nanobot/docs/README.md
chengyongru 4a58b83acc
docs: make onboarding friendlier for beginners (#4177)
* docs: make onboarding friendlier for beginners

* docs: build clearer documentation paths

Maintainer edit: turn the onboarding follow-up into a layered docs structure for first-time setup, provider selection, troubleshooting, CLI reference, and source-level architecture. This keeps quick start focused while giving advanced users precise reference paths.

* docs: render architecture flow with mermaid

Maintainer edit: replace the ASCII architecture sketch with a GitHub-rendered Mermaid flowchart so the core runtime path is easier to scan in the PR and README docs.

* docs: recommend model presets for model config

Maintainer edit: make named modelPresets the primary model configuration path and expand fallback preset examples so string fallbacks are clearly preset names, not raw model IDs.

* docs: document api base urls and langfuse setup

Maintainer edit: explain when users need apiBase/base URL in quick start and provider docs, and add Langfuse tracing setup with troubleshooting links.

* docs: use python module pip consistently

Maintainer edit: keep install commands tied to the active Python interpreter by using python -m pip in the Azure optional dependency notes too.

* docs: add non-technical getting started path

Maintainer edit: add a wizard-first guide for users without terminal or JSON background, including a text TUI menu example and links from the main docs entrypoints.

* docs: avoid hard-wrapped prose in user docs

Maintainer edit: unwrap ordinary prose across user-facing documentation while preserving markdown structure, code blocks, tables, lists, and prompt/template files.

* docs: keep desktop list continuations nested

Maintainer edit: preserve list nesting after unwrapping prose in the desktop WebUI sync guide.

* docs: add one-command installer

Maintainer edit: add auditable macOS/Linux and Windows install scripts that install nanobot-ai and start the onboarding wizard, then document the commands in the main onboarding entrypoints.

* docs: add installer dry run mode

Maintainer edit: add --dry-run to the one-command installer scripts so users can preview Python detection, install source, pip command, and wizard behavior without changing their environment.

* docs: clean installer error output

Maintainer edit: make PowerShell installer failures print a concise Error: message instead of Write-Error call-site details.

* docs: add provider setup cookbook

Maintainer edit: add pasteable provider recipes for common hosted, local, fallback, runtime switching, and Langfuse setups, then link the cookbook from onboarding and troubleshooting entrypoints.

* docs: address review feedback

* docs: clarify reader paths

* docs: explain terminal basics for beginners

* docs: clarify wizard navigation

* docs: avoid duplicate onboarding steps

* docs: add setup status check

* docs: explain status output

* docs: remove provider recommendation wording

* docs: explain status diagnostics

* docs: reduce hard-wrapped guidance

* docs: migrate config examples to presets

* docs: clarify python command fallbacks

* docs: improve installer failure recovery

* docs: expand install troubleshooting

* docs: cover installer download failures

* docs: put stable install paths first

* docs: add bundled webui quick path

* docs: clarify provider-neutral setup

* docs: clarify gateway setup for chat surfaces

* docs: improve docs navigation paths

* docs: add configuration quick jump

* docs: clarify provider secret variables

* chore: request PR review acknowledgement

Empty commit: please read the PR review comments and reply on the PR to confirm that you have received them.

This commit intentionally changes no files; it exists only to notify the remote Codex run so it can end its active goal.

* docs: add README start here guide

* docs: avoid provider recommendation wording

* docs: guide next steps after first reply

* docs: explain merging JSON snippets

* docs: add CLI command chooser

* docs: add configuration task map

* docs: add deployment readiness guide

* docs: simplify WebUI entry paths

* docs: add provider recipe chooser

* docs: fix provider factual references

Update OpenRouter and LongCat model examples, align Bedrock guidance, and make fallback snippets schema-valid.

Also correct group policy wording and image-generation provider lists to match the current code.

* fix: keep PowerShell installer from closing caller shell

* docs: mention self-guided configuration
2026-06-10 00:36:22 +08:00

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nanobot Docs

For published release documentation, visit nanobot.wiki. The pages in this directory track the current repository and may describe features that have not reached the published site yet.

If you have never used a terminal or edited a config file before, start with start-without-technical-background.md. Otherwise, start with quick-start.md and get one local nanobot agent -m "Hello!" reply working before connecting chat apps, WebUI, Docker, or custom tools.

Most JSON examples in these docs are snippets to merge into ~/.nanobot/config.json, not full replacement files.

Provider examples are concrete walkthroughs, not rankings or endorsements. Use the provider whose key, endpoint, and model ID you actually control.

If you find a docs mistake, outdated command, or confusing step, please open an issue: https://github.com/HKUDS/nanobot/issues.

Pick a Track

You are Start with Then use
New to terminals and config files start-without-technical-background.md troubleshooting.md if the first reply fails
Comfortable pasting commands and JSON quick-start.md provider-cookbook.md for pasteable provider setups
Operating a long-running bot concepts.md chat-apps.md, ../webui/README.md, and deployment.md
Integrating or extending nanobot architecture.md configuration.md, openai-api.md, python-sdk.md, development.md, and channel-plugin-guide.md

Start Here

Goal Read Outcome
Start with no technical background start-without-technical-background.md One-command setup, terminal basics, config, API keys, and the first reply
Install and get the first reply quick-start.md A working CLI agent and a known-good config path
Understand how the pieces fit concepts.md Mental model for config, workspace, gateway, channels, tools, memory, and sessions
Choose or change a model provider providers.md Correct provider/model pairing without reading the full config reference
Copy a provider setup recipe provider-cookbook.md Pasteable OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, local model, fallback, and Langfuse setups
Fix a first-run or runtime problem troubleshooting.md A diagnosis order and targeted checks for common failures

After the First Reply Works

Do not configure everything at once. Pick one next surface:

If a local nanobot agent session can already answer normally, you can also ask nanobot to help configure itself: have it read the relevant docs, inspect your current config, make one specific next change, and tell you when to run /restart.

Next goal Read First check
Use nanobot in a browser ../webui/README.md Enable WebSocket, run nanobot gateway, open http://127.0.0.1:8765
Talk through a chat app chat-apps.md Merge one channel snippet, run nanobot channels status, keep nanobot gateway running
Change provider or add fallbacks provider-cookbook.md Keep modelPresets named and set agents.defaults.modelPreset
Understand before operating long-term concepts.md Know what config, workspace, gateway, sessions, memory, and tools mean
Diagnose a new failure troubleshooting.md Start with nanobot status, then nanobot agent -m "Hello!"

Use nanobot

Goal Read Outcome
Open the bundled browser UI ../webui/README.md WebUI on port 8765, or Vite HMR when developing the frontend
Connect Telegram, Discord, WeChat, Slack, and other apps chat-apps.md A gateway-backed chat channel with access control
Use slash commands and periodic tasks chat-commands.md Pairing, model presets, heartbeat tasks, and chat-side controls
Generate images image-generation.md Image provider config, WebUI image mode, and artifact behavior
Run several isolated bots multiple-instances.md Separate configs, workspaces, ports, and sessions
Deploy outside a terminal deployment.md Docker, systemd user services, and macOS LaunchAgent setup
Join agent communities agent-social-network.md External agent-community setup

Reference

Area Read Best for
Full configuration schema configuration.md Exact fields, defaults, provider tables, web tools, MCP, security, and runtime options
CLI commands cli-reference.md Command names, common flags, and entrypoints
Architecture architecture.md Source-level runtime map for core flow, providers, channels, tools, WebUI, memory, security, and extension points
Development development.md Contributor notes for adding providers and transcription adapters
Memory memory.md Session history, Dream consolidation, memory files, and versioning
Observability configuration.md#langfuse-observability Langfuse tracing setup and required environment variables
WebSocket protocol websocket.md Custom clients, token issuance, multiplexed chats, media, and protocol events
OpenAI-compatible API openai-api.md /v1/chat/completions, /v1/models, file uploads, and SDK-compatible usage
Python SDK python-sdk.md Running nanobot from Python and attaching hooks
Runtime self-inspection my-tool.md Inspecting and tuning the current agent run

Fast Lookup

Need Jump to
Provider/model resolution order providers.md#provider-resolution
Model presets and fallback chains providers.md#model-presets and providers.md#fallback-models
Langfuse environment variables configuration.md#langfuse-observability
WebSocket/WebUI protocol details websocket.md
OpenAI-compatible API usage openai-api.md
Multiple configs, workspaces, and ports multiple-instances.md
Security, sandboxing, and SSRF controls configuration.md#security
Channel plugin development channel-plugin-guide.md

Extend nanobot

Goal Read Outcome
Add a provider or transcription adapter development.md A registry/schema-aligned implementation path
Add a chat channel plugin channel-plugin-guide.md A packaged channel discovered through entry points
Add custom MCP servers configuration.md#mcp-model-context-protocol External tools exposed to the agent through MCP
Tune tool safety configuration.md#security Shell sandboxing, workspace restriction, and SSRF policy

Reading Strategy

Use the docs in this order when you are unsure where to go:

  1. If terminal commands or config files are new to you, start-without-technical-background.md explains the setup words and uses one concrete provider example so there is only one decision at a time.
  2. quick-start.md proves installation, config loading, and provider access.
  3. concepts.md explains the runtime model so later pages are easier to scan.
  4. provider-cookbook.md gives pasteable provider, fallback, local model, and Langfuse recipes.
  5. A task guide, such as chat-apps.md, image-generation.md, or deployment.md, gets one workflow working.
  6. configuration.md is the source of truth when you need a specific field, default value, or advanced option.
  7. troubleshooting.md helps isolate whether a failure is install, config, provider, gateway, channel, or tool related.