> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.nimbalyst.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.nimbalyst.com/getting-started/quickstart.md).
# Quickstart
Download [Nimbalyst](https://nimbalyst.com/)
### **Open a Project**
* A project is a folder opened in Nimbalyst that maintains its history, context, window state.
* If you have GitHub locally, you would choose various GitHub projects
* If you don't, create a folder in your filesystem called Nimbalyst Projects
* Open a folder into Nimbalyst and work there
* You can have multiple Nimbalyst screens open working in different projects at the same time. A consistent color will help you tell them apart.
* Project state is automatically saved and restored when you reopen the folder
* (Return to this screen from Windows -> Project Manager or Command P to open another project)
* You can only view and edit files that are in your Nimbalyst project, but you can have your coding agent read, use, manipulate files elsewhere on your computer if you give permission.
### **Coding Agents**
Nimbalyst is the open-source visual workspace for building with Codex, Claude Code, and more. At least one coding agent must be installed.
* If you already have a coding agent installed and running on your desktop, we will use it through its SDK.
* If you do not have Claude Code CLI, or Codex CLI installed, you must do so yourself prior to using Nimbalyst.
* You must either enter your API Key in the Settings in Nimbalyst or authenticate to OpenAI or Anthropic in their terminals.
### **Files Mode**
Work with Claude Code and Codex in interactive, WYSIWYG markdown docs, mermaid diagrams, excalidraw drawings, html mockups, data models, CSV files, Calc Sheets, in-app browser previews, mind maps, sessions, and code.
Focus on one file:
* Edit the file in the center panel. See red/green diffs from your coding agent and review, accept them.
* Work with your agent in the right panel to edit this file or explore other files, research the web.
* Navigate and manage your files in the left panel file manager
#### Edit Markdown
* Nimbalyst uses Markdown for everything (content, data, metadata)
* Work in native markdown mode or in the WYSIWIG Editor with markdown commands
* Open a markdown document from your folder, start editing it manually
* Or create a New Document by clicking the icon or ... File > New (Cmd+N) creates a new document
* Save with Cmd+S. Documents are saved as standard markdown files
* Remember your documents are on disk in your file system and so they can be edited by other AIs or you in other applications
* Cmd + Y will give you your file history and let you use it
#### Calc Sheets
* Create a `.calc.md` file when you want spreadsheet-style results in a markdown document
* Calc Sheets are useful for pricing, estimates, budgets, unit conversions, and planning notes with formulas
* You keep the source as plain text while Nimbalyst renders evaluated values beside it
* See [Calc Sheets](/visual-editors-powered-by-ai/calc-sheets.md)
#### Browser
* Open `.html` files or live URLs in a real Chromium view inside Nimbalyst
* Use the Browser to preview generated pages, inspect mockups, and verify frontend changes without switching apps
* Ask your agent to navigate, click, type, scroll, evaluate, or screenshot the page
* See [Browser](/visual-editors-powered-by-ai/browser.md)
#### Mind Map
* Create a `.mindmap` file when a roadmap, plan, or research topic is easier to understand spatially
* Mind maps give you an infinite canvas with branches, notes, tags, colors, and AI-assisted expansion
* The file stays readable and versionable, so agents can edit it like other project files
* See [Mind Map](/visual-editors-powered-by-ai/mind-map.md)
#### AI Chat Panel
* Leverage the AI Chat panel to edit your documents or do research / chats
* Select a provider from the dropdown (See [AI Provider Setup and Notifications](/setup-nimbalyst/ai-provider-setup-and-notifications.md) to set up Claude Code, Codex, and other providers)
* The first time you try to use a coding agent, if you are not authenticated, the Agent chat will step you through authenticating.
* The AI Agent can see and operate on your current document and your whole project
* Type `@` to attach a file or folder to the conversation. In markdown documents, putting a supported custom-editor file reference on its own line turns it into an inline embed.
* Use the **Actions** dropdown to insert reusable prompts like reviewing changed files, planning an implementation, drafting release notes, or inspecting the current editor
* AI Edits show up as Red/Green Diffs for your approval
* Each AI conversation is a session which can be saved and resumed
#### **Edit Mockups**
* Create a mockup by typing /mockup in the agent panel . Click to open it in the editor.
* Edit via modifying the html source or by annotating it (draw on it) or by selecting a div and then ask the agent to make changes
* Embed the mockup into your document by typing /
### **Agent Mode**
* *Session Management:* organize, find, and continue your AI conversations. Track the files changed by a session and coordinate your stepping through and approving each one.
* *Coding support:* All the power of Claude Code and Codex plus file tracking, diff visualization, code editing, and / command support with Github status tracking.
* You conversation with the agent is in the central panel. Focus on this interaction
* The left panel contains the list of your sessions. Group sessions together into workstreams
* The right panel contains the files that the agent touched in that session or group of sessions. Click on a file to open it in the center. Right click to open it in files mode.
If you already have a history of sessions in the Claude Code CLI, bring them into Nimbalyst with **File → Import Claude Code Sessions...**. See [Import Claude Code Sessions](/session-management/import-claude-code-sessions.md).
### Team and Collaboration Setup
If Teams early access is enabled for your account, collaborate with other people in this project as follows:
> **Availability and pricing:** Nimbalyst for Teams is coming soon and currently in early access. Pricing is **TBD per user/month**. [Join the waitlist](https://nimbalyst.com/waitlist/) for pricing and feature announcements.
1. Sign in under **Settings > Account > Accounts**.
2. Make sure the project has a git remote named `origin`.
3. Open **Settings > Project > Sharing** and create a team, join an invitation, or add the repository to an organization you already administer.
4. Invite teammates from the organization's member settings.
5. Open **Collaboration** mode to create shared documents, or right-click a supported local file and choose **Share to Team**.
6. Open **Trackers** to work on shared tracker types or promote hybrid items into the team tracker.
Once the team is connected, people and their agents can work together in the same shared documents and trackers.
See [Set Up a Team](/team-collaboration/setup-teams.md) for the complete settings flow and [Team Collaboration Overview](/team-collaboration/overview.md) for how local and shared work fit together.
### Mobile App
Manage your AI coding agents on the go with the Nimbalyst Mobile App.
* **Session Dashboard** — see all active, completed, and paused sessions at a glance
* **Diff Review** — swipe through file changes with red/green diffs optimized for mobile
* **Resume & Reassign** — resume stalled sessions with a voice note or typed instruction from your phone
* **Push Notifications** — get notified when sessions complete, hit errors, or need approval
* **Desktop Sync** — changes approved on mobile appear instantly on desktop
* **All Agents** — manage Claude Code and Codex sessions from one app
See the full [mobile-app.md](/mobile/mobile-app.md) docs for details.
### Shortcuts
* Click Help -> Shortcuts or enter Command / to see a list of shortcuts for Nimbalyst
* **Cmd+O** — Open Unified Quick Open in the Files tab, then switch tabs for content search, sessions, prompts, projects, and trackers
* **Cmd+K** — Agent Mode
* **Cmd+E** — Files Mode
* **Cmd+N** — New File/Session
* **Cmd+Shift+N** — New AI session from any mode
* **Cmd+Shift+K** — Session Kanban board
* **Cmd+\[** / **Cmd+]** — Jump between tabs
* **Cmd+Shift+V** — Force-paste as plain text
### 15-minute guided quickstart
Learn Nimbalyst by doing real work in about 15 minutes. Product managers, founders, and designers finish with a working brief and an embedded mockup. Developers finish with a run-and-test guide, an embedded architecture diagram, and two agents running in parallel.
Open a workspace in Nimbalyst, start a new chat, and paste this prompt:
```
Fetch https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nimbalyst/skills/main/skills/getting-started/quickstart.md, save it to nimbalyst-quickstart/quickstart.md in this workspace, then run it as the Nimbalyst quickstart. Wait for me at every exercise.
```
The agent will save the quickstart in your workspace, help you choose the product or engineering track, and wait for you at each exercise. Everything it creates stays under `nimbalyst-quickstart/`, so you can remove the folder afterward if you do not want to keep the results.
The [Nimbalyst quickstart on GitHub](https://github.com/nimbalyst/skills/blob/main/skills/getting-started/quickstart.md) is the source of truth.
---
# Agent Instructions
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## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:
```
GET https://docs.nimbalyst.com/getting-started/quickstart.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.
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Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.