Start your first task
Four steps take you from nothing installed to a finished first task. Each step links to the page with the details; the Fleet step is optional.
Install Codewhale
Install the latest release on macOS or Linux. Follow any PATH instruction the installer prints, then open a folder where you want to work. The guide covers Windows and other install options.
Full install guidecurl -fsSL https://codewhale.net/install.sh | shConnect your model
Use a model API you already have, or connect local or self-hosted inference. The command below saves a DeepSeek key; local Ollama models do not need an API key.
Connect a providercodewhale auth set --provider deepseekDescribe your first task
Start Codewhale and describe the result: a small app, a script that saves you time, or a report from your data. Choose its permissions, review what it does and steer it as you go.
Set modes and approvalscodewhaleUse multiple agents
Split a larger job across agents with different roles and models. Inside Codewhale, save your team with /fleet setup, then check its runs with /fleet status.
Set up a Fleet/fleet setup /fleet status
Explore the terminal
Captured views from a Codewhale demo session. Explore the conversation, task workbar, model connections and help.
A follow-up message in the composer, ready to send.
▎ Local demo: add --json to export.py, run tests, and delegate a review. │╭ ✓ • tool done · 3/3 · 100% ││ ▏ checklist: todo_write ││ ▏ ☑ Inspect the export command ││ ▏ ☑ Add the --json flag │╰ ▏ ☑ Run tests and review the change │ │● JSON export is ready. │▏ │▏ Added --json while preserving CSV output. All 3 local tests passed, and the delegated review │▏ found no issues. ┃▏ ┃▏ Try: python3 export.py --json ┃▏ ┃▏ This session uses the local website-demo provider. ┃ ┃Note Workbar is off — no panel renders (/workbar bottom|top|left|right to show it) ┃╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮│❯ Also cover an empty export. ││ [↵] │╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯ ● Full Access Shift+Tab to change work (Tab) Work bar (Ctrl+]) Command selected: /workbar off website-demo · website-demo context 7%
Next
Review what changed
See every edit in a session, roll files back to an earlier turn, and get a code review before you push.
Set modes and approvals
Plan, Work, or Operate for the kind of work; Ask, Auto-Review, or Full Access for when it stops to ask you.
Connect your tools
Connect an email tool through MCP, then ask Codewhale to turn the messages it can access into an action list.
Run commands on events
Run your own scripts when a session starts, before a tool call, or when a turn ends. Use them to add context, enforce a rule, or send a notification.