Getting Started
This guide will walk you through your first experience with Sidekick—from opening a project to having your first AI-powered coding conversation.
Launch Sidekick
When you first open Sidekick, you'll see the Welcome screen with your options to get started.
From here, you can:
- Open Folder — Browse and select a project directory
- Recent Projects — Quickly reopen a previously opened project
- Install CLI — Set up command-line access to open projects from your terminal
Open a Workspace
Click "Open Folder"
Click the Open Folder button on the Welcome screen. This opens your system's native file browser.
Select your project
Navigate to the folder containing your project and select it. This can be any directory—an existing codebase, a new empty folder, or a git repository.
Start working
Sidekick opens your project in the main workspace. You'll see:
- File Explorer on the left with your project structure
- Editor in the center for viewing and editing files
- AI Chat on the side for conversations with the AI
Pro tip: Install the CLI to open projects directly from your terminal with sidekick . or sidekick /path/to/project.
Configure Your AI Provider
Before chatting with the AI, you'll need to add an API key for at least one provider.
Open Settings
Click the Settings icon (gear) in the bottom status bar, or use the keyboard shortcut.
Navigate to API Keys
In the Settings dialog, click API Keys in the left sidebar.
Add your API key
Choose your preferred AI provider and enter your API key:
- Get your API key from console.anthropic.com
- Paste it in the Anthropic field
- Click Save Key
- Toggle the switch to Active
- Get your API key from platform.openai.com
- Paste it in the OpenAI field
- Click Save Key
- Toggle the switch to Active
- Get your API key from Google AI Studio
- Paste it in the Google Gemini field
- Click Save Key
- Toggle the switch to Active
- Get your API key from xAI
- Paste it in the xAI field
- Click Save Key
- Toggle the switch to Active
Verify the connection
Once saved, your API key status will show as Active with a green badge. You're ready to start!
Keep your API keys secure. Sidekick stores them locally in your system's secure keychain—they're never sent anywhere except to the AI provider.
Create an Account (Optional)
Creating a Sidekick account unlocks additional features and syncs your preferences.
Click your profile
On the Welcome screen or in the main app, click the profile icon in the top-right corner.
Sign up or sign in
Choose Create Account to sign up, or Sign In if you already have an account.
Access your dashboard
Once signed in, you can access your Dashboard to manage your subscription and preferences.
Send Your First Message
Now for the fun part—let's have your first conversation with Sidekick!
Find the prompt input
Look for the prompt input area in the AI sidebar. You'll see a text field with the placeholder "Type @ to mention files..."
Choose a model
Click the model selector dropdown at the top of the input area. Choose a model based on your configured API keys:
- Grok — xAI's powerful model
- Gemini 2.0 Flash — Google's fast model
- GPT-4o — OpenAI's general-purpose model
- Claude 4.5 Sonnet — Anthropic's powerful model
Select a mode
Click the mode selector (or press Shift+Tab) to choose how you want the AI to work:
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Agent | Writing code, making changes, running commands |
| Plan | Designing implementation before coding |
| Browser | Web automation and testing |
Type your message
Try one of these to get started:
Explain what this project doesHelp me add a new feature that...Find and fix the bug in...Type @ to mention specific files or folders. This gives the AI targeted context about your code.
Send and watch the magic
Press Enter or click the Send button. The AI will:
- Read your message and understand your intent
- Analyze relevant files in your project (in Agent mode)
- Provide explanations, suggestions, or code changes
- Stream the response in real-time
Understanding the Response
When Sidekick responds, you'll see:
- Text explanations — Clear descriptions of what the AI found or suggests
- Code blocks — Syntax-highlighted code with copy and apply buttons
- File changes — Diffs showing exactly what will change in your files
- Tool usage — Indicators when the AI reads files, searches code, or runs commands
In Agent mode, the AI can read your files, search your codebase, and execute terminal commands to help you. You'll see each action as it happens.
Applying Code Changes
When the AI suggests code changes:
- Review the diff showing the before and after
- Click Apply to accept the change
- Or click Discard to reject it
Use Sandbox mode to preview changes safely before applying them to your actual files.
Next Steps
You're all set! Here are some things to explore next: