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Quickstart

Outcome: Atomic is installed, authenticated, and has completed one useful task in your repository. Follow the steps below to install Atomic and complete your first useful session. Atomic runs coding-agent loops with stages, tools, artifacts, verification, subagents, review gates, checkpoints, and human approvals for engineering work. Work through the steps in order. Each links to a focused page with full instructions.

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Onboarding path

  1. Install Atomic — package manager or self-contained release archive.
  2. Authenticate — subscription login or API key.
  3. Run your first session — start Atomic, run a task, invoke a built-in workflow, and steer the run.
  4. Add project instructions — teach Atomic your repository’s conventions with AGENTS.md.
Then come back here for common things to try and next steps.

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Prerequisites

  • Package install: Node.js 22.19 or newer plus npm, pnpm, Yarn, or Bun. Use Bun 1.4.2+ for Bun installs or workflow-authoring examples.
  • Release archive install: macOS and Linux need tar and either curl or wget; Windows uses built-in PowerShell commands. This path does not need Node.js or a package manager.
  • Model-provider access — use a supported subscription login or API key. Run /login after startup.

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Install

The install commands and every installer knob, default path, and platform note now live on the installation page. Moved to Installation.

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Package managers

Moved to Installation. Full detail: package manager commands and the --ignore-scripts note.

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Release archive

Moved to Installation. Full detail: version pinning, ATOMIC_VERSION, ATOMIC_INSTALL_DIR, ATOMIC_BIN_DIR, GITHUB_TOKEN/GH_TOKEN, default paths, and PATH guidance. It also describes what the installer prints: the release and platform, a live download progress bar, one-line phase confirmations, the Atomic logo, and a To start: block, or plain text when NO_COLOR=1 is set, CI is set, or output is not a terminal.

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ATOMIC_VERSION

Moved to Installation.

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ATOMIC_INSTALL_DIR

Moved to Installation.

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ATOMIC_BIN_DIR

Moved to Installation.

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GITHUB_TOKEN / GH_TOKEN

Moved to Installation.

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Which runtime runs your workflows

Moved to Installation.

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Alpine and musl Linux archives

Moved to Installation.

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Uninstall

Moved to Installation. Full detail: removing the install root, the launcher, and the PATH entry on every platform.

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Authenticate

Moved to Authentication. Full detail: /login subscription providers and API-key environment variables.

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Option 1: subscription login

Moved to Authentication.

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Option 2: API key

Moved to Authentication.

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First session

Moved to First session. Full detail: starting Atomic, the built-in workflows, monitoring and steering a run, top skills, creating a workflow in natural language, and the default tools and prompts.

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Try the built-in workflows

Moved to First session.

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Monitor and steer a run

Moved to First session.

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Top skills to invoke directly

Moved to First session.

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Create your own workflow in natural language

Moved to First session.

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Default tools and prompts

Moved to First session.

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Give Atomic project instructions

Moved to Project instructions. Full detail: AGENTS.md discovery, precedence, and what to put in it.

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Common things to try

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Reference files

Type @ in any interactive editor to fuzzy-search files; or pass files on the command line:
Paste images with native macOS Cmd+V or Ctrl+V. On Windows, use Alt+V instead of Ctrl+V. You can also drag images into supported terminals. Inside tmux on macOS, use Ctrl+V for reliable image paste. Native Cmd+V depends on your terminal and may not work through tmux. When the clipboard contains both text and an image, Ctrl+V prefers the image. Cmd+V may paste either, depending on how the terminal delivers the gesture.

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Run shell commands

In interactive mode:
The command output is sent to the model. Use !!command to run a command without adding its output to the model context.

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Switch models

Use /model or CTRL+L to choose a model. Use SHIFT+Tab to cycle thinking level. Use CTRL+P / SHIFT+CTRL+P to cycle through scoped models.

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Continue later

Sessions are saved automatically:
Inside Atomic, use /resume, /new, /tree, /fork, and /clone to manage sessions.

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Non-interactive mode

For one-shot prompts:
Use --mode json for JSON event output or --mode rpc for process integration.

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Next steps

  • Using Atomic - interactive mode, slash commands, sessions, context files, and CLI reference.
  • Workflows - run, inspect, and author multi-stage automation (including the built-in workflows).
  • Skills - reusable expert instructions invoked with /skill:<name>.
  • Providers - authentication and model setup.
  • Settings - global and project configuration.
  • Keybindings - shortcuts and customization.
  • Atomic Packages - install shared extensions, skills, prompts, and themes.
  • Security - project trust, what Atomic is allowed to touch, and how to report a vulnerability. Read this before you trust a project or install someone else’s skills, extensions, or packages.
  • Containerization - run Atomic or its tools inside an isolated environment.
Platform notes: Windows, Termux, tmux, Terminal setup, Shell aliases.