hzdb CLI Reference

What hzdb Does

hzdb (Horizon Debug Bridge) is a CLI for Meta Quest and Horizon OS development. It wraps ADB and Meta developer APIs into higher-level commands for device management, app lifecycle, documentation lookup, screenshots, audio control, test-device preparation, MCP integration, and Perfetto performance analysis.

Keep this SKILL.md as the routing layer. For exact flags and complete command syntax, use the generated full CLI reference in docs/hzdb.md or run:

npx -y @meta-quest/hzdb --markdown-help

Installation

Requires Node.js 20 or newer.

Invoke via npx:

npx -y @meta-quest/hzdb --help
npx -y @meta-quest/hzdb --version

npx is the recommended path: it always pulls the latest published version, so you don't end up running an outdated global install. Examples in the rest of the documentation use the bare hzdb command for brevity — substitute npx -y @meta-quest/hzdb for any of them.

Alternatively, install hzdb globally using:

npm install -g @meta-quest/hzdb

If you install globally, update regularly with npm update -g @meta-quest/hzdb. Use npx -y @meta-quest/hzdb when you want the latest published version without depending on a global install.

Device Connection

Before using on-device commands:

1. Enable Developer Mode on your Quest (Settings > System > Developer)
2. Enable USB Debugging when prompted
3. Connect your Quest to your computer via USB-C

Verify the connection:

hzdb device list

If no devices appear: try a different USB cable (data-capable, not charge-only), accept the USB debugging prompt on the headset, or connect wirelessly with hzdb device connect <ip>.

Command Discovery

Use progressive disclosure:

1. Start with this skill for command groups and common workflows.
2. Open a focused reference file when the user is working in that area.
3. Use docs/hzdb.md or hzdb --markdown-help for exact flags, arguments, and less common subcommands.

Current top-level command groups:

Group	Use for
adb / shell	Low-level ADB-compatible commands and direct device shell access
app	Install, list, launch, stop, clear, inspect, and detect the foreground app
asset	Search Meta's 3D asset library
audio	Read volume, set volume, mute, and unmute device audio
capture	Capture screenshots from a connected headset
config	Read, write, reset, and list hzdb configuration
device	List/connect devices, wait for ADB state, inspect controllers, configure test devices, run health checks, and manage proximity
docs	Search/fetch Meta Quest docs and API reference entries
files	List, pull, push, remove, and create directories on the device
log	View recent device logs; use adb logcat for advanced filters and streaming
mcp	Start or install the hzdb MCP server for AI tools
perf	Capture, open, analyze, query, compare, and manage Perfetto traces

MCP Server Mode

hzdb includes a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server with ~40 tools that enable AI agents to interact with Quest devices programmatically.

Add this command to any MCP configuration to use the MCP server:

hzdb mcp server

The server exposes tools for device management, app lifecycle, performance trace analysis, documentation search, file operations, and 3D asset search.

Install MCP configuration into other AI tools:

hzdb mcp install cursor
hzdb mcp install claude-desktop
hzdb mcp install vscode

For project-local agent setup, install the MCP config into the current repository:

cd your-project
hzdb mcp install project

This is the best default when a coding agent already has repository access on the host machine and should be able to call hzdb tools from that project.

Common Agent Workflow

If you are building a Quest-native developer tool or pairing a Quest headset UI with a host-side coding agent, keep the architecture simple:

• Let the host-side coding agent own repository access, file edits, builds, tests, and hzdb tool calls
• Let the headset app or browser experience act as a thin client for preview, prompt capture, status, and approval
• Prefer project-local MCP installation with hzdb mcp install project so the integration is explicit and travels with the repository

# 1. Verify the current docs before coding against an API or workflow
hzdb docs search "spatial sdk panel"
hzdb docs fetch https://developers.meta.com/horizon/documentation/...

# 2. Build and deploy your app
./gradlew assembleDebug
hzdb app install app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
hzdb app launch com.example.app

# 3. Observe on-device behavior
hzdb log --tag MyApp
hzdb capture screenshot -o latest.png

# 4. Prepare a stable test device when running repeatable tests
hzdb device health-check
hzdb device configure-testing setup
# ...run tests...
hzdb device configure-testing restore

Relationship to ADB

hzdb wraps ADB and provides higher-level commands. You do not need to use adb directly for most Quest development tasks. hzdb handles device selection, provides structured output, and adds Quest-specific functionality (screenshots via metacam, Perfetto trace analysis, doc search) that raw ADB does not support.

If you need raw shell access to the device, use hzdb shell or hzdb adb shell.

Full Command Reference

Use docs/hzdb.md for generated command details. Regenerate it with:

npx -y @meta-quest/hzdb --markdown-help > docs/hzdb.md

References

For detailed usage guides with workflows, examples, and troubleshooting:

• Device Management — device commands, audio, screenshots, logs, test setup, health checks, shell access
• App Management — app lifecycle, foreground app detection, crash debugging, common log tags
• Agent Workflows — project-local MCP install, docs verification, safety, thin-client architecture
• Performance Tools — trace capture, guided analysis, Perfetto UI, SQL queries, comparisons, GPU counters
• Documentation Search — doc search, API search, category filtering