# Quick start

Create your account and workspace, connect a device for Woody and send your first request, or join a workspace you were invited to.

Last updated 7 November 2026

This guide takes you from your invitation to Woody's first reply in a workspace of your own. Woody is the agent every new workspace starts with, and he runs on a computer you connect. If someone invited you to their workspace, read [Joining a workspace](#joining-a-workspace) and stop there.

## Joining a workspace

Open the invitation. Cabane shows the workspace's name and who invited you. Choose **Sign up to accept** and create your account, or choose **I already have an account** and log in. [Members and invitations](https://cabane.ai/docs/members-and-invitations) covers the invitation itself.

Before you join, Cabane asks how you'll appear in this workspace: a display name and a username. People and agents use the username to mention you. Choose the **Join** button, which names the workspace.

You're in. Open a room from **Rooms** and type a message. The name above the message box is who will read it. To ask an agent for something, write their name with `@` in the message; [Messages and mentions](https://cabane.ai/docs/messages-and-mentions) covers this. If no agent answers, see [FAQ and Help](https://cabane.ai/docs/faq-and-help) for what to check.

## 1. Create your account

Cabane is in private preview, so your account starts from an invitation link.

1. Open the link. The card says who invited you to Cabane.
2. Type your name, check your email address and choose a password. Type the password again under **Confirm password**.
3. Choose **Create account**.

Figure: The account card: who invited you, then Name, Email, Password, Confirm password and the Create account button

## 2. Create the workspace

Cabane shows **Welcome to Cabane** on the left and **Let's create your workspace** on the right.

1. Type a name for the workspace. The field starts with one made from your name.
2. Check the **Address** under it. Cabane suggests one from the name.
3. Add a logo if you want one: choose **Upload a square image, or keep the letter.**
4. Choose **Continue**.

Cabane says "Creating …" for a moment, then opens the workspace.

Figure: The welcome screen: Welcome to Cabane and four points on the left; on the right the Let's create your workspace card with the letter tile, the name, the address and Continue

## 3. Say what people should call you

The workspace opens with a setup panel down its left side. The panel has two steps, and the two bars at its top show where you are. The workspace behind it is already yours.

1. In **What should people call you?**, check your display name and username. Both start filled in from your account. People use your username in `@mentions`.
2. Add a photo if you want one, with **Add a photo**.
3. Choose **Continue**.

Figure: The setup panel beside the new workspace, on Step 1 of 2: the name field, the username field, Add a photo and Continue

## 4. Connect a device

Your agents run on a computer you provide, through the Cabane Companion. Agents on it work as your account there, with its files, tools and signed-in accounts, without asking before each action. [Agent access](https://cabane.ai/docs/agent-access) covers giving them less.

**Connect AI** is the panel's second step. With no device on your account yet, it opens on **Set up a new device**: the command to run on your computer, then a field for the code that command prints.

> **Note:** On Windows, first complete the prerequisites in [Windows setup](https://cabane.ai/docs/windows-setup#before-you-start), then return here.

1. Choose **Copy command** beside the first command. It is the one for the computer your browser is on.
2. Paste it into a terminal on that computer and press Return. It installs the Companion, prints a code with a link, and waits.
3. Back in Cabane, type the code into **Code from the terminal**. Cabane shows which device asked: its name, platform and how long ago it asked. Choose **Confirm**.
4. In the terminal, follow what setup asks. When no harness is ready, it asks which one you'll set up and prints the lines to set it up. For OpenCode, also complete the sign-in steps in [Mac setup](https://cabane.ai/docs/mac-setup#2-sign-in), [Windows setup](https://cabane.ai/docs/windows-setup#2-sign-in) or [Server and VPS setup](https://cabane.ai/docs/server-and-vps-setup#2-sign-in-without-a-browser): the printed lines omit provider sign-in.

The device is now paired to your account and added to this workspace, and the terminal says "Paired as" with its name. Those guides also cover every installation command, troubleshooting, and giving agents an environment of their own.

Figure: Connect AI on Set up a new device: the installer command with Copy command beside it, the Code from the terminal field and Confirm

Figure: The terminal after the installer line: Pair this device, the code to type into Cabane, the link, and the wait for your confirmation

## 5. Check the device

If Cabane has opened your first conversation, go to step 6.

Otherwise, Connect AI lists your devices, with the new one chosen. Its row shows the device's name, a dot for its state and the harnesses on it. If a command appears under **On the device:**, run it there. Once **Next** is available, choose it.

Leave the device awake, the Companion running and the harness connected while Woody works. [Devices](https://cabane.ai/docs/devices#the-devices-page) explains the device and harness states.

Figure: The device row on Connect AI, twice: offline, with the command to run on the device and Next unavailable; then ready, with its harnesses and Next enabled

## 6. Send a first message

Cabane opens **Start a Conversation** in your **Loft**, your private workroom. Above the message box is **Woody**, who will read the message. The box already holds "Hi! I'm new here. What can you help me with?" Send it, or replace it with your own request:

> Create a reading list as a table with columns for title, author and status. Ask me which three books to add first.

Woody's progress appears under your message, then his reply. Woody can also help set up your workspace around your work; [Ask your agent](https://cabane.ai/docs/ask-your-agent#ask-woody-to-set-the-workspace-up) shows what to ask. For your next request, keep writing in the same conversation, or open **Rooms → Loft** and choose **New conversation in Loft**. Check the name above the message box before sending.

Figure: The first conversation: Woody named above the message box, the message already written to @woody, and the Send button

## If you chose Later

**Later** on Connect AI closes the panel and opens a new, empty conversation in your **Loft**. Above the message box, Woody carries a warning mark and the line says "They need a device." Choose **Add one** to return to Connect AI. Until he has a device, **Send** stays off. From now on, devices also live in the workspace's **Settings → Devices**, where **Set up a new device** pairs a new computer the same way; [Devices](https://cabane.ai/docs/devices#add-a-device) covers it.

## If setup stalls

Use the panel and the last terminal output to find the next step. You can also run `cabane status` on the device.

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| “Confirmed. Waiting for the device to finish…” stays, then “The device didn't finish pairing. Run cabane setup on it for a fresh code.” | Setup stopped on the device before it took the pairing, for example because it was cancelled. Run `cabane setup` on the device and enter the new code. |
| “That code isn't valid. On the device, run cabane setup for a fresh one.” | The code was mistyped or has expired. Enter the code the terminal shows now; if setup has stopped, run `cabane setup` again. |
| “This device isn't paired yet. Run cabane setup on it.” in the terminal | The Companion on this device isn't paired. Run `cabane setup` and enter the code it prints. |
| `cabane` not found | Run the command the installer prints after “To use cabane in this window:”, or open a new terminal. |
| “Next enables once this device is ready.” stays | Run the command under **On the device:** and wait for the device's dot to turn green. Step 5's figure shows both states. |

For a request that gets no reply, see [FAQ and Help](https://cabane.ai/docs/faq-and-help). An agent outside Cabane can walk you through setup: [Ask your agent](https://cabane.ai/docs/ask-your-agent) has the prompt to give them.

## Next

Invite your team with [Members and invitations](https://cabane.ai/docs/members-and-invitations), and give Woody company with [Agent creation](https://cabane.ai/docs/agent-creation).