Lesson 2: Setting Up Your Workspace

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• Node.js 22+ or Bun 1.0+ installed
• Git configured with your GitHub credentials
• A terminal you are comfortable with

Installation

Using Bun (Recommended)

bun add -g rearch

Using npm

npm install -g rearch

Verify the installation:

rearch --version
# rearch v1.2.0

Initialising a Project

Navigate to your project directory and run:

rearch init

This creates a .rearch/ directory in your project root with the following structure:

.rearch/
├── config.yaml          # Project configuration
├── prompts/
│   └── default.md       # Default agent system prompt
├── pipelines/
│   └── feature.yaml     # Default feature pipeline
└── context/
    └── .gitkeep         # Additional context files

Configuration

Open .rearch/config.yaml to review the defaults:

project:
  name: my-project
  language: typescript
  framework: auto-detect

agent:
  model: default
  temperature: 0.2
  max_tokens: 4096

pipeline:
  default: feature
  test_command: "npm test"
  lint_command: "npm run lint"

Key Settings

Setting	Description	Default
project.language	Primary language of the codebase	Auto-detected
project.framework	Framework in use (React, Next.js, etc.)	Auto-detected
agent.temperature	Creativity level (0 = deterministic, 1 = creative)	0.2
agent.max_tokens	Maximum output length per agent turn	4096
pipeline.test_command	Command to run tests	npm test
pipeline.lint_command	Command to run linting	npm run lint

Editor Integration

ReArch works from the command line, but you can improve the experience with editor extensions:

VS Code

Install the ReArch extension from the marketplace. It adds:

• A sidebar panel showing active tasks and agent status
• Inline annotations when the agent modifies files
• One-click task creation from selected code

JetBrains IDEs

A plugin is available through the JetBrains Marketplace. Search for “ReArch” in your IDE’s plugin settings.

Verify Your Setup

Run the built-in health check:

rearch doctor

Expected output:

✓ Configuration valid
✓ Git repository detected
✓ API connection established
✓ Model access confirmed
✓ Test command works: npm test
✓ Lint command works: npm run lint

All checks passed. You are ready to go.

If any checks fail, consult the Installation guide for troubleshooting steps.

What’s Next

Your workspace is ready. In the next lesson, you will create and run your first AI-powered coding task.

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