Installation & First Run

Option 1: Cetas JS via npm (recommended)

npm install -g @posoco/cetas
cetas --version

Requires Node.js 24 or newer (nodejs.org). This is the primary interactive terminal, including JS-specific integrations such as Board workflows. The current stable Cetas release publishes the JS distribution through npm rather than a cetas-bun executable ZIP.

Option 2: Cetas Native (no Node.js required)

Native runs a Go/Bubble Tea v2 terminal backed by the same MoonBit Cetas/Posoco runtime. It is a second choice if you prefer a native CLI, not a promise of full feature parity with the npm build.

Homebrew — macOS Apple Silicon or Linux x64

brew install colmugx/tap/cetas

Scoop — Windows x64

scoop bucket add cetas https://github.com/colmugx/scoop-bucket
scoop install cetas/cetas

Direct installation / download

You can also use the repository’s interactive Unix installer or PowerShell installer. Both show the detected OS, selected version, destination and install files, then ask for confirmation before downloading binaries. Noninteractive installation needs explicit --yes (Unix) or -Yes (PowerShell).

Alternatively, choose a cetas-v* tag on the GitHub Releases page; Memoh has its own release series. The Native archives currently cover macOS ARM64, Linux x64, and Windows x64. On Windows, cetas-windows-x64.zip includes cetas.exe, cetas-acp.exe, cetas-run.exe and cetas_moon.dll; keep the DLL next to the executable.

Only need an editor agent or a one-off runner?

These are still available as independent downloads in each Cetas release:

You do not need to download the entire Native terminal for these use cases. Verify the selected archive using the SHA256SUMS file from the same release.

When JS and Native are both installed

Both may install a cetas command. Your shell launches whichever is first on PATH — check command -v cetas on Unix or Get-Command cetas in PowerShell. Configuration lives in the shared Cetas home, but features, approval UI, and session flows can differ between hosts.

From install to your first message

Four steps.

1. Run it in your project directory

cd /path/to/your/project
cetas

Everything it reads, edits, or executes is relative to this directory. No project yet? A freshly created empty folder works just as well.

2. Sign in with a provider

Cetas ships no model of its own — it calls a provider (a company that supplies models, like DeepSeek or OpenAI). Register on the provider’s site, create an API key, then:

/login

Pick the provider, paste the key (or use browser sign-in where it is offered), done. Seeing fewer options than expected? See Providers.

3. Pick a model

/model

The list comes from the provider you just signed in with. Pick one and you are set.

4. Say the first thing

Explain how authentication works in this repository.

No repository? Any sentence works — a streaming reply means you are through. Keys worth knowing on day one:

• @path attaches a workspace file, Tab completes;
• Esc interrupts the running turn; typing while it runs queues a follow-up;
• before you fully trust it, /permission readonly drops the session to read-only — see Permissions;
• /help lists the commands this build actually has.

Sessions are kept automatically: /sessions reopens one, /rewind walks back to before a mistake — there is no “save” step.

Using your company’s own endpoint?

Cetas supports self-hosted OpenAI-compatible endpoints natively; the walkthrough is at Custom models.

Stuck?

Credentials, your model pick, and past sessions all land in one home directory automatically — nothing to manage day to day. Curious what it looks like or how to back it up? See Cetas Home.

Next: Custom models, Permissions, or the command reference.