| name | computer-use |
| description | Use Orca's computer-use CLI for OS/window-level inspection and input in visible local app windows. Use when a task must read or operate a native app or an external browser window (for example, Chrome, Edge, or Safari) or an app webview. Do not use for Orca's embedded browser or page-only browser automation. Use `orca-cli` for Orca's embedded pages and a page-automation tool such as Playwright or CDP for external pages. |
Computer Use
This file is a discovery stub, not the usage guide. The full, version-matched computer-use
reference is served by the orca binary itself — kept out of this file on purpose so it can
never drift from the binary that will actually run your commands.
Engage Orca's computer-use surface when a task requires desktop-level access to a visible local
app or window, including a native app or an external browser window/webview. Do not use for
Orca's embedded browser or page-only browser automation. Use orca-cli for Orca's embedded
pages and a page-automation tool such as Playwright or CDP for external pages.
Resolve the CLI for this session
Choose the executable once and reuse it for every later command:
- If the
ORCA_CLI_COMMAND environment variable is set, use its value. Orca exports this
for managed WSL sessions.
- Otherwise, in a dev checkout whose session exposes
ORCA_DEV_REPO_ROOT, use orca-dev.
- Otherwise, on Linux outside an Orca-managed terminal, use
orca-ide. Never run bare
orca there — outside Orca's terminals it normally resolves to the
GNOME Orca screen reader (/usr/bin/orca) and starts speech on the user's machine.
- Otherwise, use
orca.
Below, ORCA is a placeholder for the executable you resolved. Substitute it before
running anything; do not create a shell variable or run ORCA 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 Orca build.
Load the full guide before running Orca commands
ORCA 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 Orca releases, and this file deliberately no longer lists them. Confirm the
app is up with ORCA status --json (start it with ORCA open --json if needed), and
prefer --json for agent-driven calls.
If an older Orca 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:
ORCA status --json
ORCA computer capabilities --json
ORCA computer list-apps --json
Then tell the user that updating Orca restores the full, version-matched guide via
ORCA skills get computer-use. Beyond these commands, ask the user rather than guessing a
command surface this older binary may not support.
