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Overview

Starting with version 0.2.0, the ByteRover CLI command has been renamed from br to brv to avoid conflicts with broot, another popular CLI tool that also uses the br command. This is a breaking change that requires action from existing users.

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What Changed

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1. Command Name

  • Old: br [command]
  • New: brv [command]

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2. ByteRover Directory in Local Project

  • Old: .br/
  • New: .brv/

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Migration Instructions

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Step 1: Push any local context (playbook.json) to ByteRover’s remote memory storage

cd to/your/project
br push

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Step 2: Uninstall the Old CLI

npm uninstall -g byterover-cli

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Step 3: Install the New CLI

npm install -g byterover-cli

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Step 4: Verify Installation

brv --version
You should see version 0.2.0 or higher.

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Step 5: Migrate Existing Projects

For each project where you’ve been using the ByteRover CLI:
  1. Manually remove old ByteRover’s rules in your agent’s instructions
    • If you open (let’s say CLAUDE.md) and see the mentioned commands are still br , these are ByteRover’s old rules. Go ahead and delete the whole content.
  2. Remove the old ByteRover config folder 
    rm -rf .br
  3. Re-authenticate (your old credentials won’t carry over): 
    brv login
  4. Re-initialize the project: 
    brv init
    Select the same space you were using before.
  5. Verify the configuration: 
    brv status
  6. Pull existing memories (optional): 
    brv retrieve --query "your project context"

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Step 6: Update Scripts and Documentation

If you have any scripts, CI/CD pipelines, or documentation that reference the br command, update them to use brv instead: Before: 
br login
br init
br push
After: 
brv login
brv init
brv push

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What Happens to Your Data?

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Credentials

  • Your authentication credentials stored in the system keychain are not automatically migrated
  • You will need to run brv login again to authenticate

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Cloud Data

  • All data stored in ByteRover’s cloud (memories, playbooks pushed with br push) remains completely intact
  • You can retrieve this data using brv retrieve or by pushing/pulling from your newly configured projects

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Troubleshooting

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Issue: command not found: brv

Solution: Make sure you’ve installed the new version: 
npm install -g byterover-cli
npm list -g  # byterover-cli should show version 0.2.0 or higher

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Issue: Project not initialized error

Solution: The new CLI can’t find the .brv/ directory:
  1. Run brv init to set up the project again

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Issue: Authentication fails

Solution: Run brv login to authenticate with the new CLI. Old credentials are not migrated.

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Issue: Can’t find my old playbooks/memories

Solution: Your cloud data is safe! Use brv retrieve --query "..." to pull memories from ByteRover’s cloud storage.

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Timeline

  • Version 0.1.x: Uses br command (deprecated)
  • Version 0.2.0+: Uses brv command
We recommend migrating as soon as possible, as future updates will only support the brv command.

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Need Help?

If you encounter issues during migration:
  1. Check this migration guide
  2. Run brv [command] --help for command-specific help
  3. Contact ByteRover support

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FAQ

Q: Why did you change the command name? A: The br command conflicts with broot, a popular file manager that many developers use. We chose brv as a shortened version of “ByteRover” to avoid this conflict. Q: Will my teammates need to migrate too? A: Yes, everyone on your team should migrate to the new brv command to ensure consistency. Q: Can I use both br and brv temporarily? A: Technically no - when you install the new version, the br command will no longer be available. We recommend coordinating the migration across your team. Q: What about my existing workflows and CI/CD pipelines? A: You’ll need to update all references from br to brv. This includes:
  • Shell scripts
  • GitHub Actions / GitLab CI / Jenkins pipelines
  • Docker files
  • Documentation
  • Team wikis
Q: Is there a way to alias br to brv? A: Yes, you can create a shell alias if you want, but we recommend using brv directly to avoid confusion: 
# Add to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
alias br='brv'
Thank you for using ByteRover CLI! Last updated: 2025-11-04