# ReAct CLI agent

> Run the public repository’s interactive file assistant with tools and saved sessions.

This example is a complete agent with model calls, file tools, multi-turn history and session persistence. Run it from the **public Polaris repository**, rather than copying individual modules into your application.

## 1. Get the matching source

You need Git, Rust 1.97.0 or newer and an Anthropic API key. From a directory where you keep projects:

```sh
git clone https://github.com/RadiantAILabs/polaris.git
cd polaris
git checkout 5ff84646db63589d58bf87956976d749b8c754de
rustup override set 1.97.0
mkdir -p sandbox
```

All following commands run from this repository root. The working directory must exist: the CLI canonicalises it at startup.

## 2. Configure the model

Set `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` using your usual environment or secret manager. The CLI also loads a `.env` file through `dotenvy`. Keep secrets out of Git.

The pinned repository example has an older hardcoded model in `examples/src/bin/cli.rs`. Before running it, change the `AgentConfig::new(...)` model identifier to `anthropic/claude-sonnet-5-5`, or another model available to your Anthropic account. There is no `--model` CLI flag at this pinned revision. The [first-agent tutorial](/docs/polaris/getting-started/your-first-agent.md#2-add-a-model-call) shows how to select a model through `POLARIS_MODEL` instead.

## 3. Run a session

```sh
cargo run -p examples --features polaris/anthropic --bin cli -- ./sandbox --session first-run
```

The explicit `polaris/anthropic` feature matters: the example imports `AnthropicPlugin`, but its Cargo dependency does not enable that provider by default.

At the prompt, try:

```text
What files are in the working directory?
```

Then try:

```text
Create a file named hello.txt containing Hello from Polaris.
```

The agent can call `list_files`, `read_file` and `write_file`. The example requests confirmation for writes. Follow the terminal prompt, then check the file in `sandbox/`. The filesystem tools constrain paths to this directory; this is an example-specific tool policy, not a general operating-system sandbox.

## Continue or revisit a session

| Command            | Purpose                           |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------- |
| `/help`            | Show commands                     |
| `/history`         | Inspect conversation history      |
| `/save`            | Persist the current session       |
| `/sessions`        | List saved sessions               |
| `/info`            | Inspect the current session       |
| `/rollback <turn>` | Restore a conversation checkpoint |
| `/clear`           | Clear conversation history        |
| `/exit`            | Leave the CLI                     |

Sessions are stored under `data/` relative to the process working directory. Re-run the same command with `--session first-run` to resume. A conversation rollback does not undo files written by tools.

## Optional trace export

Enable the `otel` build feature as well as supplying an endpoint:

```sh
cargo run -p examples --features polaris/anthropic,otel --bin cli -- ./sandbox \
  --session traced-run --otel http://localhost:4318/v1/traces
```

Add `--capture-content` if you want model messages and tool payloads recorded. Without it, content payloads are omitted. The `--otel` flag alone cannot enable export in a binary compiled without the feature. For a hosted project, follow [Radiant Platform setup](/docs/platform/connect-your-agent.md) for the endpoint and authentication configuration.

## Troubleshooting

* **No such file or directory:** create `sandbox` before starting.
* **Unresolved `AnthropicPlugin`:** use the exact feature flag in the run command above.
* **Authentication or model-access error:** check your key and access to the configured model.
* **No trace arrives:** enable `otel` at build time, confirm the collector is running and inspect exporter errors.
* **Unexpected earlier history:** choose a new `--session` value or inspect the existing session with `/history`.

Next, [walk through the ReAct graph](/docs/polaris/guides/building-a-react-agent.md).