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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/dallay/corvus/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Quickstart

Get up and running with Corvus in less than 5 minutes. This guide will walk you through installation, configuration, and your first agent interaction.
This quickstart uses the npm distribution for fastest setup. For other installation methods, see the Installation guide.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:
  • Node.js 18+ (for npm installation)
  • An API key from a supported AI provider (OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.)
  • 5 minutes of your time

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Step-by-Step Setup

1

Install Corvus

Use npx to run Corvus without global installation:
npx @dallay/corvus --help
Or install globally for persistent access:
npm install -g @dallay/corvus
The npm package downloads and manages the appropriate Rust binary for your platform automatically.
2

Run the Onboarding Wizard

Initialize your Corvus configuration with the interactive setup wizard:
corvus onboard --interactive
The wizard will guide you through:
  1. Provider Selection: Choose your AI model provider (OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, etc.)
  2. API Key Setup: Enter your API key (stored encrypted in ~/.corvus/config.toml)
  3. Model Configuration: Select your default model and temperature
  4. Memory Backend: Choose between SQLite, SurrealDB, or Markdown
  5. Security Settings: Configure gateway pairing and workspace scoping
  6. Channel Setup: Configure messaging integrations (optional)
  7. Tool Allowlists: Define which tools and commands the agent can use
If you want to skip the wizard, use the quick setup mode:
corvus onboard --api-key sk-... --provider openrouter
This creates a minimal configuration with secure defaults.
3

Verify Installation

Check that Corvus is properly configured:
corvus status
Expected output:
Corvus v0.2.2

Configuration:
✓ Config file: ~/.corvus/config.toml
✓ Provider: openrouter
✓ Model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514
✓ Memory: sqlite (auto_save: true)
✓ Workspace: ~/corvus-workspace

System Status:
✓ Gateway: Not running
✓ Daemon: Not running
✓ Channels: 0 configured
If you see any errors, run corvus doctor to diagnose and fix common issues.
4

Chat with Your First Agent

Send your first message to the agent:
corvus agent -m "Hello, Corvus! What can you help me with?"
Expected output:
🐦‍⬛ Corvus v0.2.2

User: Hello, Corvus! What can you help me with?

Assistant: Hello! I'm Corvus, your AI assistant. I can help you with:

• Code analysis and generation
• File operations (reading, writing, searching)
• Running shell commands safely
• Managing your project workspace
• Searching the web and retrieving information
• Storing and recalling important context

I operate with strict security controls - I'm scoped to your workspace
and will ask for permission before executing commands. What would you
like help with today?
The agent has access to tools like shell, file_read, file_write, and memory_store. It will ask for permission before executing potentially dangerous operations.
5

Try Interactive Mode

For a conversational experience, launch interactive mode:
corvus agent
This starts a REPL where you can have multi-turn conversations:
🐦‍⬛ Corvus v0.2.2 - Interactive Mode
Type 'exit' or Ctrl+D to quit

You: List all markdown files in the current directory

Assistant: I'll search for markdown files using the file_read tool.
[Tool: shell] ls *.md

Found:
• README.md
• CONTRIBUTING.md
• CHANGELOG.md

You: Read the README

Assistant: [Tool: file_read] README.md

The README contains...
Press Ctrl+D or type exit to quit.

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Next Steps

Now that you have Corvus running, explore these features:

Start the Gateway

Run the webhook server for external integrations:
corvus gateway
Access at http://127.0.0.1:8080

Enable Daemon Mode

Start the autonomous runtime for background tasks:
corvus daemon
The daemon monitors channels and executes scheduled tasks.

Configure Channels

Connect to Telegram, Discord, Slack, or WhatsApp:
corvus onboard --channels-only
See Channel Configuration for details.

Install as Service

Run Corvus as a background service:
corvus service install
corvus service start
Useful for always-on deployments.

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Common Commands

Here are the most frequently used Corvus commands:
CommandDescription
corvus agent -m "..."Send a single message to the agent
corvus agentStart interactive chat mode
corvus gatewayStart webhook server (default: 127.0.0.1:8080)
corvus daemonStart autonomous runtime
corvus statusShow system status
corvus doctorRun system diagnostics
corvus service installInstall background service
corvus onboard --channels-onlyReconfigure channels only

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Configuration File

Your configuration is stored at ~/.corvus/config.toml. Here’s a minimal example: 
api_key = "sk-..."
default_provider = "openrouter"
default_model = "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514"
default_temperature = 0.7

[memory]
backend = "sqlite"
auto_save = true
embedding_provider = "openai"
vector_weight = 0.7
keyword_weight = 0.3

[autonomy]
level = "supervised"        # "readonly", "supervised", or "full"
workspace_only = true
allowed_commands = ["git", "npm", "cargo", "ls", "cat", "grep"]

[gateway]
require_pairing = true
allow_public_bind = false

[runtime]
kind = "native"             # "native" or "docker"
See the Configuration Reference for all available options including:
  • Docker sandboxing
  • SurrealDB memory backend
  • Tunnel providers (Cloudflare, Tailscale, ngrok)
  • Browser automation
  • AIEOS identity format
  • Composio integrations

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Troubleshooting

If you used npx without global installation, prefix commands with npx @dallay/corvus:
npx @dallay/corvus agent -m "Hello"
Or install globally:
npm install -g @dallay/corvus
Ensure your API key is valid and has the correct permissions:
corvus onboard --api-key YOUR_KEY --provider openrouter
The key is stored encrypted in ~/.corvus/config.toml.
Corvus operates with workspace scoping by default. If you see permission errors:
  1. Check that you’re operating within your workspace directory
  2. Review forbidden paths in config: autonomy.forbidden_paths
  3. Verify allowed commands: autonomy.allowed_commands
Run corvus doctor for detailed diagnostics.
The npm package should automatically download the correct binary for your platform. If it fails:
  1. Check your Node.js version: node --version (requires 18+)
  2. Manually clear npm cache: npm cache clean --force
  3. Reinstall: npm uninstall -g @dallay/corvus && npm install -g @dallay/corvus
Alternatively, install from source with Cargo (see Installation).

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What’s Next?

Installation Guide

Explore all installation methods including Cargo and binary downloads

Development

Learn how to extend Corvus with custom tools and providers

API Reference

Dive into the complete API documentation
Need Help? Join the Corvus community or report an issue.

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