Getting Started

Installation and first steps

Centaurus CLI is an AI-powered coding assistant that lives in your terminal. You can ask it to read and edit files, run commands, search your codebase, generate images, browse the web, and much more — all from a single chat interface.

1. Install

The installer checks for Node.js and installs it automatically if needed, then installs Centaurus CLI via npm.

If you already have Node.js 18 or higher, you can also use npm directly:

After installation you will see a success message with quick-start instructions.

2. Launch

Open your terminal and run:

3. Sign In

On first launch you will see a sign-in screen. Choose one of the options:

• Sign in with Browser — Opens your default browser so you can authenticate with Google. After signing in, the browser confirms success and you can close the tab.
• Sign in using Auth Token — Opens the login page URL for you. After signing in on the web, copy the session token displayed on the page and paste it into the CLI.

Once authenticated, Centaurus saves your session locally. You will not need to sign in again until the session expires.

4. Start Chatting

After sign-in you land on the main chat screen. A welcome banner shows your account info, session quota, recent chats, and quick-start tips. Type a message in the input box at the bottom and press Enter to send it to the AI.

5. Auto-Updates

When a new version is available, Centaurus shows an update banner on launch displaying your current and latest version. The update installs automatically. After it finishes, run centaurus again to start the new version.

If the update fails (for example, due to a permission error), a message explains how to update manually:

Data Storage

All your Centaurus data (chats, rules, skills, workflows, settings, and checkpoints) is stored locally under ~/.centaurus/.