Quickstart

Get productive with Smith in 5 minutes using the interactive REPL.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

  • Go 1.21 or later installed
  • A terminal open in a code project
  • Git repository (recommended for full workflow demonstration)

Step 1: Install Smith

bash 
curl -fsSL https://smith.dev/install | sh

Note: The install script will download the latest release and add it to your PATH.

bash 
go install github.com/speier/smith@latest
bash 
git clone https://github.com/speier/smith.git
cd smith
make build

Verify the installation:

bash 
smith --version

Step 2: Start the REPL

Navigate to your project and start Smith's interactive session:

bash 
# Navigate to your project
cd /path/to/your/project

# Start interactive session
smith

You'll see Smith's welcome screen in a full-screen terminal interface with:

  • Task queue showing active agents
  • Interactive chat input
  • Real-time agent status

Step 3: Explore your codebase

Let's start by having Smith understand your project. Try one of these questions:

💬
analyze this codebase and explain the overall architecture
💬
what technologies and frameworks does this project use?
💬
where are the main entry points and how is testing set up?

Smith reads your files contextually and provides comprehensive insights about your project structure.

Step 4: Make your first code change

Now let's see Smith's multi-agent system in action:

💬
add comprehensive logging to the main application startup

Smith will:

  1. The Architect: Analyze your current setup and create a plan
  2. The Keymaker: Write the logging code
  3. Sentinels: Create or update tests
  4. The Oracle: Check code quality and best practices

You'll see each agent working in the task queue and can review all changes before they're applied.

Step 5: Experience multi-agent workflows

Try a complex task that showcases parallel agent execution:

💬
implement JWT authentication with tests and documentation

Watch as multiple agents work in parallel:

  • The Architect breaks down the feature
  • Keymakers work on different components simultaneously
  • Sentinels write unit and integration tests
  • The Oracle ensures quality standards

Step 6: Handle version control

Smith makes Git operations conversational:

💬
review my uncommitted changes and suggest improvements
💬
create a well-structured commit with a descriptive message
💬
analyze the last few commits and identify any issues

Essential controls

Action Description Keyboard Shortcut
Send message Submit a task or question Enter
Multi-line input Write longer prompts Shift+Enter
View tasks See agent queue Tab
Clear screen Clear chat history Ctrl+L
Exit session Leave Smith Ctrl+C or type exit

Collaboration best practices

Be specific with context

Instead of: "fix the bug"

Try: "fix the authentication timeout issue where users get logged out after 5 minutes instead of the configured 30 minutes"

Let agents work in parallel

For larger features, Smith automatically delegates to multiple agents working simultaneously. You'll see the task queue fill up and agents completing work in parallel.

Use safety levels appropriately

Start with --safety medium for development. Use --safety high for production changes.

Review changes before applying

Smith shows you exactly what will be modified. Take time to review agent proposals before accepting them.

What's next?

🤖

Multi-Agent System

Learn how Smith's agent architecture works
💻

Using the REPL

Master the interactive terminal interface
🛡️

Safety Levels

Configure safety and permissions
📖

Example Workflows

Explore real-world scenarios