> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gleap.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting started

> Set up Kai Code for a project in a few minutes — repositories, tools and customer replies.

Kai Code is set up once per project, then every teammate can start sessions. You need the **Kai Code** feature in your plan; the dashboard offers an upgrade where it is missing.

## The setup wizard

The fastest way in is the project checklist: open **Get started** in the sidebar of a new project and choose **Set up Kai Code**. You can also reach every step later under **Kai Code → Settings**.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Connect a repository">
    Pick GitHub, Azure DevOps, GitLab or Bitbucket, authorize Gleap, and choose the repository Kai should work in. Set the default branch pull requests are opened against. This step is skipped when the project already has a repository. Details: [Repositories](/documentation/kai-code/repositories).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Give Kai Code its tools">
    Optionally add [MCP servers](/documentation/kai-code/mcp-servers) — the Gleap preset, a Composio integration such as Linear or Notion, or a custom server. Kai Code works without any; you can skip this step.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Decide how Kai Code talks to customers">
    Choose what happens on a ticket once a fix is merged: a teammate verifies first, Kai replies automatically after a deployment delay, or nothing is sent. Details: [Customer replies](/documentation/kai-code/customer-replies).
  </Step>
</Steps>

Choose **Finish setup** and the wizard opens the Kai Code page. The checklist marks **Set up Kai Code** as done as soon as the project has a repository — installing the Gleap SDK with Kai Code counts too.

## Where sessions run — a personal choice

The first time you start a session, Kai Code asks **where Kai should run**. This is remembered per person, not per project, because it depends on what you have on your computer:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Kai Code Cloud" icon="cloud">
    Always ready, nothing to install. Sessions run in Gleap's sandbox and use your project's AI credits. The right choice for most teams and for teammates without a development setup.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Kai Code Bridge" icon="laptop">
    Sessions run on your own computer or server with your own **Claude Code, Codex or Cursor** subscription and your local checkouts. One command to connect: see [Kai Code Bridge](/documentation/guides/kai-code-bridge).
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

You can switch between the two for each new session with the **Run on** picker in the composer.

## Project defaults

Under **Kai Code → Settings → General** an admin sets the defaults every session starts from:

* **Default model** and reasoning effort for new sessions. Teammates can override both in the composer.
* **Custom instructions** Kai follows in every session of the project, e.g. "Prefer functional React. Never edit files in `src/legacy`. Always run prettier before committing."
* **Post results to the pull request** — add the verification result and a commit status to every pull request. Evidence such as screenshots stays private to Gleap.

## Next steps

* [Sessions](/documentation/kai-code/sessions) — the composer, plan mode, verification and pull requests.
* [Tickets and pull requests](/documentation/kai-code/tickets-and-pull-requests) — start Kai Code straight from a bug report.