Getting Started

Getting Started

Get up and running with Alex in 5 minutes.

Prerequisites

• VS Code 1.100 or later
• GitHub Copilot subscription (Alex uses Copilot's language models)
• Node.js 18+ (for heir project features)

Installation

From VS Code Marketplace

1. Open VS Code
2. Press Ctrl+Shift+X to open Extensions
3. Search for "Alex Cognitive Architecture"
4. Click Install
5. Reload VS Code when prompted

From VSIX (Manual)

code --install-extension alex-cognitive-architecture-X.X.X.vsix

First Launch

When you first install Alex, you'll see the Alex Welcome sidebar panel. This is your command center.

The Welcome Experience

1. Mind Tab — Shows Alex's current cognitive state (synapses, skills, memory)
2. Mission Tab — Displays your current focus and recent sessions
3. Journey Tab — Tracks your learning path with Alex

Initial Setup

Alex will prompt you to:

1. Accept the partnership — Alex remembers your preferences and learns from sessions
2. Set your persona — Are you primarily a Developer, Researcher, or Writer?
3. Choose your workspace — Alex adapts to your project structure

Your First Conversation

Open Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Shift+I) and type:

@alex What can you help me with?

Alex will introduce available capabilities based on your workspace.

Try These Commands

Command	What It Does
@alex dream	Validates and repairs Alex's memory
@alex meditate	Consolidates recent learning
@alex status	Shows current cognitive health

Configure Your Workspace

For Alex to work best in your project, create a copilot-instructions.md file:

# In your project root
echo "# Project Instructions\n\nThis is a TypeScript project using React." > .github/copilot-instructions.md

Or let Alex do it:

@alex initialize this workspace

What's Next?

• User Manual — Learn all commands and UI features
• Heir Project Setup — Configure Alex for your specific project
• FAQ — Common questions and troubleshooting

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Alex learns your patterns. The more you work together, the better the partnership becomes.