This quickstart guide will have you using Verdent’s Plan-Verify-Code workflow in under 15 minutes. You’ll open a project, complete your first task, and understand the basic workflow.

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What You’ll Learn

  • Open a project in Verdent
  • Complete your first AI-assisted task
  • Understand execution modes
  • Create and manage workspaces for parallel work

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:
  • Verdent installed (Installation Guide)
  • A project directory to work with
  • Signed in to your Verdent account

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Step 1: Open Your First Project

1

Launch Verdent

Open Verdent from Applications (macOS) or Start Menu (Windows)
2

Open Project

Click Open Project and select a directory
3

Project Loads

Verdent opens the project and displays the main interface
If your project isn’t a Git repository, Verdent handles this automatically by creating its own Git repository for tracking changes and enabling workspace isolation.

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Step 2: Your First Task

Let’s start with a simple, non-destructive task that demonstrates Verdent’s understanding of your project. Type this in the chat input: 
What kind of project is this?
What happens:
  1. Verdent analyzes your project structure
  2. Reads key files (package.json, README, config files)
  3. Explains your project type, technologies, and structure
  4. No files are modified (read-only analysis)
Try these follow-up prompts: 
Explain what this project does

Show me the main entry point

What dependencies does this project use?
These exploratory prompts help Verdent build context about your project and help you verify that Verdent understands your codebase.

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Step 3: Make Your First Code Change

Now let’s have Verdent create something: 
Create a hello_world.txt file with a greeting message
What happens:
1

Verdent Analyzes Request

Verdent understands your request and plans the approach
2

Execution

Verdent creates the file autonomously (Agent Mode is fully autonomous)
3

Review Results

Review what was created, Code Review provides feedback
Understanding Agent Mode: In Agent Mode (default), Verdent executes operations autonomously without per-action approval. After completion:
  • Task Changes shows exactly what changed
  • Code Review provides structured feedback
  • Source Control lets you commit, revert, or modify changes
Use Plan Mode if you want to review the approach before execution. Agent Mode executes immediately and lets you review afterward.

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Step 4: Using Plan Mode

Plan Mode is Verdent’s read-only planning mode for complex tasks. Switch to Plan Mode: Press Shift + Tab, Ctrl + . (Windows), or Cmd ⌘ + . (macOS), or click the Switch Mode button in the input box Try a planning task: 
Identify issues in the current project and fix them
What happens:
  1. Verdent analyzes your project thoroughly
  2. Creates a detailed plan with recommendations
  3. No modifications occur - Plan Mode is read-only
  4. You can ask clarifying questions about the plan
After reviewing the plan:
  • Choose Edit to refine the plan
  • Choose Start Building to execute (switches to Agent Mode)
Use Plan Mode for complex features where you want to review the approach before committing to execution.

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Step 5: Understanding Workspaces

Workspaces provide isolation for parallel development. Each workspace is a separate git worktree. Workspace Concepts:
  • Workspace - A git worktree, an isolated working directory
  • Tasks - Agents working within a workspace
  • Multiple tasks can run in the same workspace
Workspace Benefits:
BenefitDescription
IsolationChanges don’t affect your main branch
Parallel workMultiple workspaces can run simultaneously
Safe experimentationDiscard workspace if changes aren’t wanted
Clean rebasesEach workspace produces a clean, reviewable branch
Workspace Management:
ActionDescription
Create WorkspaceCreate a new isolated worktree
Switch WorkspaceNavigate between workspaces
Rebase to main branchApply workspace changes to the main branch
Sync with main branchPull latest changes from main branch into the workspace

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Step 6: Parallel Execution

Verdent’s unique feature is running multiple agents in parallel. Start parallel workspaces:
1

Create Workspace

Click New Workspace in the top bar. In the Create New Workspace modal:
  • Name the workspace (e.g., feature/user-login)
  • Select branch to branch from (From Branch: Master)
  • Optionally add a setup script to run when the workspace is created (e.g., pnpm install to install dependencies)
2

Start Task in Workspace

Give the workspace a prompt:
Build a user login form with email and password fields
3

Create Another Workspace

Click New Workspace again and create a second workspace (e.g., feature/api-endpoint). Start a different task:
Create an API endpoint for user data
Both agents work simultaneously without conflicts.
4

Rebase When Ready

When work is complete, use Workspace Actions → Rebase to main branch to apply changes
Commit all changes before rebasing. Verdent does not automatically commit code, so use Source Control to stage and commit your changes first.
Example workflow:
For your first projects, start with single-workspace workflows. Use parallel execution once you’re comfortable with the basics.

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Execution Modes Reference

ModeDescriptionBest For
Agent ModeFull autonomous executionActive development, implementation
Plan ModeRead-only planningComplex features
Switch modes: Press Shift+Tab / Ctrl+. or click Switch Mode in the input box.

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Essential Actions

ActionHow to AccessDescription
Open ProjectCurrent Project → New ProjectSelect a directory
New TaskNew TaskStart fresh conversation
Switch ModeShift+Tab / Ctrl+. or Switch Mode buttonToggle execution modes
Create WorkspaceNew WorkspaceCreate isolated worktree
Switch WorkspaceSelect from workspaces in top barNavigate between workspaces
Open SettingsVerdent → SettingsConfigure Verdent
View ChangesSource Control → Select fileReview AI-generated changes

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Pro Tips for Beginners

Before making changes, let Verdent understand your project:
  • “What does this function do?”
  • “Explain the architecture”
  • “Find all API endpoints”
This builds context and helps you verify Verdent understands your code.
Instead of: “fix the bug”Try: “fix the login bug where users see a blank screen after incorrect password”Specific prompts lead to more accurate solutions.
When working with code you don’t fully understand:
  1. Switch to Plan Mode to analyze and plan without making changes
  2. Or create a new workspace to experiment safely
  3. Review the plan or changes
  4. Execute with Start Building or rebase when confident
For multi-step features:
  1. Complete one component at a time
  2. Verify each step before continuing
  3. Use separate workspaces for independent features
This maintains clarity and allows verification at each stage.

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Getting Help

  • Discord Community: https://discord.com/invite/NGjXEZcbJq - Active community with real-time support
  • Documentation: Browse other guides in this documentation
  • Feedback: Use the Feedback button in Verdent’s top bar to report issues or suggest improvements

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FAQs

Workspaces persist on disk as git worktrees. When you reopen the project, Verdent detects existing workspaces and restores their state in the interface.
Yes, but use different workspaces. Never have both tools modifying the same files simultaneously. Use Verdent for parallel agent work and VS Code for your personal coding.
  1. Complete work in the workspace
  2. Review changes
  3. Use Workspace Actions → Rebase to main branch to apply changes
  4. Optionally delete the workspace after rebasing

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Next Steps

Core Concepts

Understand projects, workspaces, and parallel execution

Interface Guide

Explore the Verdent interface