Getting Started

One command is all you need: npx xswarm

Getting Started

Everything you need to know about xSwarm fits in one command:

npx xswarm

Run this in any project folder. That’s it. The CLI handles everything else.

What Happens When You Run It

The CLI is designed to guide you through everything automatically:

  1. Checks requirements — Verifies Node.js 20+, Claude Code, and dependencies
  2. Handles authentication — Opens GitHub OAuth if you’re not logged in
  3. Adds your project — Detects the folder and registers it with xSwarm
  4. Starts working — Your AI team is ready to accept tasks

Project Onboarding

When xSwarm encounters a new project, it asks a few questions:

API Key (BYOK)

You provide your Anthropic or OpenAI key. This means you control the costs and have full transparency over AI usage.

Project Ownership

  • Your own repo: xSwarm can add documentation, tests, and config files
  • Contributing to others: xSwarm keeps framework files local, only creates PRs

Delivery Method

  • Pull requests: Code goes through PR review before merging
  • Direct merges: Trusted changes merge directly (your repos only)
  • Staging branches: Changes land in staging first for integration testing

File Permissions

For your own repos, you can let xSwarm add:

  • README.md files for new features
  • Test files (BDD/TDD framework)
  • Architecture reference documents
  • JSDoc comments and inline documentation

Contributing to someone else’s repo? xSwarm keeps all BDD/TDD framework files local on your machine. Your pull requests contain only the code changes — nothing extra gets added to the repo.

Prerequisites

The CLI checks these automatically, but here’s what you need:

  • Node.js 20+ installed on your system
  • Claude Code set up on your machine (get it here)
  • GitHub account for authentication
  • API key for Anthropic or OpenAI (for planning sessions)

That’s Really It

After the initial setup, you don’t need to learn anything else:

  • New project? Run npx xswarm — it gets added automatically
  • Already registered? Run npx xswarm — worker starts immediately
  • Multiple projects? Run npx xswarm in each folder

The goal is simple: everyone can remember how to use xSwarm after hearing it once.

Optional: The Dashboard

While npx xswarm is all you need, there’s also a web dashboard at xswarm.ai where you can:

  • View all your projects and their status
  • Monitor running tasks in real-time
  • Manage workers across machines
  • Review task history and outputs

But remember — you never need to visit the website. The CLI does everything.

Next Steps

  • Core Concepts — Understand workers, tasks, and the quality workflow
  • AI Agents — Learn about the specialized agents in your team
  • Workflow Patterns — Common patterns for different use cases