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Getting Started
You've probably used coding agents that read files, run commands, and make edits without you really seeing what is going on under the hood. ProtoAgent is the same kind of tool, but built to stay readable.
It is a TypeScript CLI with an Ink terminal UI, a streaming tool loop, inline approvals, and persisted sessions.
Install it
Install globally via npm:
bash
npm install -g protoagentOr run it from a local checkout:
bash
npm install
npm run devFirst run
Start ProtoAgent:
bash
protoagentIf no config exists yet, ProtoAgent opens an inline setup flow right inside the TUI. You pick a provider, pick a model, and enter an API key.
You can reopen configuration later with:
bash
protoagent configureUse it like you would any coding agent
Once it is configured, type a task and press Enter. ProtoAgent reads the project, decides which tools to call, asks for approval when it needs to, and keeps iterating until it has a final answer.
Some good first prompts:
Read the README and tell me what this project doesFind every TODO in src/Add error handling to the fetchData functionRun the tests and fix any failures
Interactive commands
Inside the app, you can use:
/help/clear/collapse/expand/quitor/exit
Useful shortcuts:
Escaborts the current in-flight completionCtrl-Cexits immediately
One small but important detail: /quit and /exit save the current session first and print the exact resume command.
CLI flags
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
--dangerously-accept-all | Skip normal approval prompts for writes, edits, and non-safe shell commands |
--log-level <level> | Set log verbosity: TRACE, DEBUG, INFO, WARN, or ERROR |
--session <id> | Resume a previously saved session |
What you see while working
As ProtoAgent runs, you see the loop rather than just the final answer:
- streamed assistant output
- grouped tool calls and tool results
- inline approval prompts
- token, context, and cost info
- auto-saved session state and TODOs
- the active log file path