Getting Started

Before installing QCoder, make sure your system meets the following requirements:

QCoder runs as a standalone desktop application based on VS Code. If you can run VS Code, you can run QCoder.

Download QCoderSetup.exe (~106 MB) from [qcoderai.com/download](https://www.qcoderai.com/download) or from your team's distribution portal.

1. Run the installer -- Double-click QCoderSetup.exe. The installer is digitally signed and will prompt for standard Windows permissions.
2. Choose install location -- The default is %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\QCoder. You can change this to any writable directory.
3. Select additional tasks -- Optionally add QCoder to your PATH, create a desktop shortcut, and register as the default editor for supported file types.
4. Complete installation -- Click Install and wait for the process to finish. The installer will launch QCoder automatically when done.

QCoder is a one-time purchase with no subscription. Your license key is tied to your account, not to a specific machine. You can install on as many personal machines as you like.

When you open QCoder for the first time, you will see the standard editor layout with a sidebar on the left. The AI chat panel lives in the sidebar -- look for the QCoder icon.

Step-by-step setup:

1. Open the Chat Panel -- Click the QCoder icon in the activity bar (sidebar), or press Ctrl+Shift+P and type QCoder: Focus Chat.
2. Open Settings -- Click the gear icon at the top of the chat panel. This opens the Settings view.
3. Go to API Config -- Select the API Config tab at the top of Settings.
4. Select a Provider -- Choose your AI provider from the dropdown (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, DeepSeek, Ollama).
5. Enter Your API Key -- Paste your API key into the field. Keys are stored locally in your OS credential store and are never sent to QCoder servers.
6. Choose a Model -- The model dropdown populates automatically based on your provider. Select a model (e.g., gpt-4o, claude-sonnet-4-20250514, gemini-2.0-flash).
7. Start Chatting -- Go back to the Chat tab, type a message, and press Enter. You are ready to code with AI.

If you are using a local model runner like Ollama or LM Studio, no API key is needed. Just point QCoder at the local endpoint (usually http://localhost:11434 for Ollama).

QCoder works best when you have a workspace folder open:

• File > Open Folder -- Select your project root directory.
• Drag and drop -- Drag a folder from your file manager onto the QCoder window.
• Command line -- Run qcoder /path/to/project from a terminal.

Once a workspace is open, QCoder's AI tools have access to your file tree, enabling features like file reading, code search, and workspace-aware suggestions.