Quickstart

You can use AdaL in the terminal or via the Desktop app. Both give you access not only to the agent, but also to the agentic IDE for tasks that are either more visual or require a diff view. Quick setup in 2 minutes.

Step 1: Install

Open any terminal — we recommend iTerm2 terminal. New to terminals? Start with the Terminal Guide. macOS native Terminal requires macOS 26+ for full theme support. For more details, see Terminal Setup.

AdaL CLI

Use AdaL CLI when you want the terminal-first agent experience. Native install is recommended because it manages AdaL's runtime and updates consistently across platforms.

Native Install (Recommended)

macOS, Linux, WSL:

curl -fsSL https://adal.sylph.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows PowerShell:

irm https://adal.sylph.ai/install/windows | iex

Windows CMD:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "irm https://adal.sylph.ai/install/windows | iex"

Windows shell tip

If irm is not recognized, you're probably in CMD, not PowerShell — use the Windows CMD command above or open PowerShell. Your prompt shows PS C:\... in PowerShell and C:\... in CMD.

npm fallback

npm install -g @sylphai/adal-cli

Requires Node.js 20+. Use npm only if the native installers do not fit your environment.

AdaL Desktop

Use AdaL Desktop when you want the agent plus the agentic IDE for tasks that are more visual or require a diff view.

Download the Desktop app for macOS Apple Silicon.

Step 2: Launch CLI

Open any terminal, go to your working directory, and run:

adal

First run opens browser for authentication.

AdaL requires an active plan to use the CLI. See Pricing for plan options. Eligible new users can claim a 7-day free Pro trial from the Dashboard; if you qualify, you’ll see the trial banner after signing in.

Step 3: Try It

> Hello, what can you help me with?

> Summarize the codebase

> /init

> /ide

Open the agentic IDE with /ide

Use /ide anytime during a session to hand off the same session to the agentic IDE. If AdaL Desktop is installed, it opens the Desktop app; otherwise, it opens the browser workspace. This lets you switch workflows mid-session for visual tasks or diff review.

Essential Commands

Command	What it does
/help	Show all commands
/model	Switch AI model
/init	Generate project context (AGENTS.md)
/ide	Open the same session in the agentic IDE — Desktop when available, browser fallback
/resume	Resume a previous conversation
/compact	Compress memory when full
/quit	Exit

Essential Shortcuts

Shortcut	What it does
?	Show all shortcuts
Tab	Toggle mode: Regular → Plan → Deep Research
Shift+Tab	Toggle auto-accept edits
Ctrl+C	Cancel agent streaming/running
ESC	Clear input

Essential Prefixes

Prefix	What it does	Example
@	Target specific file as context	@src/api.ts add validation
!	Run shell command	!git status

Worktree Management

Work on multiple branches in parallel:

Command	What it does
adal worktree create -b <name>	Create new worktree from main
adal worktree create -b <name> <start-point>	Create from specific branch
adal worktree list	List all worktrees
adal worktree delete <name>	Delete worktree

Terminal Setup

Recommended terminals:

• Native terminal — macOS Terminal (macOS 26+), iTerm2, cmux, Windows Terminal, or Linux terminal
• VS Code integrated terminal — Drag the terminal panel to the top-right corner for a wider, taller view

Tip: A larger terminal window gives AdaL more room to display code and diffs clearly.

Truecolor Support

AdaL themes require truecolor (24-bit color) for accurate rendering. Most modern terminals support this by default.

Check your terminal:

echo $COLORTERM

Output should be truecolor or 24bit.

Enable truecolor: Add to your shell profile (.zshrc, .bashrc):

export COLORTERM=truecolor

macOS Native Terminal

If colors appear off in the macOS Terminal app, upgrade to macOS 26+ for full truecolor support, or use iTerm2 / VS Code terminal instead.

What's Next?

• Workflows & Examples → - Practical development patterns
• Slash Commands → - All commands
• Keyboard Shortcuts → - Full reference