🔔 Important Notice

Starting from October 10, 2025, iFlow CLI will switch to a new authentication method, and you will need to manually update the API Key at that time. It is recommended to use/auth to log in through iFlow to avoid service interruptions.

Quick Start

Goal: Install, configure, and run your first AI-assisted task with iFlow CLI in 5 minutes
Prerequisites: Basic terminal operation experience
What you'll learn: Install iFlow CLI, set up API key, execute basic commands

iFlow CLI is a terminal-based AI assistant that can analyze code, execute programming tasks, and handle file operations. This guide helps you quickly get started with core features.

Core Concepts (30-second overview)

Term	Description
iFlow CLI	Terminal-based AI assistant tool
Slash Commands	Control commands starting with / (e.g., /init, /help)
@	File reference @filepath (e.g., @src/App.tsx)
$	Execute a specific subagent starting with $ (e.g., $code-reviewer)
Shell Commands	Commands starting with ! that execute system commands in CLI
yolo	Execution mode that allows CLI to perform all operations by default
MCP	Model Context Protocol, a server system for extending AI capabilities
Sub Agent	Intelligent Agent system for executing different specialized tasks
Sub Command	Command line extensions
context left	Indicator at the bottom right of CLI showing remaining context length during conversation

💡 More terms: See the complete Terminology Glossary for all concept definitions

Step 1: Installation (2 minutes)

System Requirements

• Node.js 20+
• 4GB+ RAM
• Internet connection

Quick Installation

macOS/Linux

# One-click installation script that installs all required dependencies
bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://gitee.com/iflow-ai/iflow-cli/raw/main/install.sh)"

# If you already have Node.js 20+
npm i -g @iflow-ai/iflow-cli@latest

Windows

1. Visit https://nodejs.org/en/download to download the latest Node.js installer
2. Run the installer to install Node.js
3. Restart terminal: CMD (Windows + R, type cmd) or PowerShell
4. Run `npm install -g @iflow-ai/iflow-cli@latest` to install iFlow CLI
5. Run `iflow` to start iFlow CLI

Recommended: Use Windows Terminal: For better compatibility and user experience, we strongly recommend using Windows Terminal to run iFlow CLI. This can significantly reduce environment compatibility issues.

Verify installation: Run iflow --version to confirm successful installation

Step 2: Initial Setup (1 minute)

Start iFlow

iflow

Choose Login Method

iFlow CLI supports three login methods with different feature sets:

🌟 Method 1: Login with iFlow (Recommended)

Strongly recommended to use Login with iFlow for the most complete feature experience:

✅ Full Feature Support

• WebSearch Service: Intelligent web search for latest information
• WebFetch Service: Web content extraction and analysis
• Multimodal Capabilities: Built-in image understanding and more
• Tool Calling Optimization: Models provided by iFlow platform are specially optimized for more accurate and efficient tool calling

✅ Best User Experience

• Auto-renewal: Token automatically refreshes, never expires
• Seamless Connection: One-time authorization for continuous use

Login with iFlow Steps:

1. Run iflow and select Login with iFlow
2. CLI will automatically open browser and redirect to iFlow platform
3. Complete registration/login and authorize iFlow CLI
4. Automatically return to terminal and start using

Method 2: iFlow API Key Login

💡 Use Case: Server environments or scenarios without browser access

✅ Feature Support: Same as Method 1, enjoy complete iFlow platform features (WebSearch, WebFetch, multimodal, tool calling optimization, etc.)

⚠️ Note: API Key expires in 7 days and requires periodic renewal

API Key Login Steps:

1. Visit iFlow Official Website to register
2. Generate your API KEY in user settings page
3. Select API Key login in iFlow CLI and enter the key

Method 3: OpenAI Compatible API

💡 Use Case: Using your own model service or other OpenAI protocol-compatible services

⚠️ Feature Limitations:

• WebSearch service not supported
• WebFetch service not supported
• iFlow platform's built-in multimodal capabilities not supported
• Cannot enjoy iFlow platform models' tool calling optimization

Configuration Steps:

1. Select "OpenAI Compatible API" option
2. Enter service endpoint URL
3. Enter corresponding API Key

Select Model

After successful login, choose your preferred large language model to start using

Step 3: Run Your First Task (2 minutes)

Method A: Project Analysis

# In any code project directory
cd your-project/
iflow
> /init
> Analyze the structure and main features of this project

Method B: Simple Task

iflow
> Create a Python script that calculates the first 10 numbers of the Fibonacci sequence

Method C: Shell Command Assistance

iflow
> !ls -la
> Help me analyze this directory structure and suggest how to organize the files

Auto Update

iFlow CLI will check for the latest version when starting and will auto-update

Auto Update Failed

If auto-update fails, manual update is required

# Update command
npm i -g @iflow-ai/iflow-cli to update
# Check latest version
iflow -v

Uninstall and Reinstall

If manual update also fails, you need to uninstall and reinstall

# Uninstall
npm uninstall -g @iflow-ai/iflow-cli
# Check if iflow command still exists
iflow -v

# Reinstall
npm i -g @iflow-ai/iflow-cli

Common Commands Quick Reference

Command	Function	Example
/help	View help	/help
/init	Analyze project structure	/init
/clear	Clear conversation history	/clear
/exit	Exit CLI	/exit
!command	Execute system command	!npm install

Troubleshooting

Installation Issues

# Check Node.js version
node --version  # Requires 20+

# Check network connection
curl -I https://apis.iflow.cn/v1

Authentication Issues

• Ensure API key is copied correctly (no extra spaces)
• Check if network connection is working
• Regenerate API key and try again

Commands Not Responding

• Use Ctrl+C to interrupt current operation
• Run /clear to clear context
• Restart CLI: Use /exit then run iflow again

Next Steps

After completing the quick start, we recommend diving deeper in the following order:

1. Basic Usage - Master daily usage techniques (10 minutes)
2. Interactive Mode - Learn efficient interaction methods (15 minutes)
3. MCP - Extend AI capabilities (15 minutes)
4. Best Practices - Boost work efficiency (20 minutes)

Get Help: Having issues? Check the Complete Documentation or Submit Feedback