Getting started

This is the shortest path from a fresh terminal to a compressed git diff. If you want every install option, see Installation.

1. Install the binary

The fastest path is the install script:

curl -fsSL https://tok0.dev/install.sh | sh

Verify it landed:

tok0 --version

You should see something like tok0 0.4.x.

2. Run tok0 init

tok0 init

This auto-detects every supported AI tool on your machine and installs the right hook, rules file, or AGENTS.md entry. You’ll see something like:

✓ claude-code     → ~/.claude/settings.json (PreToolUse hook)
✓ cursor          → printed paste-in (Settings → Rules)
✓ gemini-cli      → ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md
- windsurf        not detected

Tools marked ✓ install automatically. GUI-only tools print a manual paste-in step — usually a few lines into a Settings panel.

3. Run a command through your agent

Open your agent and ask it to run any compressible command — git diff, cargo test, npm install, kubectl get pods. The agent sees the compressed output; you see the raw output in your terminal.

To see it directly, run a command through the proxy:

tok0 git diff

The exit code, stderr, and content are preserved. Only the model-bound representation is shrunk.

4. Check the savings

tok0 stats

You’ll see per-command compression ratios, total tokens saved, and a 30-day rolling chart drawn from your local SQLite meter at ~/.config/tok0/meter.db. None of this leaves your machine unless you opt into telemetry.

Common follow-ups

• tok0 doctor — diagnose which hooks are wired and which aren’t.
• tok0 status — show current bridge state per AI tool.
• tok0 verify — SHA-256-check every installed hook against tok0’s signed manifest.