Actionbox CLI

Actionbox is input() for software that cannot wait at the terminal. The CLI lets scripts, CI jobs, scheduled tasks, and AI agents ask a human for a decision and continue when the answer arrives.

Install

Install the platform-specific CLI wrapper from PyPI:

python -m pip install actionbox

Get started

Create a Source in the Actionbox dashboard, then configure the CLI with its API key:

actionbox configure
actionbox doctor
actionbox ask "Deploy to production?" --option approve --option reject --wait

Attach a structured Decision Brief when the reviewer needs the reason, risk, and rollback path in front of them:

actionbox ask "Deploy 2.18.0?" \
  --assignee-email reviewer@example.com \
  --option approve --option reject \
  --decision-class production_deployment \
  --decision-context-json @decision-context.json \
  --wait

--assignee-email routes the Action to an active reviewer in the Source workspace. You can instead use --assignee-user-id with the stable ID copied from Settings → Team. Both flags are optional; use at most one. Omit both to use the workspace default reviewer or normal plan routing.

decision-context.json uses the same decision_context object documented by the API. Supporting diffs, logs, metrics, commands, and links still belong in --context-json.

When actionbox get ACTION_ID --json includes a pending context_request, add the requested evidence or Decision Brief to that same Action:

actionbox update ACTION_ID \
  --decision-class production_deployment \
  --decision-context-json @decision-context.json \
  --context-json @evidence.json

If the requested material cannot be supplied, say so rather than leaving the reviewer waiting:

actionbox update ACTION_ID \
  --context-unavailable "Production data is not accessible to this worker." \
  --context-unavailable-code cannot_access

The waiting command exits after the Action is resolved. Stopping it with Ctrl+C only stops local polling; the Action remains open in Actionbox.

In recognized GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, and CircleCI environments, the CLI adds bounded origin metadata such as the workflow reference, repository or branch labels, and build URL. Use --no-origin when that context should not be sent with an Action.

Paid plans can attach secondary operations with --controls-json. Callback controls require --callback-url. ActionBox delivers a signed request to that URL, and your integration decides how to execute it.

actionbox send "Worker failed" \
  --callback-url https://example.com/actionbox \
  --controls-json '[{"key":"retry","label":"Retry worker","kind":"callback"}]'

Scheduled-job monitoring

Create and manage heartbeat Watches from the CLI, or wrap an existing command so Actionbox receives start, success, and failure signals:

actionbox watch list
export ACTIONBOX_WATCH_URL="https://api.actionbox.cloud/hb/..."
actionbox run -- ./backup.sh

Keep Source API keys and Watch URLs in a secret manager or protected CI environment. Supplying the Watch URL through ACTIONBOX_WATCH_URL keeps it out of the Actionbox process arguments. Do not embed capabilities in browser code, logs, or source control.

Documentation

• Actionbox documentation
• Actionbox website

License

MIT.