This quickstart guide will have you collaborating with Factory’s development agent in just a few minutes. You’ll experience how droid understands your codebase, makes thoughtful changes, and integrates with your existing workflow.

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Before you begin

Make sure you have:
  • A terminal open in a code project
  • Git repository (recommended for full workflow demonstration)

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Step 1: Install and start droid

# Install droid
curl -fsSL https://app.factory.ai/cli | sh
Then navigate to your project and start the droid CLI. 
# Navigate to your project
cd /path/to/your/project

# Start interactive session

droid
You’ll see droid’s welcome screen in a full-screen terminal interface. If prompted, sign in via your browser to connect to Factory’s development agent.

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Step 2: Explore your codebase

Let’s start by having droid understand your project. Try one of these questions: 

> analyze this codebase and explain the overall architecture



> what technologies and frameworks does this project use?



> where are the main entry points and how is testing set up?
Droid reads your files contextually and leverages organizational knowledge to provide comprehensive insights about your project structure and conventions.

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Step 3: Make your first code change

Now let’s see droid in action with a simple modification: 

> add comprehensive logging to the main application startup
Droid will:
  1. Analyze your current logging setup
  2. Propose specific changes with a clear plan
  3. Show you exactly what will be modified
  4. Wait for your approval before making changes
This transparent review process ensures you maintain full control over all code modifications.

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Step 4: Experience enterprise workflows

Try a more complex task that showcases droid’s enterprise capabilities: 

> audit this codebase for security vulnerabilities and create a remediation plan
Or provide context from your team’s tools by pasting a link: 

> implement the feature described in this Jira ticket: https://company.atlassian.net/browse/PROJ-123
If you’ve integrated these platforms through Factory’s dashboard, droid can automatically read context from Jira, Notion, Slack, and other sources. Droid can also connect to additional tools via MCP integrations for even more capabilities.

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Step 5: Handle version control

Droid makes Git operations conversational and intelligent: 

> review my uncommitted changes and suggest improvements before I commit



> create a well-structured commit with a descriptive message following our team conventions



> analyze the last few commits and identify any potential issues or patterns

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Essential controls

Here are the key interactions you’ll use daily:
ActionWhat it doesHow to use
Send messageSubmit a task or questionType and press Enter
Multi-line inputWrite longer promptsShift+Enter for new lines
Approve changesAccept proposed modificationsAccept change in the TUI
Reject changesDecline proposed modificationsReject change in the TUI
Switch modesToggle between modesShift+Tab
View shortcutsSee all available commandsPress ?
Exit sessionLeave droidCtrl+C or type exit

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Collaboration best practices

Be specific with context: Instead of: “fix the bug” Try: “fix the authentication timeout issue where users get logged out after 5 minutes instead of the configured 30 minutes” Use spec mode for complex features: For larger features, use Specification Mode which automatically provides planning before implementation without needing to explicitly request it. Leverage organizational knowledge: 

> following our team's coding standards, implement the user preferences feature described in ticket PROJ-123
Use the review workflow: Always review droid’s proposed changes before approval. The transparent diff view helps you understand exactly what will be modified.

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Pro tips for enterprise teams

Security-first approach: Droid automatically considers security implications and will flag potential vulnerabilities during code generation. Compliance integration: Connect your compliance tools through MCP to ensure all changes meet your organization’s standards. Team knowledge sharing: Droid learns from your organization’s patterns and can help maintain consistency across team members and projects.

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What’s next?

Common Use Cases

Explore real-world scenarios and workflows

Configuration

Customize droid for your team’s workflow

AGENTS.md Guide

Document your project conventions and commands

IDE Integration

Use droid within your favorite editor