching nothing prints No models match '<filter>' — try a broader term.
  • Prefer not to choose? /route auto lets Mesh pick per prompt (see Auto Routing).

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Pasting the key or text doesn’t work (Windows)

In PowerShell, paste with right-click, not ⌘/Ctrl+V. When pasting your API key on first launch, nothing shows on screen — it’s hidden for security. Type your input and press Enter.

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/memory or /cost look wrong

  • /memory shows what the CLI has learned about the current project — it’s per-folder, so running from a different directory shows different memory.
  • /cost is spend for the current session only; for full history use Dashboard → Logs.

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Connection / network errors

The CLI talks to https://api.meshapi.ai. Behind a corporate proxy or VPN, make sure that host is reachable. A 402 inside the CLI is a balance issue, not a network one — see the balance entry above.

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Still stuck?

Email contact@meshapi.ai with the command you ran, the full output, and your CLI version (meshapi --version). More options on the Support page.