First run
Configure the first model, send a request, and inspect what q changed.
Open the workspace
Start q from the project directory you want it to operate on. The active workspace anchors file tools, discovery, session storage, workspace instructions, skills, and model overrides.
cd C:\work\my-project
q
Starting q in a repository subdirectory does not automatically widen the file-tool boundary to the Git root. Repository-level portable Agent Skills can still be discovered from the nearest Git root.
Configure a model
First launch opens provider setup. Add a provider, select a model, and assign it to the default role. Prefer an environment variable for the provider API key instead of storing a credential inline.
You can reopen model assignment at any time with /model and provider configuration with /gateway.
Send the first request
Begin with a concrete repository question so you can see how q gathers evidence:
Explain how this project starts and identify the main runtime components.
For a change that deserves an approved plan, use:
/plan add a health endpoint and cover it with tests
Ctrl+C interrupts an active turn. Ctrl+H opens the complete key reference without discarding the current screen.
Review the result
Run /changes to browse staged, unstaged, and untracked repository changes. The view represents the whole repository, including changes that existed before the current turn.
When the diff is ready, /commit generates a Conventional Commit or split-commit proposal. Nothing is committed until you confirm it in the review screen.