Getting started
This guide walks you through your first session in e.
Opening a project
Launch e with a directory to open it as a workspace:
e ~/code/my-project
The directory becomes the root for the file tree, fuzzy file finder, workspace search, and Source Control. You can also:
- Press ⌘O to open another project in a new window.
- Run Open File… from the command palette to open any file in the current window.
The e command
To launch e from any directory, run Install 'e' Command in PATH from the
command palette (⌘⇧P). After that you can open any project from the shell:
e . # open the current directory
e path/to/file # open a file
The command returns at once and e outlives the terminal, like code .. What
e used to print in the terminal — which language server started, what it
couldn't find — goes to ~/.config/e/e.log. To keep it attached and read that
live, run e --foreground . (or set E_FOREGROUND=1).
The interface
┌───────────┬─────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────┐
│ │ tabs │ │
│ sidebar │ breadcrumbs │ agent panel │
│ (⌘1) │ │ (⌘L) │
│ │ editor │ │
│ explorer │ │ │
│ or git │─────────────────────────────────────│ │
│ (⌘2) │ terminal (⌘T) │ │
│ │─────────────────────────────────────│ │
│ │ status bar │ │
└───────────┴─────────────────────────────────────┴───────────────┘
- Add more root folders with Add Folder to Workspace (multi-root); drag files from Finder into the window to open them.
- Sidebar (
⌘1) — file explorer and document outline, or the Source Control panel (⌘2). Files show type-specific icons. - Editor — tabs, breadcrumbs, and the code area. Split with
⌘\. - Terminal (
⌘T) — an integrated terminal with tabs and split panes. - Agent panel (
⌘L) — run an AI coding agent beside your code. - Status bar — cursor position, language, git branch, blame, diagnostics.
Essential first steps
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New file | ⌘N |
| Search files, symbols, actions, text | ⌘P |
| Run any command | ⌘⇧P |
| Save (Save As… for new files) | ⌘S |
| Find in file | ⌘F |
| Search the whole project | ⌘⇧F |
| Toggle the terminal | ⌘T |
| Open settings | ⌘, |
The editor takes keyboard focus automatically when you create or open a file or switch tabs — just start typing, no click needed.
Panels can be resized
Drag the edge between the sidebar/agent panel and the editor to resize them.
Next steps
- Learn the keyboard shortcuts.
- Explore editing features and navigation.
- Set up AI agents and Source Control.