Quickstart

Install ADE, open a project, create a lane, and run your first agent task.

This page is the shortest useful path. You can tune providers, permissions, Linear, mobile, and worker settings later.

1. Install ADE

   Download the latest macOS DMG from GitHub Releases, open it, and drag ADE.app into /Applications.

2. Connect one AI provider

   Open Settings -> AI Providers and verify at least one provider. Claude, Codex, Cursor, and OpenCode are the main agent paths.

3. Open a Git repository

   Use Open Repository on the welcome screen or press Cmd+O. Choose the repository root, not a subfolder.

4. Create a lane

   In Lanes, create a new lane from your default branch. The lane gets its own branch and worktree under .ade/worktrees/.

5. Ask for one small change

   Open the lane in Work or Chat and send a narrow task. Start with something easy to inspect.

6. Review and commit

   Use Files to inspect the diff, run tests from Run or the terminal, then commit and create a PR when it looks right.

A good first prompt

Add a GET /health endpoint that returns { "status": "ok" } and add one test for it.

Pick a version of that prompt that fits your project. The goal is to exercise the loop: lane, chat, edit, test, review, commit.

What to read next

Key concepts

Understand the product vocabulary without reading a reference manual.

Run your first agent

More detail on choosing a provider, watching tool calls, and reviewing output.

Lanes

How ADE keeps parallel work isolated.

Pull requests

How finished lane work moves into GitHub review.