Everything you need to run meshcode day to day.
A practical walkthrough: install the desktop app, add the Claude / Grok / Codex CLI, sign in with /login, then configure how work is delegated.
01 · Getting started
Install, sign in, open a workspace.
Download the app, open a workspace, then install a vendor CLI and sign in.
- 01
Download the desktop app
Grab the build for macOS or Windows and install it like any other app.
- 02
Sign up and top up
No subscription — create an account, top up from $1, and you only pay for what you use.
- 03
Open a workspace
Point meshcode at a project folder. Next: install Claude, Grok, or Codex and type /login — details below.
02 · Install a CLI
Claude, Grok, or Codex — then type /login.
meshcode talks to the real vendor CLIs. After the desktop app is installed, pick a model, get its CLI onto your machine, and sign in once.
In the app
Above the chat input, each provider chip shows (Install) if that CLI is missing. Click it — meshcode runs the official installer. You can do this later from the same chips.
Then type /login
Select the model you just installed (the chip above the input must be active). In the chat box, type /login and send. meshcode opens that vendor's login window — finish signing in there. Once per CLI, until you /logout.
Or in your own terminal
Same installers the companies publish. Paste into Terminal on macOS, or PowerShell on Windows:
Claude Code
Anthropic
macOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iexClaude Code setup →
Grok Build
xAI
macOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://x.ai/cli/install.sh | bash
Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://x.ai/cli/install.ps1 | iexGrok Build docs →
Codex
OpenAI · ChatGPT
macOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh
Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.ps1 | iexCodex CLI docs →
03 · Auto-delegation
One model leads, workers handle the busywork.
Inside a session, the top model you're chatting with stays focused on judgment, design, and synthesis. Bulk file reads, searches, and boilerplate get delegated automatically to worker models running in parallel — you can see and adjust which backend each kind of work goes to in session settings.
Auto-delegation (this section) picks a worker backend per subtask. The Flow / Logic / Architect tiers below are a separate setting — they control which real model answers when a subagent or slash command targets one of those three named tiers.
04 · Model tiers
Flow, Logic, Architect — and the real model behind each.
meshcode ships three named tiers so tools, subagents, and workflows can request 'a fast model' or 'a careful model' without hardcoding a vendor. By default each tier maps to a sensible built-in model — you can override any of them with a specific model from the catalog.
flow
Fast, lightweight tasks
Bulk reads, greps, boilerplate, quick edits — high volume, low latency.
logic
Multi-step reasoning
Debugging, multi-file changes, anything that needs a few steps of reasoning to get right.
architect
Complex design & refactors
Architecture calls, large refactors, and anything you'd want a second opinion on.
Where to set it
Go to Account → Routing. Each tier is its own card — pick a model from the catalog (or leave it on the default), then tune it:
- check Model — search the catalog and pick the exact model that should answer for this tier.
- check Temperature — how deterministic vs. creative responses are (0–2, defaults to a low value for coding).
- check Thinking — when the picked model supports it, choose how much reasoning budget it gets.
- check Exclude data-training providers — restrict the pool to providers that don't train on your requests.
05 · Account
Everything else lives under Account.
Balance, keys, usage, and the model catalog are all one click away.
Frequently asked
Do I have to install every CLI? add
No. Install the one you want to chat with. (Install) and /login only apply to that provider.
Is /login the same as signing into meshcode? add
No. A meshcode account is billing/routing/catalog. /login is the vendor CLI sign-in (Claude, Grok, or ChatGPT).
The in-app install button didn't work. add
Run the official command for your OS in your own terminal, then restart meshcode so it picks up PATH. Or use the vendor setup page linked above.
What happens if I don't touch the tier settings? add
Each tier uses meshcode's default model — you only need Routing settings if you want to swap one in for a specific reason (cost, latency, capability).
Is auto-delegation the same thing as picking a tier model? add
No — auto-delegation decides which subtasks get handed off to a worker at all. The tier settings decide which real model answers when something targets Flow, Logic, or Architect by name. They compose: a delegated subtask can itself be routed through a tier.
Can I change a tier's model later? add
Yes, anytime — changes apply to your next request, no restart needed.
Where do I see pricing for a specific model? add
The Models page (in-app or the public catalog) shows input/output/cached pricing per million tokens for every model.