Quick Start Guide

Welcome to CodeBuddy Code! This guide will help you get started in 5 minutes and experience a natural language-driven programming assistant.

🎯 Before You Begin

System Requirements

• Node.js: Version 18.20 or higher
• Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows

Verify Your Environment

# Check Node.js version
node --version  # Should display v18.0.0 or higher

# Check npm version
npm --version

⚡ Quick Installation

npm Global Installation

npm install -g @tencent-ai/codebuddy-code

Native Installer (Beta)

⚠️ Beta Feature: The native installer is currently in Beta. We recommend you try it to get a faster, standalone installation experience.

The native installer provides an independent CodeBuddy installation without requiring a Node.js environment.

Download and Install:

# macOS/Linux
curl -fsSL https://copilot.tencent.com/cli/install.sh | bash

# Windows
irm https://copilot.tencent.com/cli/install.ps1 | iex

Advantages:

• ✅ No Node.js dependency required
• ✅ Faster installation and startup

Verify Installation

codebuddy --version

🔐 Login Authentication

When using CodeBuddy Code for the first time, you need to complete login authentication. After startup, you will see the login method selection screen:

Select login method:
› Log in via Chinese Site
  Log in via International Site
  Log in via Enterprise Domain
  Log in via iOA (Tencent only)

Login Methods

Login Method	Use Case	Description
Chinese Site	Users in China	Authenticate via Tencent Cloud China (copilot.tencent.com), supports domestic mainstream models
International Site	Overseas users	Authenticate via Tencent Cloud International (codebuddy.ai), supports international mainstream models
Enterprise Domain	Dedicated/Private deployment	Connect to enterprise dedicated or self-hosted CodeBuddy service, requires enterprise-provided service address
iOA	Tencent employees	Authenticate via Tencent iOA zero-trust system, for Tencent internal employees only

Use ↑↓ keys to select the login method, press Enter to confirm, and the browser will automatically open to complete authentication.

🚀 First Experience

1. Navigate to Your Project Directory

cd /path/to/your/project

2. Launch Interactive Mode

codebuddy

You will see the welcome screen:

Tip: If you want CodeBuddy Code to always reply in a specific language (e.g., Simplified Chinese), you can run the /config command after startup to set the Language option.

🤖 CodeBuddy Code v1.0.0
💡 Type /help to view available commands
📝 Start chatting and let AI become your programming partner

>

3. Initialize Project Context (Highly Recommended)

Before starting your conversation, it is highly recommended to initialize the project context using the /init command:

> /init

Why is /init so important?

📊 Performance Improvements:

• ✅ More Accurate Understanding: Pre-builds a project knowledge graph, enabling AI to more accurately understand code structure and business logic
• ✅ Faster Responses: Avoids repeated file scans, significantly improving subsequent conversation response times
• ✅ More Precise Suggestions: Provides recommendations more aligned with your project architecture based on a global view
• ✅ Reduced Misjudgments: Understands project dependencies, avoiding incompatible modification proposals

💰 Cost Optimization:

• ✅ Lower Token Consumption: Establishes context once, avoiding re-analysis in every conversation
• ✅ Fewer Redundant Requests: Pre-loads key information, reducing context token overhead by 30-50%
• ✅ More Efficient Conversations: Each conversation round carries less redundant information, lowering overall costs

Best Practices:

# When using a project for the first time
> /init

# When project structure undergoes major changes (e.g., adding new modules, refactoring)
> /clear  # Start a fresh conversation
> /init   # Re-initialize

4. Try Your First Conversation

> Help me analyze the structure of this project

CodeBuddy will automatically scan your project files and provide a detailed structural analysis.

💡 Core Usage Patterns

Interactive Conversation Mode

The most natural way to use, suitable for exploratory development:

codebuddy

Typical Conversation Examples:

> I want to add a loading state to this React component
> Help me refactor this function to make it more readable
> What are the potential performance issues with this code?
> Write unit tests for this API endpoint

Single Command Mode

Suitable for scripting and automation scenarios:

# Direct query
codebuddy -p "Optimize the performance of this SQL query"

# Pipeline input
cat error.log | codebuddy -p "Analyze these error logs"

# File analysis (must add -y or --dangerously-skip-permissions when authorization is needed)
codebuddy -p "Review the code quality of src/utils.js" -y

Important Note: When using the -p/--print parameter for a single execution, if the operation requires authorized actions such as file access or command execution, you must add the -y (or --dangerously-skip-permissions) parameter. With -y alone, HIGH/CRITICAL dangerous commands may still require confirmation. To suppress prompts entirely inside an isolated sandbox, use export CODEBUDDY_IS_SANDBOX=1 && codebuddy -p -y ... (high risk; see Sandbox full pass (high risk)).

Project-Level Operations

Handle complex cross-file tasks:

# Project refactoring (requires file operation authorization)
codebuddy -p "Migrate all components from class components to function components" -y

# Code standards (requires file read authorization)
codebuddy -p "Check TypeScript type definitions across the entire project" -y

# Test coverage (requires file operation authorization)
codebuddy -p "Add unit tests for all files in the services directory" -y

Keyboard Shortcuts

Basic Navigation

Shortcut	Function
↑/↓	Browse command history
↓	View background tasks (when tasks are running)
Tab	Command auto-completion
Esc	Clear input (press twice) / Return to previous menu
Ctrl+C	Exit program
Ctrl+D	Exit program (press twice when input is empty and no conversation in progress)

Permissions and Modes

Shortcut	Function
Shift+Tab (Windows also supports Alt+M)	Toggle permission mode (default → bypass → accept → plan)

Editing Features

Shortcut	Function
Ctrl+R	Expand/collapse detailed output (in conversation)
Ctrl+G	Edit prompt in external editor
Enter	Send message
Shift+Enter	New line (multi-line input)
\Enter	New line (backslash escape)
Ctrl+J	Insert new line (multi-line input)

Panel Operations

Shortcut	Function
↑/↓ or j/k	Navigate options in panel (Vim-style supported)
Enter	Select current item
Space	Toggle selection (multi-select panels)
x	Terminate selected background task

Special Functions

Shortcut	Function
Ctrl+O	View thinking details panel

When the terminal displays a "Thinking" indicator, you can use Ctrl+O to open the full reasoning content, and press Ctrl+O again to exit.

🎓 Advanced Learning

Congratulations on completing the quick start! We recommend reading next:

• Common Workflows - Learn advanced features like extended thinking and image analysis
• IDE Integration - Use in VS Code and JetBrains
• Slash Commands - Master all built-in commands
• MCP Integration - Extend with custom tools

💬 Get Help

Having issues? We're here to support you:

• 🐛 Submit a Bug
• 📧 Technical Support: codebuddy@tencent.com
• 📚 Complete Documentation
• 🌐 Official Website

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Now, let AI become your programming partner! 🚀