Install and local workspace

Install HQ, understand the local workspace layout, and learn why the folder is the home base for intelligence.

01Know what the installer creates and what a healthy local HQ workspace looks like.

02Recover from missing local prerequisites without polluting company context.

$ npx create-hq

Fig 04.0 · Your local home

The concept

Local home

The machine has a durable HQ home where sessions, companies, projects, and workers can be found.

Fig 04.1 · Run the installer

Step 01 — Installer

Install creates the local foundation that all later company work depends on: the place AI can read, write, remember, and return to.

Run the installer from a normal terminal or the signed macOS installer your team provides, then keep the HQ folder in a stable place.

HQ opens with the setup prompt instead of a missing command error.

npx create-hq/setup

Step 02 — Folder tree

Documents/HQ is the home for companies, workers, projects, knowledge, repos, settings, session state, and navigation files.

Confirm the generated workspace exists, the setup summary names the expected local profile, and INDEX files are available as navigation aids.

HQ can open a fresh session without asking you to repeat base setup.

/setup/startwork

Fig 04.2 · Inspect the workspace

Fig 04.3 · Readiness check

Step 03 — Checklist

Setup checks protect you from basic machine issues and context drift.

Use setup repair or preflight prompts to clear required local tool warnings, then start with a small safe task.

The next command runs from the HQ workspace without missing-tool errors.

/setup/hq-sync

Commands

Install command

$ npx create-hq

Creates the local HQ workspace and starts the guided setup flow.

Setup repair

$ /setup

Use setup when a session needs to repair or complete the local HQ foundation.

References

The default workspace is Documents/HQ unless your team deliberately chose another path.

HQ can open, identify your local profile, and run the next command.

Next move