Quickstart

Get started with Tabnine CLI in 5 minutes!

Before you begin, make sure you have Tabnine CLI installed:

Installation Guide - Install Tabnine CLI on your system

If you've already installed Tabnine CLI, you're ready to go!

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Step 1: Start Tabnine CLI

Open your terminal and start Tabnine CLI:

tabnine

Step 2: Authenticate

On first run, you may be prompted to authenticate. Follow the on-screen instructions to log in with your Tabnine account.

Step 3: Your First Conversation

Once authenticated, you're ready to use Tabnine CLI!

Example 1: Ask a Question

> What is Tabnine CLI and how can it help me?

The AI will explain Tabnine CLI's capabilities.

Example 2: List Files

> What files are in the current directory?

Tabnine CLI will show you the directory structure.

Example 3: Read and Explain Code

> Read the package.json file and explain what this project does

The AI will read the file and provide an analysis.

Example 4: Write Code

> Create a simple Node.js HTTP server that responds with "Hello World"

Tabnine CLI will generate the code and can write it to a file if you confirm.

Essential Commands

Tabnine CLI has built-in slash commands. Here are the most useful:

Get Help

> /help

Shows all available commands and keyboard shortcuts.

Change Model

> /model

Opens a dialog to select a different AI model.

Clear Conversation

> /clear

Clears the current conversation history.

View Settings

> /settings

Opens the settings dialog to configure Tabnine CLI.

Exit

Press Ctrl+C or type:

> /quit

Working with Files

Read Files

Reference files using the @ symbol:

> Explain what @src/index.ts does

The AI will automatically read and analyze the file.

Edit Files

> In @src/index.ts, add error handling to the main function

The AI will propose changes and ask for confirmation before modifying the file.

Create Files

> Create a new file README.md with documentation for this project

The AI will generate content and create the file (with your confirmation).

Search Files

> Find all TODO comments in @src/

The AI will search through your files.

Using for Different Tasks

Code Review

> Review @src/auth.ts and suggest improvements

Get AI-powered feedback on your code.

Bug Fixing

> I'm getting a TypeError in @src/server.ts line 45. Help me fix it

Get help debugging issues.

Documentation

> Generate JSDoc comments for all functions in @src/utils.ts

Automatically create documentation.

Learning

> Explain how the authentication system works in this project

Understand your codebase better.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts for efficiency:

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+C	Exit Tabnine CLI
Ctrl+L	Clear screen
↑ / ↓	Navigate history
Ctrl+U	Clear current input

Type /help to see all shortcuts.

Non-Interactive Mode

For scripts and automation, use non-interactive mode:

Non-interactive mode still requires authentication.

• Set TABNINE_TOKEN environment variable to a Personal Access Token generated in the Tabnine admin console.

• Or sign in once in interactive mode (tabnine) and authenticate with Tabnine using the OAuth flow.

If both are present, TABNINE_TOKEN takes precedence.

# Simple text output
tabnine -p "What are the main dependencies in package.json?"

# JSON output (for parsing)
tabnine -p "Analyze the project structure" --output-format json

# Process a file
cat myfile.js | tabnine -p "Review this code for security issues"

Pro Tips

Be Specific

❌ "Review my code" ✅ "Review @src/auth.ts for security vulnerabilities and error handling"

Use Context

Add project context with a TABNINE.md file in your project root:

# Project Context

This is a TypeScript Node.js project for building web APIs.

## Key Conventions
- Use async/await for asynchronous code
- Add JSDoc comments to all exported functions
- Write unit tests in __tests__/ directories

Chain Tasks

> First, run the tests with `npm test`. If they pass, commit the changes with message "Add feature X"

Use Remote Code Search

> Using Remote Code Search, find all functions that handle user authentication

Get Coaching

> Based on coding best practices, review @src/api/ and suggest improvements

Common Workflows

Morning Code Review

> Review the changes I made yesterday in @src/

Before Committing

> Check @src/ for:
> - Security issues
> - Missing error handling  
> - Code quality problems

Learning New Code

> I'm new to this codebase. Explain the overall architecture and where I should start

Refactoring

> Suggest refactoring opportunities in @src/services/ to improve maintainability

Troubleshooting

Slow Response

If responses are slow:

1. Check your network connection

2. Try a different model with /model

3. Be more specific in your prompts

4. See Troubleshooting Guide

Command Not Found

If you see "command not found: tabnine":

1. Verify Tabnine CLI is installed - see Installation Guide

2. Check your PATH configuration

3. Try running with full path: ~/.local/bin/tabnine (Linux/macOS)

Next Steps

Now that you're familiar with the basics:

Learn More

• Installation Guide - Installation and setup reference

• Commands Reference - All available commands

• Keyboard Shortcuts - Productivity tips

• Settings - Configure Tabnine CLI

Explore Powerful Features

• Remote Code Search - Search large codebases

• Coaching Guidelines - Get best practices

• Built-in Tools - What tools are available

• Checkpointing - Undo file changes

See Real Examples

• Code Review - Comprehensive review workflows

Get Help

• FAQ - Common questions

• Troubleshooting - Solve problems

• In-App Help: Type /help anytime

Practice Exercise

1

Start Tabnine CLI

Start the CLI:

tabnine

2

List files

Ask:

What files are in this directory?

3

Read a file

Ask:

Explain what @package.json contains

4

Get help

Type:

/help

5

Change model

Type:

/model and explore options

6

Ask about code

Ask:

What are the best practices for error handling?

Congratulations! You're now ready to use Tabnine CLI effectively. Happy coding! 🎉