Quick start

You need a Git repository, a configured agent account on the host, and access to a Dieter gateway. A gateway operator must allow your numeric GitHub account ID; installing Dieter does not grant access to somebody else’s gateway. You can run your own .

1. Install the host

On Apple Silicon macOS:

brew install dbpprt/tap/dieter
dieter setup

The default gateway is https://gateway.getdieter.com and requires an allowed account. For self-hosting, use dieter setup --gateway https://YOUR-GATEWAY. Sign in with GitHub, then check and approve the machine name and enrollment code in the browser. Setup starts the managed service and guides supported host permissions.

On your account’s first machine, setup also starts your list of trusted devices and prints a recovery key once. Store it offline.

For a Linux host, follow the Linux installation steps .

2. Register a checkout

dieter project open ~/Development/my-project
dieter doctor
dieter harness list

Use an existing Git working tree on this machine. setup enrolls the machine; project open registers the repository. They are separate operations. Verify that your chosen harness has working credentials on the host before starting work.

3. Open a client

brew install --cask dbpprt/tap/dieter-app
open -a Dieter

Sign in to the same gateway. On Android, install the release APK and sign in to that origin instead; iPhone and iPad use the same app through the beta .

The app then shows a one-time code. Approve it on your host:

dieter device approve ABCD-EFGH-JKMN-PQRS

Use the code your app shows. Once the app is trusted, your shared projects appear. Later apps can also be approved from Devices → Add a device in an app that is already trusted.

4. Create a task

Open a project and its board, then add a task. Give the agent a concrete request, such as “Explain the test setup and identify a small missing test.” Choose a provider, model, and available reasoning level.

Choose New worktree for a separate branch and working directory, or Project directory to work in the registered checkout as it stands. On a project with several checkouts, choose where the work should execute.

Choose Add task (Mac) or Add to Todo (Android and iOS) to start later, or Run task (Mac) or Start now to begin immediately. Watch the transcript, tool activity, and result in the same conversation.

5. Review and continue

Open files or the Changes surface to inspect the result. Send a follow-up to continue the same conversation; messages sent during an active turn wait in its queue. Closing the client leaves the agent running on its host.

Moving a card to Review is workflow state, not a Git merge or publication. See projects and tasks for delivery settings.

The same task from the CLI

Use the exact IDs returned by the list commands:

dieter project list --format jsonl
dieter board list --project PROJECT_ID --format jsonl
dieter card create --project PROJECT_ID --board BOARD_ID \
  --lane running --title "Explain the tests" \
  --prompt "Explain the test setup and identify a small missing test." \
  --workspace worktree --format id
dieter card context CARD_ID

PROJECT_ID, BOARD_ID, and CARD_ID are placeholders. Creation returns as soon as the turn is admitted; use card context or card watch to follow it.

If something does not connect, start with troubleshooting .