Set up Overlord

Overlord can be used from its desktop app, the CLI, or an installed agent connector. The quickest terminal-first setup is below.

1. Install and sign in

Install the CLI, then authenticate against your Overlord backend:

npm install -g --no-fund overlord-cli
ovld auth login
ovld auth status

ovld auth login opens a browser-based sign-in flow. If you use Overlord Desktop on the same computer, the CLI can reuse its local sign-in session.

For a hosted backend, use ovld config set cloud <url> before signing in. For a local backend, use ovld config set local [url]; the default is http://127.0.0.1:4310.

2. Configure your local tools

Run the interactive setup to choose a backend, check authentication, prepare connectors, and select a terminal profile:

ovld setup

You can also prepare one connector directly:

ovld agent-setup codex
ovld agent-setup claude
ovld agent-setup all

See Agents and connectors for what connector setup does.

3. Create or link a project

From the repository you want agents to work in, create a project and link the current checkout:

ovld create-project --name "My app"

If the project already exists, link the current folder instead:

ovld add-cwd --project-id <project-id>

4. Create work and run an agent

Create a draft mission when you want to inspect it before running it:

ovld create "Add a loading state to the account page"

Or create and queue it in one step:

ovld prompt "Add a loading state to the account page" --agent codex

The desktop app and runner can launch queued objectives. To launch a mission from your terminal, use:

ovld launch codex --mission-id <mission-id>

5. Review the delivery

When the agent finishes, open the mission in Overlord to review its objective, activity, delivery summary, artifacts, changed files, and rationale. Continue the same mission with a follow-up objective when more work is needed.

Next: Missions and objectives