---
id: quick-start
title: Quick Start
sidebar_position: 2
---
# Quick Start
Get up and running with LLM Client in just a few minutes. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to start using `lc`.
## Step 0: Install lc
If you haven't installed `lc` yet, use the one-liner install script:
```bash
# Install latest version (recommended)
**Alternative methods:**
- **Rust users**: `cargo install lc-cli`
- **From source**: See the [Installation Guide](/getting-started/installation)
Verify installation:
```bash
lc --version
lc --help
```
## Step 1: Add a Provider
First, add an LLM provider.
```bash
lc providers add <provider-name> <base-url>
```
We'll use OpenAI as an example:
```bash
lc providers add openai https://api.openai.com/v1
```
Or using the short alias:
```bash
lc p a openai https://api.openai.com/v1
```
### Other Popular Providers
```bash
# Anthropic Claude
lc providers add claude https://api.anthropic.com/v1 -c /messages
# OpenRouter (access to many models)
lc providers add openrouter https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
# Together AI (open source models)
lc providers add together https://api.together.xyz/v1
# Local Ollama
lc providers add ollama http://localhost:11434/v1
```
## Step 2: Set Your API Key
Add your API key for the provider:
```bash
lc keys add openai
# Enter your API key when prompted (input is hidden)
```
Or using the alias:
```bash
lc k a openai
```
## Step 3: Test Your Setup
Send your first prompt:
```bash
lc -p openai -m gpt-3.5-turbo "tell me a joke about AI"
# Or using the alias
lc -m openai:gpt-3.5-turbo "tell me a joke about AI"
```
## Step 4: Explore Models
List available models from your provider:
```bash
lc providers models openai
or
lc p m openai
```
Or use the models command for a richer view:
```bash
lc models
or
lc m
```
## Step 5: Start Chatting
### Direct Prompts
Send one-off prompts with specific models:
```bash
# Use a specific model
lc -m openai:gpt-4 "Explain quantum computing in simple terms"
# Use a different provider and model
lc -p openrouter -m "anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet" "Write a haiku about coding"
```
### Interactive Chat
Start an interactive chat session:
```bash
lc chat -m openai:gpt-4
```
In chat mode, you can:
- Type messages naturally
- Use `/exit` to quit
- Use `/clear` to start fresh
- Use `/model <name>` to switch models
- Use `/help` for more commands
## Setting Defaults (Optional)
Make your workflow faster by setting defaults:
```bash
# Set default provider
lc config set provider openai
# Set default model
lc config set model gpt-4
# Now you can just use:
lc "Your prompt here"
```
## Step 6: Add Search Integration (Optional)
Enhance your prompts with real-time web search results:
### Setup with Premium Providers
```bash
# Add Brave Search (requires API key)
lc search provider add brave https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search
lc search provider set brave X-Subscription-Token YOUR_API_KEY
# Add Jina AI for advanced features (requires API key)
lc search provider add jina https://s.jina.ai/
lc search provider set jina Authorization YOUR_API_KEY
# Enable full content reading for research
lc search provider set jina X-Engine direct
# Use in prompts
lc --use-search brave "What's happening in tech today?"
lc --use-search jina "Comprehensive research on quantum computing"
```
## What's Next?
### Essential Features
- [Providers Command](/commands/providers) - Managing multiple LLM providers
- [Chat Command](/commands/chat) - Interactive conversations
- [FAQ](/faq) - View and manage chat history
### Advanced Features
- [Vector Database](/advanced/vector-database) - Store and search embeddings
- [RAG](/advanced/rag) - Enhance responses with your own data
- [Configuration Sync](/advanced/sync) - Sync settings across machines
### Quick Tips
1. **Use aliases for speed**: `lc p l` instead of `lc providers list`
2. **Pipe input**: `echo "translate: hello" | lc`
3. **Get last response**: `lc logs recent answer`
4. **Extract code**: `lc logs recent answer code`
## Common Commands Cheatsheet
```bash
# Providers
lc p l # List providers
lc p m openai # List models from provider
# Direct chat
lc "prompt" # Use defaults
lc -m openai:gpt-4 "prompt" # Specify model
# Interactive
lc chat -m gpt-4 # Start chat session
lc c -m gpt-4 # Short alias
# Search integration
lc se p l # List search providers
lc se q ddg "query" # Direct search (free!)
lc --use-search ddg "prompt with search" # Search + LLM
# Logs
lc l r # Recent logs
lc l r a # Last answer
lc l r a c # Last answer's code blocks
```
Ready to explore more? Check out the [Command Reference](/commands/overview) for the complete list of available commands.