# Quickstart

Start with a small, disposable project or a clean branch. You will ask for a bounded
change, review the proposed edit, and check the result. A model connection is required;
a V3Code account is not required for BYOK.

### Open a project

Launch V3Code and open a folder. On first open, V3Code builds a local semantic index
of the codebase — this is what lets the agent answer without reading every file.

### Connect a model

Use [your existing provider plan](/models/connected-plans), [your own API key](/models/byok),
or an available free model. Free-model capacity can change. A V3Code account is used
for V3Code account features and hosted usage; it is separate from provider sign-in.

### Pick a mode

Open the chat panel. Choose **Read** to inspect without changing files, **Plan** to
outline the work, or **Agent** to make a change. **Design** is a separate composer
option. See [Modes](/editor/modes).

### Make a change

Try: *"Read this project's README and existing setup files. Propose one correction to
the README's setup instructions. Explain your evidence before editing, and leave all
other files unchanged."* Review approval requests before allowing the edit.

### Review and check

Inspect the changed lines. Ask the agent to check the instructions against the
actual project configuration and report what it verified. Keep the edit only if it
is correct; do not treat the model's confidence as proof.

### Try the in-editor prediction layers

Start typing and press `Tab` to accept a V3Code Tab completion. Then make a small edit
and pause: [V Go](/editor/tab-and-v-go) can prepare the likely next change point. For
a whole-file draft, put the cursor near a `TODO` and press `Shift + Tab` to open a
reviewable [Turbo Draft](/editor/turbo-draft).

### Let it remember

Ask the agent to record a confirmed project decision. In your next conversation,
check that the retrieved context is accurate. See [Memory](/editor/memory).

![Composer mode picker listing Agent, Chat, Plan, Debug, Multitask, and Read](/images/mode-picker-0098.png)

Open the mode picker in the composer to choose the kind of work. Screenshot supplied September 17, 2026.

## What success looks like

You have one reviewed README change, no unrelated modified files, and an explanation of
what was checked. If the model cannot connect, fix the connection first using the
[provider guide](/models/connected-plans); repeatedly submitting the same edit request
will not resolve sign-in or capacity problems.

## Where to go next

### [Models & tokens](/models/overview)

Choose a connection and understand where usage is billed.

### [Design mode](/editor/design-mode)

Lock a brand system and generate on-brand UI.

### [V3Code Tab & V Go](/editor/tab-and-v-go)

Autocomplete at the cursor, then predict the next edit.

### [Turbo Draft](/editor/turbo-draft)

Draft a complete file-level change and review every hunk.