Command-line reference

cressida [--new-instance | -n] [--start-minimized] [--demo] [--smoke-test]
         [--token-file PATH]

Option	Behavior
No options	Start normally, or show/focus the running client.
--start-minimized	Start hidden in the tray; show the window after five seconds if no tray host appears.
--new-instance, -n	Start a separate client instead of activating the running one.
--demo	Open offline sample conversations without account access.
--smoke-test	Render an offline demo frame on an available Wayland compositor, then exit.
--token-file PATH	Read an account token from a file for advanced sign-in.
--help	Print usage and exit.
--version	Print the client version and exit.

--start-minimized affects the first ordinary launch. If a client is already running, another ordinary launch requests Open instead. Demo and smoke-test modes run independently and ignore hidden startup.

Examples

cressida
cressida --start-minimized
cressida --new-instance
cressida --demo

Use your desktop's autostart settings to run the minimized command at login. Cressida does not enable autostart itself.

Environment variables

Variable	Purpose
CRESSIDA_TOKEN	Advanced account token input when no token file is supplied.
CRESSIDA_ASSETS_DIR	Override the complete asset directory, mainly for development or packaging.
CRESSIDA_DEMO_VIEW	Select an offline preview, such as themes, when using demo mode.
XDG_CONFIG_HOME	Parent location for custom theme files.
XDG_STATE_HOME	Parent location for session and UI state.
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR	Parent location for private instance coordination files.

Do not put account tokens in shared scripts, logs or support reports. Use the browser sign-in flow unless you need advanced token input.