---
title: Getting started
description: Install the CLI, sign in, and create your first repo.
---

This walkthrough takes about three minutes. You'll install the `garage` CLI,
sign in via your browser, and create an empty repo.


### Install the CLI

```sh
npm i -g @thegarage/cli
```

Verify the install:

```sh
garage --version
```



### Sign in

`garage init` runs the device-flow login. There is nothing to configure:
an organization is created automatically when you sign up, with an opaque
server-minted slug and a name derived from your display name or email
(renamable later). Re-running `init` is idempotent — it surfaces current
state without re-prompting.

```sh
garage init
```

The CLI prints a URL — open it in a browser, approve the request, and the
CLI receives a long-lived API key automatically.

**Note:**   Credentials live in `~/.config/garage/auth.json` with mode `0600`. The stored key is a `grg_…` API
  key. `GARAGE_API_KEY` overrides the file for CI, agents, and scripts.

If you only want to (re-)authenticate, use `garage auth login`.



### Create a repository

`repos create` takes a bare name; the repo is created in your active org.

```sh
garage repos create hello-world
```



### Clone it

`garage git clone` resolves the storage remote, mints a short-lived read
token, and runs `git clone` with the credential helper wired up.

```sh
garage git clone hello-world
```

Prefer to drive `git` yourself? `garage repos get hello-world` prints the
storage remote URL.


## Where to next

  - [CLI reference](/docs/cli): Every subcommand and flag.
  - [For agents](/docs/agents): Install the SKILL.md and wire garage into a coding agent.
  - [Git SDK](/docs/sdk): Commit from any JavaScript runtime — no clone required.
  - [Overview](/docs): Start with the product surface.