Getting started

Try the full desktop in a virtual machine, or start with the standalone Slash guide on a computer you already use.

Try the desktop in a VM

SlateOS has live images for x86_64 and aarch64. The latest release lists supported configurations and known limitations. For v0.2.1, the images are built from the Nix flake; the release does not attach a ready-made ISO.

On Linux with Nix and flakes enabled, build the image for the build machine’s architecture:

nix build 'github:BenchGrid-dev/slate/v0.2.1#iso'
ls result/iso/

Boot the ISO in a VM with a matching architecture. Choose Try SlateOS to explore the live desktop. If you choose Install SlateOS, attach an empty virtual disk of at least 20 GB and check the selected disk before confirming: installation erases it.

After booting the installed system, sign in to an agent in Settings → AI. Press Super+s to open the Slate prompt and give it a task. See the NixOS guide for the installer, module options, and tested configurations.

Run Slash from source

You can run Slash in a terminal on Linux or macOS without installing the SlateOS desktop. Follow Use Slash on Linux or macOS to build it, select a backend, and run your first task.