# Graphite L2 · Gets in

Graphite helps developers stack code changes on top of each other.

**Can an AI agent use Graphite? Yes, without signing up.** Our agent got into Graphite on its own in 6 minutes and did 1 of its 8 core tasks.

Category: Source control · Connects by: MCP, CLI · Agent payments: None found · Driven: 28 Oct 2026

**How to connect**
- CLI install: `npm install -g @withgraphite/graphite-cli` (documented). Source: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@withgraphite/graphite-cli
- Docs page: `https://graphite.com/docs/get-started` (tested in our drive). Source: https://graphite.com/docs/get-started

**Level 2: Gets in.** An agent gets in on its own but does less than half the core work.
- Got in by: Runs locally, no account (6 minutes, no account)
- Got as far as: Use: 1 of 8 core tasks (No payment made)
- To reach L3: Do half of the core work (now 12%).

1 drive, awaiting confirmation

[What the levels mean](https://agentdrives.com/method/levels?via=md)

## From finding it to leaving

What an agent managed without a person, at each step.

1. **Find**: On its own. Docs it can act on: llms.txt and an MCP server. (57 doc pages read)
2. **Get in**: On its own. Got in without signing up. (6 minutes)
3. **Use**: Partly. Did: use the same commands through the built-in MCP server; restack local branches after the main branch moves, once the main branch is pulled with plain git. Not done: open, sync or merge pull requests. (1 of 8 core tasks)
4. **Pay**: Not reached. Paying needs an account.
5. **Leave**: On its own. Nothing to cancel, made nothing to delete.

## Getting in

1 of 4 ways in worked without a person.

The way that worked: **Runs locally, no account**, 6 minutes. No inbox, browser or person needed.

- Agent on a server (API, MCP, CLI): Partly. Without an account (runs locally) it makes its first API call and does 1 of its 8 core tasks, then stops.
- Assistant in its own browser (Like ChatGPT agent): No. Stops at sign-up: it's blocked there.
- Signed agent (Known to Cloudflare): Yes. The sign-up page opens.

| Way in | What happened |
|---|---|
| Runs locally, no account | Worked: Part of the work done |
| Continue with GitHub | Not tried: Not part of this drive |
| CLI code login | Not tried: Not part of this drive |
| Added by an admin | Not tried: Needs a person's account |

## What an agent can do with Graphite

1 of 8 core tasks done, and 6 of 19 others.

- Reliability: core tasks that worked on all 3 runs: 100 of 100
- Handles mistakes: clear errors, retries without duplicates, honest limits: 88 of 100
- Surface tested: documented routes, tools and commands run and checked: 75 of 100
- Docs accuracy: documented operations that behaved as the docs say: 96 of 100
- Docs completeness: how fully the docs describe each operation: 50 of 100

Core tasks:

| Task | Result | Done through | Tried, not done | Offered, not tried |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Create a stacked branch/pull request | Done | MCP, CLI | – | – |
| Sync local stack with remote and restack on top of trunk | Partly | – | CLI | – |
| Submit a stack of PRs to GitHub | Blocked | – | CLI | – |
| Review a pull request (diff, comments, versions) | Blocked | – | – | Web app |
| Get an AI code review on a pull request | Blocked | – | – | Web app |
| Chat with an AI assistant about a PR and apply its edits | Blocked | – | – | Web app |
| Merge a PR or stack through the merge queue | Blocked | – | CLI | – |
| Triage pull requests in a unified inbox | Blocked | – | – | Web app |

6 of 19 other tasks done:

- Reorganize a stack (move, fold, split, squash, reorder branches): Done
- Navigate a stack (checkout, up, down, top, bottom): Done
- Track or untrack an existing git branch with Graphite: Done
- Undo the most recent Graphite mutation: Done
- Distribute staged changes across downstack branches (absorb): Done
- Freeze or unfreeze a branch to prevent accidental edits: Done
- Fetch a teammate's stack locally: Blocked
- Customize AI review behavior with exclusions and custom rules: Blocked
- Create an automation rule to add reviewers, labels, comments or Slack notices on matching PRs: Blocked
- View team engineering insights and metrics: Blocked
- Create a pull request with a Cursor Cloud Agent from a prompt: Blocked
- Receive Slack notifications for PR activity: Blocked
- Use the VS Code extension to create and manage stacked PRs visually: Blocked
- Configure CI optimizations for stacked PRs: Blocked
- Integrate with an external merge queue: Blocked
- Manage organization members and permissions: Blocked
- Configure SAML SSO: Blocked
- Read the organization audit log: Blocked
- Change the subscription plan or seats: Blocked

What it can't do, and why:

- Open, sync or merge pull requests: Needs a Graphite account, and sign-up is only through GitHub.
- Use reviews, AI review, chat and the inbox: These live in the web app behind a GitHub sign-in.
- Get an API key: There is no public API; the CLI token is copied from the web app after sign-in.
- Buy a plan: Card checkout is in the signed-in app; no agent payment option.

**Surface audit:** 59 documented operations, 48 run, 42 passed, 2 not as documented, 8 blocked (sandbox or plan limits), 3 left out to stay safe.

## How an agent connects

MCP, CLI and llms.txt found.

Agent surfaces: API none found · MCP tested · CLI tested · SDK none found · Docs tested · Agent payments none found. Issues found: 7.

- **MCP server**: All tested. Official server. Local stdio via gt mcp, 2 tools, beta. (2 tools across its docs)
- **API**: None found.
- **OpenAPI**: None found.
- **CLI**: 46 tested. gt 1.8.6 (npm @withgraphite/graphite-cli), about 50 commands. (55 commands across its docs)
- **SDK**: None found.
- **llms.txt**: Yes. https://graphite.com/docs/llms.txt
- **Agent payments**: None found. The checkout wasn't reached: Starter, $20 a year.
- **Docs**: Some gaps. Covers getting started and auth. Errors only mentioned in passing. Code examples on only some pages. 1 of 5 documented ways to do the core work worked when tried. https://graphite.com/docs/get-started (57 of 58 pages read)

[The standards](https://agentdrives.com/standard)

## Tips for agent builders

- Install gt from npm (@withgraphite/graphite-cli; the linux-x64 binary package holds the real binary) and pass --no-interactive to every command
- Use gt create -m, gt modify, gt restack, gt absorb and gt fold for local stack work; they need no auth
- Pull trunk with git fetch and git merge --ff-only, then gt restack, when no Graphite token is set
- Add the MCP server with command gt, args [mcp]; check tool text for "ERROR:" since failures are not flagged isError
- gt split, gt reorder, gt config and gt demo are interactive only

## How Graphite compares

In Source control: 1st of 1 Source control product our agent got into on its own.

- **Graphite** (this page): L2, Gets in on its own
- [Bitbucket](https://agentdrives.com/tools/bitbucket.md?via=md): L1, Can't sign up on its own
- [Codeberg](https://agentdrives.com/tools/codeberg.md?via=md): L1, Can't sign up on its own
- [Gitea](https://agentdrives.com/tools/gitea.md?via=md): L1, Can't sign up on its own
- [GitHub](https://agentdrives.com/tools/github.md?via=md): L1, Can't sign up on its own

[All 5 in Source control](https://agentdrives.com/categories/source-control?via=md)

Sorted by level, then work done, then time to the first call. [How we rank](https://agentdrives.com/method?via=md#order)

On our standard (16 criteria: against other source control products where we measured 5 or more, otherwise against every product we measured):

- [Every way in works for an agent](https://agentdrives.com/standard#in-11): **The best result** All 4 others (source control products) lower.
- [Agents pick the right tool](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-05): **Ahead of most** 46 of 65 others (every product) lower, 19 the same.
- [A tool list that fits](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-11): **Ahead of most** 33 of 65 others (every product) lower, 32 the same.
- [Sign-in for agents acting for a person](https://agentdrives.com/standard#in-08): **Level with most** 64 of 119 others (every product) the same, 55 lower.
- [Descriptions that say when to use the tool](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-04): **In the middle** 20 of 65 others (every product) lower, 30 the same, 15 higher.
- [Tool names that sort themselves](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-03): **Level with most** 61 of 65 others (every product) the same, 4 lower.
- [A path written for agents](https://agentdrives.com/standard#docs-10): **Level with most** 71 of 141 others (every product) the same, 39 lower, 31 higher.
- [WebMCP tools on the web app](https://agentdrives.com/standard#proto-02): **The same as all** 4 others (source control products).
- [Typed, tight input schemas](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-06): **Level with most** 39 of 65 others (every product) the same, 10 lower, 16 higher.
- [Docs an agent can navigate](https://agentdrives.com/standard#docs-11): **Level with most** 87 of 141 others (every product) the same, 10 lower, 44 higher.
- [Spend an agent can see and cap](https://agentdrives.com/standard#pay-05): **Level with most** 84 of 118 others (every product) the same, 34 higher.
- [Pages fit one fetch](https://agentdrives.com/standard#docs-08): **Level with most** 87 of 141 others (every product) the same, 54 higher.
- [Export before leaving](https://agentdrives.com/standard#leave-03): **Behind most** 89 of 144 others (every product) higher, 55 the same.
- [Prices an agent can read](https://agentdrives.com/standard#find-06): **Behind most** 81 of 105 others (every product) higher, 14 the same, 10 lower.
- [Truthful annotations](https://agentdrives.com/standard#mcp-07): **Behind most** 48 of 65 others (every product) higher, 17 the same.
- [The best way in is built for agents](https://agentdrives.com/standard#in-12): **Behind most** 3 of 4 others (source control products) higher, 1 the same.

[How each criterion is graded](https://agentdrives.com/standard)

## For the team behind Graphite

**6 things to fix for agents.**

Agent blockers: 3 found · Agent surfaces: 4 issues found. Safety review: no issues found.

Our agent got through Use only in part, and didn't reach Pay. Prove Graphite is yours, then see where each issue is, read your safety findings and ask for a free drive after a fix. How to fix each one comes with the Audit.

- Find: Clear
- Get in: Clear
- Use: Partly
- Pay: Not reached
- Leave: Clear

[Claim Graphite, free](https://agentdrives.com/app/products?add=graphite.dev&ref=listing) · [What a drive covers](https://agentdrives.com/method?via=md)

## Where Graphite fits

- Category: [Developer platform](https://agentdrives.com/categories/developer?via=md), [Source control](https://agentdrives.com/categories/source-control?via=md)
- Tasks: [Create a task or issue](https://agentdrives.com/tasks/create-a-task-or-issue)
- Wall: [Sign-up or key only in a browser](https://agentdrives.com/access/get-in/sign-up) (our agent got in another way)
- Standards: [MCP](https://agentdrives.com/standards/mcp) (tools an agent can call), [llms.txt](https://agentdrives.com/standards/llms-txt) (its docs, listed for agents)
- Steps: [Find](https://agentdrives.com/access/find), [Get in](https://agentdrives.com/access/get-in), [Use](https://agentdrives.com/access/use), [Pay](https://agentdrives.com/access/pay), [Leave](https://agentdrives.com/access/leave)
- Rivals: [Bitbucket](https://agentdrives.com/tools/bitbucket?via=md) (L1), [Codeberg](https://agentdrives.com/tools/codeberg?via=md) (L1), [Gitea](https://agentdrives.com/tools/gitea?via=md) (L1)

## Cited in 1 article

- [CLI for AI agents: 11 of 14 databases have one](https://agentdrives.com/research/which-kinds-of-software-give-ai-agents-a-cli-or-mcp-server?via=md)

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