---
title: Quickstart
description: Install Lampson, open a project, pick a model, and give it your first task — in about two minutes.
---
# Quickstart

Lampson is a coding agent that lives in your project. You open it inside a folder, tell it what you want in plain words, and it reads, edits and runs — showing you each step and asking before anything risky.

## Install

```sh
npm i -g lampson
```

No Node.js? There is a one-line installer for [Windows, macOS and Linux](/install) that brings everything along.

## Open a project

```sh
cd path/to/your/project
lampson            # in the terminal
lampson --web      # in the browser, at http://127.0.0.1:8080
```

The folder you are in becomes the agent's **workspace**: the only place it can read or write. Both the terminal and the web version work on the same project, share the same settings and the same sessions.

## Pick a model

The first time, Lampson asks two things: which **provider** you use (DeepSeek, Anthropic, OpenAI, Kimi, Groq, OpenRouter, Ollama…) and your **API key**. That is saved on your machine — nowhere else — and shared by the terminal and the web UI. Change it whenever you like with `/model`.

Don't have a favourite? DeepSeek is inexpensive and works very well. Ollama runs a model on your own computer with no key at all. See [Models and providers](/en/docs/providers).

## Ask for something

Type what you want as you would to a colleague:

```
❯ the login form doesn't show an error when the password is wrong. fix it
```

You will see Lampson search, read the relevant files, edit one, and run the tests — each step on its own line with a ✓ and a short result. When it wants to do something with consequences (install a package, delete files, `git reset`) it stops and asks:

```
? bash npm install zod        allow? ❯ yes  no
```

Answer with the arrow keys, or `p`/`d`. Reading and editing files inside the project never need approval.

## What next

- [Your first session](/en/docs/first-run) — the terminal, `/` commands, `!` to run things yourself.
- [Permissions](/en/docs/permissions) — what is allowed, what asks, what is always refused.
- [Plugins](/en/docs/plugins) — give the agent new tools and turn them on when you want.