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Product docs for Solo's desktop workflow: setup, projects, commands, agents, notifications, and troubleshooting.

Getting started

Installation and system requirementsFirst launchThe demo projectInterface overviewUnderstanding projects, processes, and sections

Projects

Creating and loading projectsCommand auto-detectionsolo.yml overviewProject icons, names, and customizationProject context menuReordering projects and sectionssolo.yml change notifications

Workspaces

Workspaces overviewManaging workspacesMultiple windows

Commands

Adding and removing commandsStart, Stop, and RestartAuto-startAuto-restartFile-watch Auto-restartStatus IndicatorsRenaming commandsReordering CommandsLesser-used CommandsOrphaned ProcessesTrust and Security

Agents

What are agents?Setting up agent toolsAdding custom agentsAgent installation healthLaunching agents in a projectStopping and resuming agentsAuto-summarizationAgent idle detectionClosing agents

MCP tools

MCP tools overviewProject MCP toolsWorkspace MCP toolsServices MCP toolsProcess MCP toolsBulk MCP toolsOutput MCP toolsAgent and terminal MCP toolsCoordination MCP toolsSetup and support MCP toolsScratchpad MCP toolsTodo MCP toolsPrompt template MCP toolsTimer MCP toolsKey-value MCP toolsMCP prompts and resources

Workflows

Daily operating patternsBuild, review, and land one changeDebug a live application with an agentRun an independent review panelHand off long-running work between agentsScratchpads and todos as agent memoryAgents spawning agentsAgent orchestration workflow

Todos

Using todosTodo agent tools

Scratchpads

Using scratchpadsScratchpad agent tools

Prompt templates

Prompt templatesCreating and editing templatesPlaceholdersUsing templates

Terminal

Terminal basicsTerminal control barTerminal context pinsTerminal keyboard inputTerminal mouse ownershipTerminal focus behaviorSearching terminal outputTerminal reattach behaviorFollow output and jumping to bottomTerminal session persistenceTerminal right-click menuOSC, links, and Kitty keyboard protocol

Sidebar

Understanding sectionsFiltering the sidebarProcess favoritesCPU and memory statsCollapsing and expanding sectionsReordering sectionsSection splash screens

Activity

Activity monitor

Keyboard shortcuts

Default keyboard shortcuts referenceSidebar keyboard navigationSwitching projects and commandsCustomizing keyboard shortcuts

Notifications

macOS notification permissionsIn-app toast notificationsNotification indicatorsAuto-restart notificationsBell soundsTriggering notifications from scripts

Environment

Shell environmentExecution profilesVersion managers

Integrations

MCP server integrationHTTP APIDeep links

CLI

Solo CLI overviewProjects and processes from the CLITodos and scratchpads from the CLIJSON output and scripting

Settings

Settings overviewTools: editors, terminals, and browsersSidebar settings

Appearance

ThemesTerminal font settingsInterface font and scale

Updates

Installing updatesRestarting safely for updates

Account

Free tierActivating a licenseTeam licensesMoving a license to another machineLicense errors

Troubleshooting

Commands can't find tools (PATH issues)Notification troubleshootingResetting settings and stateReporting issues

Command palette

Using the command paletteQuick jumpFocus jumpActions paletteContext actionsNew tab pickerPrompt template pickerNative app menus

Useful links

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  1. Docs
  2. Environment

Environment

A command only works in Solo if it starts with the environment it expects. Learn where Solo gets PATH and shell variables, how execution profiles change command startup, and what to check when a language version manager is involved.

Shell environment
On macOS and Linux, Solo captures your login shell environment so newly launched PTY-backed terminals, commands, and agents receive the captured PATH, version-manager exports, and…
Execution profiles
An execution profile decides which shell — and, on Windows, which environment — Solo uses for a project's commands and agents, and for terminals that inherit the project profile. A…
Version managers
On macOS and other Unix-like hosts, Solo works with shell-configured version managers by capturing your login shell environment. If that shell adds a version manager to PATH, an ex…

Are you an agent? Read this doc via API: /api/v1/docs/environment

Solo

Solo is the programmable meta-harness for coding agents that runs every CLI harness beside your dev stack and gives agents shared processes, scratchpads, todos, and control through MCP, HTTP, or the Solo CLI.

Built by Aaron Francis, dad to two sets of twins, creator of faster.dev, and creator of Database School. He built Solo after running Claude Code alongside his dev stack and juggling nine terminal tabs.

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