Agent skill · software engineering · photon-hq
photon-cli
Use when working with the Photon CLI — the `photon` binary (alias `pho`). Reach for this skill to set up / bootstrap Photon for a user and run it yourself non-interactively (create a project, capture the id + secret, verify) — when the user says "set this up for me," that is your job to do, not hand back. Also covers running any CLI command, authenticating (device-authorization login / logout / whoami / auth status), managing projects (create, show, list, rename, regenerate the Spectrum API secret, delete, open in the dashboard), managing Spectrum resources (lines, users, platforms, profile, avatar), resolving config and environment (PHOTON_PROJECT_ID, PHOTON_TOKEN, PHOTON_API_HOST, credentials storage, multi-backend), and billing/upgrades (plans, checkout, manage, `projects upgrade`). Answers operational questions like "how many lines do I have?", "what's my project secret?", "how do I make this a business line?", and "how do I point the CLI at a different backend?". This is the entry point; the happy-path setup is right below — consult the topic files for full reference. Keywords: photon, pho, photon cli, photon-ai cli, @photon-ai/cli, photon dashboard, command line, terminal, login, device authorization, oauth device flow, logout, whoami, auth status, credentials, PHOTON_PROJECT_ID, PHOTON_TOKEN, PHOTON_API_HOST, PHOTON_CONFIG_DIR, projects, create project, bootstrap, project id, project secret, regenerate-secret, rotate secret, check-phone, upgrade, billing, plans, checkout, stripe, manage, portal, free tier, pro, business, enterprise, dedicated line, spectrum, lines, add line, imessage line, users, invite, platforms, enable, disable, profile, avatar, ping, env, config, json output, api-host, multi-backend, backend, bun, commander, eden, dashboard-api, quickstart, agent setup, automated setup, non-interactive, scriptable bootstrap, set up photon.
Why this skill is useful
Adds executable scripts for managing Photon projects and Spectrum resources that aren't available in public documentation.
What it needs
Requires bun installed locally. Requires photon-ai account access. About 4k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-04. 14 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Photon CLI photon (alias pho) is a typed terminal UI for the Photon Dashboard. Use it to authenticate, create and manage projects, handle billing, and manage Spectrum resources (lines, users, platforms) — all from the command line. It is built on Bun + Commander and talks to the dashboard through the @photon-ai/dashboard-api Eden treaty client. Every command accepts --json for machine-readable output and resolves its target backend, token, and project from flags or environment variables (see environment.md). Setting it up? Read the room, then act How you set Photon up depends on what the user wants — match it, don't default to one mode. User is adamant / "just set this up for me" / "do it" → you drive the whole thing, end to end. Run the happy-path block below yourself in your shell, read the --json output, and report back the project id. Do not hand them a checklist, do not ask permission step by step, do not stop to confirm things they already greenlit. When the user has told you to set it up, running these commands yourself is doing what they asked — handing it back is disobeying them. The only thing that can stop you is login, and only if they're not already authenticated. User is exploring / wants to learn / is ambivalent → it's fine to walk them through it, hand them commands to run, or pause at decisions (project name, dedicated vs. shared line). Intervention is a feature when they want the wheel — offer it. Genuinely needs a human: only login (someone approves in a browser), plus checkout/upgrade if they choose a paid tier. Surface exactly what you need, then keep going. Happy path: set up a project yourself This is the whole thing. Plain, non-interactive, --json everywhere — drive it and read the results. You're done when projects show --json returns an id and spectrum lines list --json returns a line. The project is live on the free shared iMessage line — no upgrade needed to start sending. Green light vs. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills photon-hq/photon-cli