Quick Start

Get up and running with wai in 5 minutes.

1. Run the Interactive Tutorial

The best way to learn is by doing. Run:

wai tutorial

This interactive guide covers the PARA method, project phases, and basic commands in a safe sandbox.

Navigate to your project directory and initialize:

wai init

This creates a .wai/ directory to store your artifacts and configuration.

In wai, a “Project” is an active work item with a specific goal. Create your first one:

wai new project my-feature

Projects start in the Research phase. Record your initial thoughts or findings:

wai add research "Evaluated options A and B. Choosing A for performance."

As your work progresses, advance the project’s phase:

# Advance: Research → Design
wai phase next

# Add a design artifact
wai add design "New API will use standard REST patterns."

Get a context-aware overview of your workspace:

wai status

Status shows your active projects, their current phases, and smart suggestions for what to do next.

Now that you’ve got the basics down, explore the more powerful features of wai:

Commands Reference — Comprehensive list of all commands and flags.
PARA Method — Learn how wai organizes your work.
Project Phases — Master the workflow from Research to Archive.
Agent Config Sync — Keep your AI tools in sync.
Diagnostics & Health — Learn the difference between wai doctor and wai way.

If you run into issues, check the Troubleshooting guide or run:

wai doctor  # Check workspace health