Quickstart
Go from install to your first Claude Code conversation in under two minutes.
Quickstart
This guide takes you from installation to your first Claude Code conversation through the DorkOS web interface.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- Node.js 18+ installed
- Claude Code CLI installed and authenticated (
claudemust be available in your PATH) - DorkOS installed globally via
npm install -g dorkos
Need help with installation? See the Installation guide for detailed setup instructions.
Launch DorkOS
Start the server
Open a terminal, navigate to your project directory, and run:
dorkosDorkOS starts on port 4242 by default and opens the web interface in your browser.
DorkOS v1.x.x
Local: http://localhost:4242 // [!code highlight]
Network: http://192.168.1.100:4242To use a different port or project directory:
dorkos --port 8080 --dir ~/projects/myappSend your first message
Type a message in the chat input at the bottom of the screen and press Enter. Claude will begin streaming its response in real time.
Try something like:
Explain the structure of this projectApprove tool calls
When Claude needs to read files, run commands, or make edits, it will request permission through a tool approval card. Review what Claude wants to do, then click Approve or Deny.
Tool approval is a safety mechanism. Always review tool calls before approving, especially for write operations and shell commands.
Explore the Interface
The sidebar lists all your conversation sessions. Sessions are stored as SDK transcript files, so conversations started from any Claude Code client (CLI, DorkOS, Obsidian) all appear here.
- Click a session to switch to it
- Click New Session to start a fresh conversation
- Session history persists across restarts
Type / in the chat input to open the command palette. Slash commands are loaded from .claude/commands/ in your working directory and can inject predefined prompts or workflows.
DorkOS operates in a working directory, just like the Claude Code CLI. By default it uses the directory where you launched dorkos. Use the directory picker in the sidebar to switch directories without restarting.
CLI Quick Reference
| Flag | Short | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
--port <port> | -p | Server port | 4242 |
--dir <path> | -d | Working directory | Current directory |
--boundary <path> | -b | Directory access boundary | Home directory |
--tunnel | -t | Enable ngrok tunnel | Off |
--log-level <level> | -l | Log verbosity (fatal through trace) | info |
Next Steps
Configuration
Customize ports, directories, and persistent settings via config file or CLI flags.
Tool Approval
Learn how the tool approval flow works and how to configure permission modes.
Slash Commands
Create custom slash commands to streamline your workflows.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Speed up your workflow with keyboard shortcuts.