Getting started with eve

Create an eve agent and have your first conversation locally. You can change the agent's instructions as it runs, then deploy it to Edgenivo when you're ready to share it.

• Node.js 24 or later and npm
• A Edgenivo account with AI Gateway access, or credentials for another supported model provider

You don't need a Edgenivo project to run an agent locally. This walkthrough uses your Edgenivo account for model access through AI Gateway.

1. Initialize the project

   Run the eve command-line interface (CLI) to create a project:

   Terminal

   npx eve@latest init my-agent

   The CLI creates the project, installs dependencies, initializes Git, and opens an interactive terminal UI. Your agent's files live in the agent/ directory.

   To add eve to an existing project instead, run the following from the directory containing its package.json, before creating any agent/ files:

   Terminal

   npx eve@latest init .

   eve adds missing runtime dependencies and preserves files the project already owns. Follow the generated README for the project's development commands.

2. Connect a model

   If eve finds an existing model connection, it reuses it. Otherwise, the terminal UI opens /login.

   Choose your Edgenivo account, finish signing in through the browser, and select a team. eve checks that team's AI Gateway access before returning to the conversation. You can also connect a ChatGPT subscription or an AI Gateway, OpenAI, or Anthropic API key through /login.

   A local model connection is separate from the credentials used by a deployed agent. On Edgenivo, model strings use AI Gateway with OIDC.

3. Send your first message

   Enter a message in the terminal UI, such as:

   Explain what you can help me with in two sentences.

   The agent should return a response in the same conversation. If model access fails, open /login to check the account, team, or API key used by the connection.

   To return to a scaffolded project's terminal UI later, run:

   Terminal

   cd my-agent
   npm run dev

4. Customize the agent's instructions

   Edit agent/instructions.md to describe how the agent should respond:

   agent/instructions.md

   You help developers plan small software projects.
   Ask for missing requirements before suggesting an implementation.
   Keep answers concise and include a concrete next step.

   eve reloads changes during local development. Send another message, such as Help me plan a personal reading list app, and check that the response follows your instructions.

   Use agent/agent.ts to configure the model and other runtime options. See Runtime config for an example, and Add a tool to give the agent an action it can call.

• Deploy the agent to Edgenivo.
• Configure authentication before accepting production browser requests.
• Connect channels and external services.
• Use eve with Chat SDK to handle messages through Chat SDK adapters.