# Quickstart

### Prerequisites

* **Docker**: must be installed and running
* **Node.js 18+**: required to run the Kerno CLI
* **Git**: your project must be a git repository
* **Python, TypeScript, or JavaScript project**: these are the currently supported languages

### 1. Install the CLI

Install globally:

```bash
npm install -g @kerno/cli
```

Or run without installing:

```bash
npx @kerno/cli mcp
```

### 2. Start Kerno

From your project directory:

```bash
kerno mcp
```

Or pointing to your project from anywhere:

```bash
kerno mcp -w /absolute/path/to/your/repo
```

This starts the Kerno agent and prints the MCP config for your coding tool. On first run, it will download the agent. This takes a moment. If you are not logged in, it will open a browser window to authenticate. Once done, return to your terminal.

### 3. Connect your AI coding agent

Kerno exposes an MCP server at the URL printed in your terminal. Add it to your coding tool using that URL.

{% hint style="warning" %}
The port is session-specific. Always copy it from your terminal output.
{% endhint %}

**Claude Code:**

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http kerno http://localhost:<port>/mcp
```

**Cursor**, add to `.cursor/mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kerno": {
      "url": "http://localhost:<port>/mcp",
      "transport": "http"
    }
  }
}
```

{% hint style="info" icon="lightbulb" %}
Any MCP-compatible coding tool can connect using the same URL.
{% endhint %}

### What's next

Kerno is connected. Continue to [Start the environment](/docs/guides/start-the-environment.md) to bring up your local stack so Kerno can run validations against it.

### Resources

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-comment-question" style="color:$info;">:comment-question:</i> <strong>Support</strong></td><td>Get help from the Kerno team.</td><td><a href="https://discord.gg/UncXsxUz">https://discord.gg/UncXsxUz</a></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-lightbulb" style="color:$info;">:lightbulb:</i> <strong>FAQs</strong></td><td>Get answers to common questions.</td><td><a href="/pages/zJKOG1wiwndWnBdcDH4o">/pages/zJKOG1wiwndWnBdcDH4o</a></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-shield-check" style="color:$info;">:shield-check:</i> <strong>Security</strong></td><td>Learn how Kerno handles your code and data.</td><td><a href="/pages/a868OKb6TDxWBmJlCO1H">/pages/a868OKb6TDxWBmJlCO1H</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

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