Spotlight CLI

The Spotlight CLI (spotlight) integrates Spotlight into your terminal workflow. Wrap your app to automatically capture telemetry, or stream events directly to your terminal.

Why Use the CLI?

• Automatic instrumentation: spotlight run sets up environment variables and captures output automatically
• Real-time streaming: View errors, logs, and traces directly in your terminal
• Multiple output formats: Human-readable, JSON, logfmt, or Markdown
• Docker Compose support: Auto-injects configuration into containerized services
• Scriptable: Perfect for CI/CD pipelines and automation

Installation

npx

No installation needed:

npx @spotlightjs/spotlight run

npm global

npm install -g @spotlightjs/spotlight

Binary

Download standalone binary to ~/.local/bin/spotlight:

curl -sL https://spotlightjs.com/install.sh | sh

Docker

docker run -p 8969:8969 ghcr.io/getsentry/spotlight:latest

Commands

spotlight run Wrap your app to automatically capture telemetry and stream events.

spotlight tail Stream and filter events in real-time. Connect to an existing sidecar or start a new one.

spotlight server Start the sidecar server with web UI at localhost:8969.

spotlight mcp Start MCP server for AI coding assistants like Cursor and Claude.

CLI vs Desktop App

| | CLI | Desktop App | |---|---|---| | Best for | Terminal workflows, automation | Visual debugging, dedicated window | | Platform | All (via Node.js or binary) | macOS (Win/Linux coming soon) | | Output | Terminal + browser UI | Built-in UI | | Features | Wrap apps, stream to files, CI/CD | Auto-updates, native experience |

Learn more about Desktop App →

Reference

Complete CLI Reference All commands, options, and environment variables