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ab5d143d59
* feat(openai): default fresh setup to GPT-5.6 * test(crestodian): expect GPT-5.6 Codex defaults * test(crestodian): expect GPT-5.6 bootstrap default
208 lines
9.1 KiB
Markdown
208 lines
9.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: "CLI onboarding: guided setup for gateway, workspace, channels, and skills"
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read_when:
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- Running or configuring CLI onboarding
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- Setting up a new machine
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title: "Onboarding (CLI)"
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sidebarTitle: "Onboarding: CLI"
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---
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```bash
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openclaw onboard
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```
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CLI onboarding is the recommended terminal setup path on macOS, Linux, and
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Windows (native or WSL2). By default it detects AI access already available on
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the machine, verifies it with a real completion, and configures a workspace and
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local Gateway. `openclaw setup` runs the same flow ([Setup](/cli/setup) covers
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the `--baseline` config-only variant). Windows desktop users can also start
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from [Windows Hub](/platforms/windows).
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The guided flow offers the classic wizard for provider sign-in, remote Gateway
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setup, channel pairing, daemon controls, skills, and imports. You can also open
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Crestodian chat or skip AI setup and return later.
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Guided setup, the classic wizard, and Crestodian chat are interchangeable. The
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guided flow offers chat and classic choices; inside Crestodian, use `open setup
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wizard`, `open classic wizard`, or `open channel wizard for <channel>` to switch
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back. Channel setup that needs secrets always continues in a masked terminal
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wizard.
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<Info>
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Fastest first chat: finish guided setup, run `openclaw dashboard`, and chat in
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the browser through the Control UI. Docs: [Dashboard](/web/dashboard).
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</Info>
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## Locale
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The wizard localizes fixed onboarding copy. Resolve order: `OPENCLAW_LOCALE`,
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`LC_ALL`, `LC_MESSAGES`, `LANG`, then English. Supported locales: `en`,
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`zh-CN`, `zh-TW`.
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```bash
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OPENCLAW_LOCALE=zh-CN openclaw onboard
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```
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Product names, commands, config keys, URLs, provider IDs, model IDs, and
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plugin/channel labels stay in English regardless of locale.
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To reconfigure later:
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```bash
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openclaw configure
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openclaw agents add <name>
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```
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<Note>
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`--json` does not imply non-interactive mode. For scripts, use `--non-interactive` (see [CLI automation](/start/wizard-cli-automation)).
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</Note>
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<Tip>
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The classic wizard includes a web search step where you can pick a provider: Brave,
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DuckDuckGo, Exa, Firecrawl, Gemini, Grok, Kimi, MiniMax Search, Ollama Web
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Search, Perplexity, SearXNG, or Tavily. Some need an API key; others are
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key-free. Configure this later with `openclaw configure --section web`. Docs:
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[Web tools](/tools/web).
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</Tip>
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## Guided default
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Plain `openclaw onboard` follows this path:
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1. Accept the security notice and choose the workspace.
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2. Detect configured models, API-key environment variables, and supported local
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AI CLIs.
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3. Test the recommended candidate with a real completion. On failure, show the
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reason and continue to the next usable candidate.
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4. If detection is exhausted, try another detected candidate, enter a provider
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API key in a masked prompt, open Crestodian chat, use the classic wizard, or
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skip AI setup.
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5. Persist the model, credential, workspace, and QuickStart Gateway settings
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only after a passing test. Then install/start the Gateway service and probe
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it for reachability.
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Re-running the command on a configured installation tests the current default
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model first, making the guided flow a verification and repair pass. A failing
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check never replaces the configured model automatically; onboarding stops and
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asks how to continue. Run `openclaw channels add` or `openclaw configure` for
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later additions.
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## Classic wizard: QuickStart vs Advanced
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Run `openclaw onboard --classic` to open the full wizard. It starts with a
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choice between **QuickStart** (defaults) and **Advanced** (full control). Pass
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`--flow quickstart` or `--flow advanced` (alias `manual`) to select the classic
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flow and skip that prompt.
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<Tabs>
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<Tab title="QuickStart (defaults)">
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- Local gateway, loopback bind
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- Workspace default (or existing workspace)
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- Gateway port **18789**
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- Gateway auth **Token** (auto-generated, even on loopback)
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- Tool policy: `tools.profile: "coding"` for new setups (an existing explicit profile is preserved)
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- DM isolation: `session.dmScope: "per-channel-peer"` for new setups. Details: [CLI setup reference](/start/wizard-cli-reference#outputs-and-internals)
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- Tailscale exposure **Off**
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- Telegram and WhatsApp DMs default to **allowlist**: Telegram asks for a numeric Telegram user ID, WhatsApp asks for a phone number
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</Tab>
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<Tab title="Advanced (full control)">
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- Exposes every step: mode, workspace, gateway, channels, daemon, skills
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</Tab>
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</Tabs>
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Remote mode (`--mode remote`) always uses the advanced flow; it only
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configures this machine to connect to a Gateway elsewhere and never installs
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or changes anything on the remote host.
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## What classic onboarding configures
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Local mode (default) walks through these steps:
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1. **Model/Auth** - pick a provider auth flow (API key, OAuth, or
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provider-specific manual auth), including Custom Provider
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(OpenAI-compatible, OpenAI Responses-compatible, Anthropic-compatible, or
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Unknown auto-detect). Pick a default model.
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Fresh OpenAI API-key setup defaults to `openai/gpt-5.6` (the bare direct-API
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id resolves to Sol); fresh ChatGPT/Codex setup defaults to
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`openai/gpt-5.6-sol`. Re-running setup preserves an existing explicit model,
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including `openai/gpt-5.5`. Select `openai/gpt-5.5` explicitly if the
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account does not expose GPT-5.6.
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Security note: if this agent will run tools or process webhook/hook
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content, prefer the strongest latest-generation model available and keep
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tool policy strict - weaker or older tiers are easier to prompt-inject.
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For non-interactive runs, `--secret-input-mode ref` stores env-backed refs
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instead of plaintext API key values; the referenced env var must already
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be set, or onboarding fails fast. Interactive secret reference mode can
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point at an environment variable or a configured provider ref (`file` or
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`exec`), with a fast preflight check before saving. After model/auth setup,
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the wizard offers an optional live completion test; a failure can return to
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model/auth setup once or be ignored without blocking the rest of onboarding.
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2. **Workspace** - directory for agent files (default `~/.openclaw/workspace`). Seeds bootstrap files.
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3. **Gateway** - port, bind address, auth mode, Tailscale exposure. In
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interactive token mode, choose plaintext token storage (default) or opt
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into a SecretRef. Non-interactive SecretRef path: `--gateway-token-ref-env <ENV_VAR>`.
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4. **Channels** - built-in and official plugin chat channels, including
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Discord, Feishu, Google Chat, iMessage, Mattermost, Microsoft Teams,
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QQ Bot, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, and more.
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5. **Daemon** - installs a LaunchAgent (macOS), a systemd user unit
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(Linux/WSL2), or a native Windows Scheduled Task with a per-user
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Startup-folder fallback.
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If token auth is required and `gateway.auth.token` is SecretRef-managed,
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daemon install validates it but does not persist a resolved token into
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supervisor service environment metadata; an unresolved SecretRef blocks
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install with guidance. If both `gateway.auth.token` and
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`gateway.auth.password` are set while `gateway.auth.mode` is unset, install
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is blocked until you set the mode explicitly.
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6. **Health check** - starts the Gateway and verifies it is reachable.
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7. **Skills** - installs recommended skills and their optional dependencies.
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<Note>
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Re-running onboarding does **not** wipe anything unless you explicitly choose
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**Reset** (or pass `--reset`). CLI `--reset` defaults to config, credentials,
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and sessions; use `--reset-scope full` to also remove the workspace. If the
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config is invalid or contains legacy keys, onboarding asks you to run
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`openclaw doctor` first.
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</Note>
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`--flow import` runs a detected migration flow (for example Hermes) in the
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classic wizard instead of fresh setup; see [Migrate](/cli/migrate) and the migration guides under
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[Install](/install/migrating-hermes). `openclaw onboard --modern` starts
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[Crestodian](/cli/crestodian), a conversational setup/repair assistant.
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`openclaw crestodian` opens the same assistant directly.
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## Add another agent
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Use `openclaw agents add <name>` to create a separate agent with its own
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workspace, sessions, and auth profiles. Running without `--workspace` starts
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an interactive flow for name, workspace, auth, channels, and bindings - it is
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not the full `openclaw onboard` wizard.
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What it sets:
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- `agents.list[].name`
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- `agents.list[].workspace`
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- `agents.list[].agentDir`
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Notes:
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- Default workspace: `~/.openclaw/workspace-<agentId>` (or under
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`agents.defaults.workspace` if that is set).
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- Add `bindings` to route inbound messages to this agent (onboarding can do this for you).
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- Non-interactive flags: `--model`, `--agent-dir`, `--bind`, `--non-interactive`.
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## Full reference
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For detailed step-by-step behavior and config outputs, see
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[CLI setup reference](/start/wizard-cli-reference).
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For non-interactive examples, see [CLI automation](/start/wizard-cli-automation).
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For the full flag reference, see [`openclaw onboard`](/cli/onboard).
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## Related docs
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- CLI command reference: [`openclaw onboard`](/cli/onboard)
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- Onboarding overview: [Onboarding overview](/start/onboarding-overview)
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- macOS app onboarding: [Onboarding](/start/onboarding)
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- Agent first-run ritual: [Agent Bootstrapping](/start/bootstrapping)
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