> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.codealive.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get started with CodeAlive in minutes

## Start Using CodeAlive in Three Simple Steps

Transform your AI coding experience with deep contextual understanding of your codebase.

<Info>
  Add at least one repository before connecting an assistant. Current remote MCP clients can use browser OAuth without an API key; API keys remain available for direct API, Docker, and compatibility setups. Chat and search become useful after your repository is indexed.
</Info>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create Your CodeAlive Account">
    <AccordionGroup>
      <Accordion icon="user-plus" title="Sign up">
        1. Visit [app.codealive.ai](https://app.codealive.ai) to create your account
        2. Complete the registration process
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion icon="folder-tree" title="Add your first repository">
        Once logged in:

        1. Navigate to the **Data Sources** section
        2. Connect your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repositories
        3. Select at least one repository to add to CodeAlive
        4. CodeAlive will begin building your codebase knowledge graph

        <Tip>Once at least one repository has been added, you can create an API key right away. Initial indexing typically takes 5-15 minutes depending on repository size.</Tip>
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion icon="i-heroicons-key" title="Create your API key">
        1. Navigate to **MCP & API** in the dashboard
        2. Click **"+ Create API Key"**
        3. Copy your key immediately (it won't be displayed again)

        <Warning>Save your API key securely. You will need it to connect your AI assistants, and it cannot be retrieved later.</Warning>
      </Accordion>
    </AccordionGroup>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect Your AI Assistant">
    Choose your preferred integration method:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Installer (Recommended)">
        ### One-Command Setup

        The installer auto-detects your AI agents and configures CodeAlive:

        ```bash theme={null}
        npx @codealive/installer
        ```

        Supports Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf, Cline, Codex, and more. See the [Installation Guide](/installation) for details.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="MCP (Manual)">
        ### Model Context Protocol Setup

        For an OAuth-capable remote MCP client:

        ```json theme={null}
        {
          "mcpServers": {
            "codealive": {
              "url": "https://mcp.codealive.ai/api"
            }
          }
        }
        ```

        <Info>Your client opens CodeAlive in a browser for sign-in and consent. If it does not prompt automatically, use its MCP login command. The agent-specific guides include exact steps and an API-key fallback.</Info>

        See [MCP Integration](/integrations/mcp) for agent-specific instructions.
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="API Integration">
        ### Direct API Integration

        Use CodeAlive's REST API directly:

        ```bash theme={null}
        curl -X POST https://app.codealive.ai/api/tools/chat \
          -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
          -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
          -d '{
            "question": "Explain the authentication flow. Prior context: none.",
            "data_sources": ["your-repo-name"],
            "output_format": "agentic"
          }'
        ```
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Docker">
        ### Local Docker Setup

        Run CodeAlive MCP server locally:

        ```bash theme={null}
        docker run -p 8000:8000 \
          -e CODEALIVE_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY \
          ghcr.io/codealive-ai/codealive-mcp:main
        ```
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start Using CodeAlive">
    <Tip>
      Wait until your repository finishes indexing before expecting useful chat or search results.
    </Tip>

    <AccordionGroup>
      <Accordion icon="magnifying-glass" title="Semantic Code Search">
        Try these example queries:

        * "Find all authentication-related code"
        * "Show me error handling patterns in the payment service"
        * "Locate database connection configurations"
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion icon="comments" title="Contextual Chat">
        Engage in deep technical discussions:

        * "How does the user registration flow work?"
        * "What are the potential security vulnerabilities in the API endpoints?"
        * "Suggest improvements for the caching strategy"
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion icon="code-compare" title="Code Review">
        Get AI-powered code reviews:

        * "Review this pull request for best practices"
        * "Check for potential performance issues"
        * "Identify code duplication across the codebase"
      </Accordion>
    </AccordionGroup>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Integration Guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation Guide" icon="download" href="/installation">
    One-command installer for all agents
  </Card>

  <Card title="Claude Code" icon="robot" href="/integrations/mcp/claude-code">
    Set up CodeAlive with Claude Code
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cursor" icon="code" href="/integrations/mcp/cursor">
    Integrate CodeAlive into Cursor
  </Card>

  <Card title="VS Code + Copilot" icon="code" href="/integrations/mcp/vscode">
    Use CodeAlive with GitHub Copilot in VS Code
  </Card>

  <Card title="All Agents" icon="plug" href="/integrations/mcp">
    20+ agent integrations including Windsurf, Codex, Gemini CLI, and more
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="book" href="/api-reference/toolapi/list-visible-data-sources">
    Explore the full API documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Key Benefits

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="83% Faster AI Responses" icon="gauge-high">
    CodeAlive's context engine dramatically improves AI response times by providing pre-indexed, semantically organized code knowledge.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Multi-Repository Support" icon="folder-tree">
    Analyze relationships across multiple repositories simultaneously, perfect for microservices architectures.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="All Languages Supported" icon="code">
    Support for all programming languages and frameworks in your tech stack.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Repository not indexing">
    * Ensure you have proper access permissions to the repository
    * Check that the repository is not empty
    * For private repos, verify your GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket integration is properly configured
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="API key not working">
    * Verify you're using the correct API key from your dashboard
    * Make sure you have added at least one repository before trying to create a key
    * Check that your account is active
    * Ensure proper formatting in your configuration (Bearer token in Authorization header)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Slow response times">
    * Initial repository indexing may take time for large codebases
    * Check your network connection
    * Contact [support@codealive.ai](mailto:support@codealive.ai) if issues persist
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Documentation" icon="book-open" href="/api-reference/toolapi/list-visible-data-sources">
    Learn about CodeAlive's architecture
  </Card>

  <Card title="Best Practices" icon="lightbulb" href="/tips-and-tricks">
    Optimize your CodeAlive setup
  </Card>

  <Card title="Support" icon="life-ring" href="mailto:support@codealive.ai">
    Get help from our team
  </Card>
</CardGroup>