Getting started

Welcome to BLACKBOX CLI!

This quickstart guide will have you using AI-powered coding assistance in just a few minutes. By the end, you'll understand how to use BLACKBOX CLI for common development tasks.

Before you begin

Make sure you have:

• A terminal or command prompt open
• A code project to work with (optional)
• A BLACKBOX AI account to login

1. Install BLACKBOX CLI

For Unix/Linux/macOS (Bash)

curl -fsSL https://blackbox.ai/install.sh | bash

For Windows (PowerShell)

iex (irm https://blackbox.ai/install.ps1)

If you get an execution policy error on Windows

To fix this, run the following command first in the same PowerShell session:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass

Then re-run the install command:

iex (irm https://blackbox.ai/install.ps1)

2. Configure BLACKBOX CLI

BLACKBOX CLI requires configuration before first use. Use the configure command to set up your providers:

blackbox configure
# You'll be prompted to configure providers and enter your API key on first use

Select Configuration

Select the configuration that you wish to change. For the initial setup, select Configure Providers.

Choose Model Provider

Select your preferred AI model provider from the available options. BLACKBOX CLI supports multiple agents including:

Available Agents:

• Blackbox: BLACKBOX AI's native models (Available on all platforms)
• Claude: Anthropic's Claude models (Available on all platforms)
• Codex: OpenAI's specialized programming models (WSL required on Windows)
• Gemini: Google's multimodal models (WSL required on Windows)
• Goose: Full access to all Blackbox CLI models (WSL required on Windows)
• OpenCode: Complete model support (WSL required on Windows)
• Qwen: All Blackbox CLI models (WSL required on Windows)

All agents work with a single BLACKBOX API key for easy configuration.

Enter API Key

Provide your BLACKBOX API key when prompted. You can get your API key from the BLACKBOX Dashboard.

• Navigate to your dashboard
• Copy your API key
• Paste it in the terminal when prompted

winget install Git.Git

Select Your Model

Choose the specific AI model you want to use from your chosen provider. You can select from the best closed-source or open-source models available. Look at the full list of BLACKBOX AI supported models Here.

Update BLACKBOX CLI

BLACKBOX CLI keeps you up-to-date with the latest features and improvements.

Automatic Updates (Default)

For versions 0.1.1 and newer, BLACKBOX CLI automatically checks for and installs updates when you start a session:

blackbox

Update Manually:

blackbox update

For Older Versions

If you're using an older version (before 0.1.1), you must manually update using:

For Unix/Linux/macOS (Bash)

curl -fsSL https://blackbox.ai/install.sh | bash

For Windows (PowerShell)

iex (irm https://blackbox.ai/install.ps1)

3. Start your first session

Open a new terminal window and start an interactive chat session:

blackbox

You'll see the BLACKBOX CLI prompt ready for your commands:

BLACKBOX CLI is ready!
Press Ctrl + C to quit.

4. Ask your first question

Let's start with exploring BLACKBOX CLI's capabilities. Try one of these commands:

> what can you help me build today?

> show me what programming languages you support

If you're in an existing project, you can ask about your codebase:

> analyze this project and tell me what it does

> what files are in this directory?

> help me understand the project structure

You can also ask for project ideas and guidance:

> suggest a beginner-friendly web development project

> what's the best way to structure a Python API project?

5. Create your first project

Let's start by creating a simple project from scratch:

> create a simple todo list web app using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

> build a basic calculator app with a clean interface

> create a personal portfolio website template

BLACKBOX CLI will:

1. Create the necessary files and folders
2. Write the complete code for your project
3. Set up proper file structure
4. Provide instructions for running the project

6. Make code improvements

Now let's enhance existing code. Try these improvement tasks:

> add responsive design to my website

> improve the styling of my todo app with modern CSS

> add form validation to my contact form

> optimize my JavaScript code for better performance

BLACKBOX CLI will:

• Analyze your existing code
• Suggest and implement improvements
• Maintain code functionality while enhancing features
• Explain the changes made

7. Debug and troubleshoot

BLACKBOX CLI excels at finding and fixing issues:

> my website isn't displaying correctly on mobile devices - fix it

> there's an error when I click the submit button - debug this

> my CSS styles aren't applying properly - help me fix this

> optimize my code to load faster

BLACKBOX CLI will:

• Identify the root cause of issues
• Provide detailed explanations
• Implement fixes automatically
• Test solutions to ensure they work

8. Explore advanced features

Discover more powerful capabilities of BLACKBOX CLI:

Advanced Project Creation

> create a full-stack e-commerce website with user authentication

> build a REST API with database integration and testing

Code Generation and Automation

> generate unit tests for all my functions

> create a deployment script for my web application

Integration and Setup

> set up a development environment with hot reloading

> integrate a payment system into my e-commerce site

Essential commands

Here are the most important commands for daily use:

Pro tips for beginners

Try: "fix the login bug where users see a blank screen after entering wrong credentials"

```
> 1. create a landing page with hero section and navigation
```

```
> 2. add a contact form with email validation
```

```
> 3. make the entire site mobile-responsive
```

```
> create a simple weather app that shows current conditions
```

```
> build a basic blog template with multiple pages
```

```
> explain how this CSS flexbox layout works
```

```
> teach me about JavaScript event handling while building this feature
```

What's next?

Now that you've learned the basics, explore more advanced features:

Getting help

• Natural Language: Simply ask "how do I..." or "help me with..."
• Documentation: Browse these guides for comprehensive information
• Dashboard: Visit your BLACKBOX Dashboard for account management