Quick Start

This guide will help you set up Alma and start your first conversation in under 5 minutes.

Step 1: Add a Provider

Before you can chat, you need to configure at least one AI provider.

1. Open Alma
2. Click the Settings icon (⚙️) in the sidebar or press Cmd+, (macOS) / Ctrl+, (Windows)
3. Navigate to Providers
4. Click Add Provider

Example: Setting up OpenAI

1. Select OpenAI as the provider type
2. Enter a name (e.g., "OpenAI")
3. Paste your OpenAI API key
4. Click Save
5. Alma will automatically fetch available models

Getting an API Key

• OpenAI: Visit platform.openai.com/api-keys
• Anthropic: Visit console.anthropic.com
• Google AI: Visit aistudio.google.com/apikey

Step 2: Configure Tool Model

The Tool Model handles background operations like tool selection, memory, and thread title generation. It should be fast, efficient, and inexpensive — never pick a slow or expensive model (reasoning models, large chat models, etc.), or every background operation will drag the whole experience down.

1. Go to Settings → General
2. Find the Tool Model section
3. Select a fast model (e.g., gpt-4o-mini or claude-haiku-4-5)
4. Click Test to verify performance

TIP

See Tool Model Settings for detailed configuration guide and recommended models.

Step 3: Select a Chat Model

1. In the main chat area, click the model selector at the top
2. Choose a model from your configured providers
3. Models are shown as ProviderName:ModelName (e.g., "OpenAI:gpt-4o-mini")

Step 4: Start Chatting

1. Type your message in the input box at the bottom
2. Press Enter to send (or Shift+Enter for a new line)
3. Watch the AI response stream in real-time

Step 5: Enable Features (Optional)

Enable Memory

Memory allows Alma to remember information across conversations.

1. Go to Settings → Memory
2. Toggle Enable Memory on
3. Configure retrieval settings as needed

Enable Tools

Tools allow the AI to perform actions like searching the web or reading files.

1. When composing a message, click the Tools icon
2. Select Auto to let the AI choose appropriate tools
3. Or select specific tools manually

Set Up a Workspace

Workspaces connect chats to project directories for coding assistance.

1. Click the folder icon in the chat header
2. Select a directory to use as workspace
3. The AI can now read and write files in that directory

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	macOS	Windows
New Chat	Cmd+N	Ctrl+N
Settings	Cmd+,	Ctrl+,
Toggle Sidebar	Cmd+B	Ctrl+B
Search Threads	Cmd+F	Ctrl+F
Send Message	Enter	Enter
New Line	Shift+Enter	Shift+Enter

Next Steps

• Learn about the Chat Interface
• Explore all Features
• Configure more Providers
• Customize Settings