Chapter 1: Getting Started

Welcome to Chapter 1: Getting Started. In this part of Roo Code Tutorial: Run an AI Dev Team in Your Editor, you will build an intuitive mental model first, then move into concrete implementation details and practical production tradeoffs.

This chapter establishes a stable Roo Code baseline in a VS Code-compatible workflow.

Objectives

By the end, you will have:

1. Roo Code installed and running
2. one provider configured successfully
3. a deterministic first task completed
4. a minimum approval policy for safe usage

Prerequisites

Requirement	Why It Matters
VS Code-compatible editor	Roo Code extension runtime
API credentials for at least one provider	model-backed execution
sandbox repository	low-risk calibration environment
canonical lint/test command	repeatable validation signal

Installation Paths

Marketplace install

Install Roo Code from the VS Code marketplace and reload the editor.

VSIX install (team/internal path)

Roo Code repository docs include VSIX build/install flows.

Typical dev workflow commands:

git clone https://github.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code.git
cd Roo-Code
pnpm install
pnpm install:vsix

Alternative manual VSIX flow:

pnpm vsix
code --install-extension bin/roo-cline-<version>.vsix

Provider Setup

Start with one known-good provider/model pair. Add more only after first task reliability is proven.

Initial policy:

• approvals enabled for file edits and commands
• no broad automation modes during first-day onboarding
• explicit task summaries required

First Task Prompt

Analyze src/services/session.ts,
refactor one function for readability without changing behavior,
run the target test command,
and summarize changed files and validation output.

Success criteria:

• proposed patch is reviewable
• expected file scope is respected
• command output is captured
• summary maps changes to results

Baseline Safety Defaults

Set and document:

• default mode for routine coding tasks
• approval threshold for mutating commands
• required validation command for each task class
• rollback expectation for risky changes

First-Run Checklist

Area	Check	Pass Signal
Install	extension loads correctly	Roo interface opens without errors
Provider	model call succeeds	initial task response is actionable
Edit flow	diffs are visible before apply	review step works consistently
Command flow	test/lint command executes	output attached to task result
Summary	results are clear and complete	reviewer can understand outcome quickly

Common Startup Issues

Provider mismatch

• confirm selected provider and key are aligned
• reduce to one provider first

Unstable task outputs

• tighten task scope to one file/module
• include explicit non-goals
• require final summary format

Command confusion

• specify exact command in prompt
• avoid ambiguous phrasing like "run checks"

Chapter Summary

You now have Roo Code running with:

• installation complete
• provider baseline validated
• deterministic first task executed
• initial safety policy in place

Next: Chapter 2: Modes and Task Design

Source Code Walkthrough

Use the following upstream sources to verify getting started and initial setup details while reading this chapter:

• src/extension.ts — the VS Code extension entry point that registers commands, activates the Roo Code sidebar, initializes the task manager, and sets up MCP server connections on first load.
• src/core/task/index.ts — the task manager that drives Roo Code's core loop: receiving user messages, dispatching to the model, handling tool approvals, and managing the conversation lifecycle.

Suggested trace strategy:

• read src/extension.ts activate() function to understand the full initialization sequence when Roo Code first loads
• trace src/core/task/index.ts constructor and initiateTaskLoop to understand how a first task invocation is structured
• check src/shared/ExtensionMessage.ts for the message types exchanged between the extension and webview during setup

How These Components Connect

flowchart LR
    A[VS Code activates extension] --> B[extension.ts activate]
    B --> C[Sidebar and commands registered]
    B --> D[Task manager initialized in task/index.ts]
    D --> E[First user message triggers task loop]