> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs-staging.poolside.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Install Poolside Agent CLI, authenticate, and run your first agent task.

Use this page to start working with Poolside Agent CLI from your terminal.

## Prerequisites

* Access to a Poolside API URL. If you do not have one, contact your Poolside administrator.
* A local project or repository you can use for your first task.
* On macOS or Linux, `curl` or `wget`, and `tar`.
* On Windows, PowerShell and `tar`.

## Get started with pool CLI

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install the CLI">
    On macOS or Linux, run one of the following commands:

    ```bash theme={null}
    curl -fsSL https://downloads.poolside.ai/pool/install.sh | sh
    ```

    ```bash theme={null}
    wget -qO- https://downloads.poolside.ai/pool/install.sh | sh
    ```

    On Windows, run:

    ```powershell theme={null}
    irm https://downloads.poolside.ai/pool/install.ps1 | iex
    ```

    For installation details, see [Install Poolside Agent CLI](/cli/install).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Authenticate">
    Connect to your Poolside deployment:

    ```bash theme={null}
    pool login --api-url <api-url>
    ```

    Replace `<api-url>` with the API URL for your Poolside deployment.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open a project">
    Change into the project you want Poolside to work with:

    ```bash theme={null}
    cd <project-path>
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ask your first question">
    Start an interactive session:

    ```bash theme={null}
    pool
    ```

    Ask Poolside to explain the project:

    ```text theme={null}
    Summarize this project and explain how the main pieces fit together.
    ```

    For help writing effective prompts, see [Prompting best practices](/resources/prompting-best-practices).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make a change">
    Ask Poolside to identify a low-risk improvement:

    ```text theme={null}
    Review this codebase for 2-3 low-risk ways to improve maintainability or performance.
    Don't make any changes yet.
    Explain the impact of each option, then ask which one I want to pursue.
    ```

    After you choose an option, ask Poolside to make the change:

    ```text theme={null}
    Make improvement 2.
    ```

    Poolside might ask for approval before reading files, editing files, or running commands.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the change">
    Inspect the changes in your usual development workflow. For example:

    ```bash theme={null}
    git diff
    ```

    If you want to undo the change, ask Poolside to revert its edits or use your version control workflow.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Poolside Agent CLI" icon="terminal" href="/cli/pool">
    Learn about interactive mode, automated mode, and CLI commands.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Example prompts" icon="lightbulb" href="/resources/example-prompts">
    Try prompts for common development tasks.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>