cli.mdx

title	Run FFmpeg from your terminal
sidebarTitle	CLI
description	Install the rb binary, sign in, and run any ffmpeg command in the cloud from your shell. Local files upload and download for you.
icon	terminal
keywords	rb cli rendobar command line ffmpeg cli cloud ffmpeg rb ffmpeg rb install rb login rendobar github actions
canonical	https://rendobar.com/docs/cli

<script type="application/ld+json" dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: JSON.stringify({ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "TechArticle", "@id": "https://rendobar.com/docs/cli/#article", "headline": "Run FFmpeg from your terminal", "description": "Install the rb binary, sign in, and run any ffmpeg command in the cloud from your shell. Local files upload and download for you.", "datePublished": "2026-06-22", "dateModified": "2026-06-22", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://rendobar.com/#organization" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://rendobar.com/#organization" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://rendobar.com/#website" } }) }} /> `rb` runs FFmpeg in the cloud from your shell. Write the same `ffmpeg` command you'd run locally, prefix it with `rb`, and it uploads your inputs, runs the job, and downloads the result.

```bash curl -fsSL https://rendobar.com/install.sh | sh rb login rb ffmpeg -i clip.mp4 -vf scale=1280:720 -c:v libx264 -crf 23 out.mp4 ``` That's the whole loop. `rb login` opens your browser for OAuth. The render command uploads `clip.mp4`, runs an [`ffmpeg`](/jobs/ffmpeg) job, and writes the output to `out.mp4`. Progress goes to stderr, so stdout stays clean for piping. For a Node or TypeScript program, or for any job type other than `ffmpeg`, use the [SDK](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@rendobar/sdk) instead. The CLI runs `ffmpeg` jobs and the auth around them, nothing else. ## Install ```bash curl -fsSL https://rendobar.com/install.sh | sh ``` ```powershell irm https://rendobar.com/install.ps1 | iex ``` The installer pulls the matching release from [github.com/rendobar/cli/releases](https://github.com/rendobar/cli/releases), checks a SHA-256, drops `rb` at `~/.rendobar/bin/rb` (or `%USERPROFILE%\.rendobar\bin\rb.exe`), and adds it to your PATH. Open a new shell, then verify: ```bash rb --version rb doctor ``` To pin a version for a Dockerfile or provisioning script, set `RENDOBAR_VERSION` before piping: ```bash RENDOBAR_VERSION=v1.0.0 curl -fsSL https://rendobar.com/install.sh | sh ``` `rb update` self-replaces the binary in place (SHA-256 verified, rolls back on failure). To remove `rb`, run `curl -fsSL https://rendobar.com/uninstall.sh | sh` (or the `.ps1` on Windows). ## Authenticate The CLI reads credentials in priority order: the `RENDOBAR_API_KEY` env var, then a saved API key, then a saved OAuth token. ```bash rb login # browser OAuth, saves a refreshing token rb login --key rb_xxx # paste a key for headless or SSH sessions rb whoami # print org, plan, balance rb logout # revoke the token and delete the credential file ``` `rb login` runs an OAuth 2.1 PKCE flow on `http://127.0.0.1:14832/callback`. Access tokens expire after 1 hour and refresh automatically, so you won't see a re-login prompt unless the token is revoked. Credentials live at `~/.config/rendobar/credentials.json` (`%APPDATA%\rendobar\credentials.json` on Windows). Treat that file as a secret. Get an API key from [app.rendobar.com](https://app.rendobar.com) under Settings, API keys. Keys start with `rb_`. ## Commands | Command | What it does | |---|---| | `rb ffmpeg ` | Run FFmpeg in the cloud. Pass real `ffmpeg` flags. Local `-i` inputs upload automatically | | `rb login [--key ]` | Sign in via browser OAuth, or save an API key with `--key` | | `rb logout` | Revoke the token and delete the credential file | | `rb whoami` | Print the current org, plan, and balance | | `rb doctor [--fix]` | Run install and connectivity checks. `--fix` clears the macOS quarantine bit | | `rb update` | Update `rb` to the latest release | ### rb ffmpeg flags These flags belong to `rb ffmpeg`. Everything else after the subcommand passes through to FFmpeg verbatim. | Flag | Effect | |---|---| | `--json` | Print the full job result as JSON to stdout | | `--url-only` | Print only the signed result URL to stdout | | `--quiet` | Print nothing. Read the exit code | | `--no-wait` | Submit and exit, printing the job ID | | `--timeout N` | Server-side execution timeout in seconds. Range 1 to 900, default 120 | Local inputs (`-i ./clip.mp4`) upload before submission and are rewritten to short-lived URLs. Remote inputs (`-i https://...`) pass through untouched. The trailing output filename is where the result downloads to. ### Exit codes | Code | Meaning | |---|---| | `0` | Success | | `1` | Job failed, or a generic runtime error | | `2` | Not authenticated, bad arguments, port in use, or insufficient credits | | `130` | Cancelled with `Ctrl+C`. The CLI tries to cancel the in-flight job first | ## Run it in CI `RENDOBAR_API_KEY` is the only auth path for CI. It beats any saved credential and writes nothing to disk. Don't run `rb login` in a pipeline, the browser flow will hang. ```yaml title=".github/workflows/render.yml" jobs: render: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Install Rendobar CLI run: | curl -fsSL https://rendobar.com/install.sh | sh echo "$HOME/.rendobar/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH" env: RENDOBAR_VERSION: v1.0.0 - name: Render run: rb ffmpeg -i ./input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 23 out.mp4 env: RENDOBAR_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.RENDOBAR_API_KEY }} - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4 with: name: rendered path: out.mp4 ``` `install.sh` updates PATH via shell rc files that later steps don't read, so the `echo … >> "$GITHUB_PATH"` line carries the install dir forward. The same pattern works in GitLab CI or Docker: install with `RENDOBAR_NO_MODIFY_PATH=1`, pass the key as a masked secret, and parse output with `--json` or `--url-only`. ```bash URL=$(rb ffmpeg --url-only -i in.mp4 -c:v libx264 out.mp4) rb ffmpeg --json -i in.mp4 -c:v libx264 out.mp4 | jq -r '.id' ``` The CLI has no `--idempotency-key`. If a retried step must not double-charge, submit via the [SDK](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@rendobar/sdk) or [`POST /jobs`](/jobs/ffmpeg) with an `idempotencyKey` field. ## Common fixes `rb doctor` runs the install and connectivity checks and prints a `fix:` line under any failure. Run it first. The three you'll actually hit: The shell hasn't reloaded. Open a new terminal, or `source ~/.zshrc` / `~/.bashrc`. If you set `RENDOBAR_NO_MODIFY_PATH=1` or a custom `RENDOBAR_INSTALL_DIR`, add it yourself: `export PATH="$HOME/.rendobar/bin:$PATH"`. GitHub Releases rate-limits at 60/hr per IP when unauthenticated. Pass a token: `RENDOBAR_GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_xxx curl -fsSL https://rendobar.com/install.sh | sh`. In GitHub Actions the default `GITHUB_TOKEN` is picked up automatically. Another process holds the OAuth callback port, or your network blocks loopback HTTP. Skip the browser entirely: `rb login --key rb_xxx`. A `Refresh failed: invalid_grant` means the token was revoked, so run `rb logout && rb login`. For anything else, run `rb doctor --json` and file a bug at [github.com/rendobar/cli/issues](https://github.com/rendobar/cli/issues). ## See also - [FFmpeg job reference](/jobs/ffmpeg): the API the CLI calls per run - [API authentication](/quickstart): keys and OAuth across REST and MCP - [SDK](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@rendobar/sdk): every job type, typed, for Node and TypeScript - [Changelog](https://rendobar.com/changelog/): version history and release notes