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Install Step Code with one script, sign in, and start working. This page takes you from installation and your first conversation to project instructions.

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What is Step Code?

Step Code is a terminal AI agent for software development and everyday terminal tasks. It reads and edits code, executes shell commands, searches files, fetches web pages, and plans its next steps based on execution feedback. Built by StepFun, it is optimized for Step models.
  • Write code: implement features, fix bugs, add tests, and refactor.
  • Understand projects: map directories, dependencies, entry points, and local setup.
  • Automate tasks: run one-off scripts, batch changes, and scheduled tasks.
  • Manage long tasks: use /goal for hours-long tasks and return to check progress and results.
  • Run agents in parallel: use workflow to coordinate multiple subagents.
  • Publish static websites: deploy build output with the steppage plugin.

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Installation

Use a modern terminal such as Kitty, Ghostty, iTerm2, or Windows Terminal. Image display, true color, and some key combinations depend on terminal configuration.
The installer fetches latest.json, downloads the package for your platform, verifies its checksum, extracts it to ~/.stepcode/bin with runtime resources, configures PATH, and runs a smoke test. Managed rg / fd tools are downloaded on demand to ~/.stepcode/agent/bin. For zsh, bash, and POSIX login configuration, it appends a marked PATH block. For fish, it uses fish_add_path. On Windows, it updates the registry and broadcasts the change; the default installation directory is %USERPROFILE%\.stepcode\bin.
These commands execute a remote script. Verify the source first, or download and inspect the script before running it. Open a new terminal after installation.
The installer supports --version <vX.Y.Z|latest> and --install-dir <path>. Use STEP_RELEASE_BASE_URL, STEP_INSTALL_DIR, and STEP_CODING_AGENT_DIR to override the release source and directories. Source repository: Step-Code.

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First launch

Open your project directory:
First launch walks through login, MCP import, the theme selector, and the main interface. The import screen appears when Claude Code or Codex MCP configuration is detected. Highlight a theme to preview it. Importing does not modify the original tool’s configuration. Other ways to start:
-p runs one task and exits. -c continues the most recent session.

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Login

Enter /login in the interactive interface and choose the appropriate platform: OAuth credentials refresh automatically. For API keys, set a variable such as export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="YOUR_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", or use /login to save the key to ~/.stepcode/auth.json. Use /logout to clear the corresponding credentials. See Platforms and models for all connection methods. Subscriptions and pay-as-you-go API usage are separate billing channels. Choose the platform for your region and billing method; the model name alone does not determine which quota is used.

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Your first conversation

Enter a task and press Enter:
The model uses read to read files, write to write them, edit to change them, and bash to run shell commands. Read-only search tools such as grep, find, and ls can be enabled in settings. See Built-in tools for configuration and model-facing names.
Bypass is the default permission mode: ordinary file changes and shell commands do not prompt for individual approval. To require approval, run /permissions and choose Ask. Permission modes are not an OS sandbox. Run in trusted directories; use an isolated container or VM for untrusted projects or unattended work.
After confirming the scope, try a task that writes a file:

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Add project instructions

Create AGENTS.md at the project root:
Step Code loads ~/.stepcode/agent/AGENTS.md and instructions from the current directory and its parents. In each directory, it selects the first match in this order: AGENTS.override.md, AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md. Run /reload or restart after changes. You can also run /init to have the model inspect the project and generate instructions. Review the content before saving it.

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Common commands and shortcuts

See Slash commands and Keyboard shortcuts for the complete lists.

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Where data is stored

Configuration, credentials, and sessions are stored locally under ~/.stepcode/ by default. Project resources live in the project’s .stepcode/ directory. See Data paths. Local storage does not mean data never leaves the machine. Model calls send prompts, relevant code, and tool results; MCP, plugins, feedback, and deployment may also access external services. Do not send sensitive data to services that are not authorized to receive it.

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Upgrade and uninstall

step update installs the latest stable version, including checksum verification, a smoke test, and rollback on failure. step update 0.4.0 illustrates installing a specific version; replace the version with the release you need. step upgrade is an alias. See The step command for package updates. For a script installation, remove the step executable from the installation directory, or step.exe on Windows, and remove the installer’s PATH entry. This does not delete configuration, credentials, or sessions. Back them up before following the cleanup instructions. Do not delete directories shared with other tools.

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Next steps