0dai Setup Checklist: Auth, Bind, Init, and the First Project Health Signal

Most failed 0dai setups are not caused by missing dependencies. They happen because teams mix up three separate actions: account auth, project bind, and init. Once the order is clear, first-project setup becomes predictable.

The Five-Step Path

1. Sign in on the web if you want the dashboard.
2. Run 0dai auth login in the terminal to authorize the CLI.
3. Activate the free or paid license path.
4. Run 0dai init or 0dai init-existing --target ..
5. Bind the repository with 0dai project bind --target ..

What Each Step Actually Does

Web auth creates a browser session and unlocks the dashboard. CLI auth gives your local terminal a bearer token. init creates the managedai/ layer. project bind links the repository identity to your account so project health, drift, and activation metadata can surface in the dashboard.

The Minimal Verification Loop

After setup, verify the project in three places:

• 0dai auth status shows an active account and plan.
• 0dai doctor shows a healthy local environment.
• The dashboard shows the bound project with a real project_id.

Common Failure Modes

• Signed into the dashboard, but never ran 0dai auth login in the CLI.
• Ran init but never bound the repo, so the project never appears in the dashboard.
• Bound a repo before activation, so the project exists but has weak health signals.

Recommended Next Action

If you are helping a user over chat or onboarding, do not say “just install the CLI.” Give them the exact next step they are missing. The right message is usually one of these:

• 0dai auth login
• 0dai init-existing --target .
• 0dai project bind --target .