Quick Start

This guide walks you through your first Glue session: setting an API key, launching the CLI, sending a prompt, and using common flags.

Set Your API Key

Glue reads provider keys from environment variables. Export the key for your preferred provider:

# Anthropic (default provider)
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

# OpenAI
export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...

# Other supported providers
export GEMINI_API_KEY=...
export MISTRAL_API_KEY=...
export GROQ_API_KEY=...
export OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-...

For local Ollama no key is needed. See Configuration for the full list.

TIP

Add the export to your shell profile (~/.zshrc, ~/.bashrc, etc.) so the key persists across terminal sessions.

Launch Glue

Navigate to a project directory and start an interactive session:

cd my-project
glue

Glue opens a conversational interface where you can describe tasks in plain language. It reads your project files, suggests edits, and runs commands on your behalf.

Send Your First Prompt

You can pass a prompt directly when launching:

glue "add an auth endpoint"

Glue will analyze your project, propose changes, and ask for confirmation before applying them.

CLI Flags

Common flags to customize your session:

Flag	Description	Example
glue "prompt"	Start with an initial prompt	glue "add auth endpoint"
--model, -m	Select a specific model	glue -m gpt-5
--resume, -r	Open the picker, or resume by ID	glue --resume 1740654600000-abc
--continue	Resume the most recent session	glue --continue
--print, -p	Print response and exit (no interactive UI)	glue -p "summarise this repo"
--json	Print conversation as JSON (implies -p)	glue --json "list TODOs"

Examples

Select a different model for a single session:

glue -m gpt-4.1 "refactor the database layer"

Pick up a specific previous session by ID:

glue --resume 1740654600000-abc

Resume a session and send the next prompt immediately:

glue --resume 1740654600000-abc "continue fixing the auth flow"

Or use the runtime /resume slash command to pick from a list once you're inside a session.

Continue your most recent conversation without the picker:

glue --continue

INFO

CLI flags take the highest precedence and override any values set in config files or environment variables. See the Configuration guide for the full precedence order.

Next Steps

Now that you have run your first session, learn how to customize Glue for your workflow in the Configuration guide.

See also

• Installation -- prerequisites and install steps
• Configuration -- config files, environment variables, and precedence
• GlueConfig -- programmatic configuration API