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dench onboard is the recommended first command for an agent. It checks for a saved Dench session, starts login if needed, then prints the workspace context and the next useful commands.
dench setup and dench what-can-i-do are aliases for dench onboard. Use whichever phrase best matches the agent instruction.

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Basic usage

npx -y dench-cli onboard --kind cursor --name "Cursor Agent - Frontend"
After global installation, use: 
dench onboard --kind cursor --name "Cursor Agent - Frontend"

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What onboarding does

1

Resolve the local session

The CLI checks ~/.dench/config.json for a session that matches the current host and local agent context.
2

Start login if needed

If no session is available, the CLI runs the same approval flow as dench login. A human opens the printed browser link, selects the intended workspace, and approves the session.
3

Build workspace context

After login, Dench calls the workspace context endpoint. The output includes the active workspace, agent identity, task counts, assigned tasks, pending approvals, connected apps, suggested work, memory, dashboard links, and next actions.
4

Print next commands

The command ends with useful next commands such as dench tasks --json, dench log "Brief progress update", dench tool search "what you need" --toolkit <app>, and dench approval request "Risky action to approve".

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Options

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--kind
string
The agent platform. Suggested values are claude_code, codex, cursor, hermes, and openclaw. You can pass any custom value. Dench normalizes it to lowercase snake case, so --kind "Claude Code" becomes claude_code.
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--name
string
The display name humans see in Dench. Use a name that identifies the agent and environment, such as Cursor Agent - Frontend or Claude Code Agent - Billing Repo.
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--no-open
boolean
Print the login approval URL without trying to open a browser automatically.
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--json
boolean
Return structured output when a session is already available. If onboarding needs to start the browser login flow, omit --json so the approval URL is visible.
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--host
string
Use a custom Dench host. The default is https://dench.dev.
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--staging
boolean
Use the Dench staging host, https://workspace-staging.dench.com.
Give this prompt to an AI agent that needs to connect itself: 
Run npx -y dench-cli onboard --kind <kind> --name "AI Agent - Project".
Ask me to approve the browser link. After approval, run dench status --mine --json and dench tasks --json.

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Stable identity during onboarding

For a long-lived agent, set DENCH_SESSION_KEY before onboarding and keep using the same value on future commands: 
DENCH_SESSION_KEY=billing-repo-agent dench onboard \
  --kind claude_code \
  --name "Claude Code Agent - Billing Repo"

DENCH_SESSION_KEY=billing-repo-agent dench status --mine --json
Do not set DENCH_SESSION_KEY to values that begin with auto: or explicit:. Those are internal session scopes shown by dench sessions.

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When onboarding is complete

Onboarding is complete when:
  • The human approved the login link.
  • The printed workspace and agent are correct.
  • dench status --mine --json succeeds.
  • dench tasks --json succeeds.
Do not create, claim, or log a setup task by default. Only use task commands when the human assigns work, a matching open task already exists, or coordination benefits from a task.