Use Slash on Linux or macOS

Slash is a conversational shell you can run in your existing terminal. Type a request for your agent, or prefix a command with ! to run it yourself. You can try Slash alongside your usual shell without changing your login shell or desktop.

Before you start

A Linux or macOS terminal with Git, a stable Rust toolchain (cargo), and a C compiler and linker.
An installed and authenticated Claude Code or Codex CLI. Complete sign-in in that CLI first and make sure command -v claude or command -v codex finds the one you plan to use.

Build and launch

git clone https://github.com/BenchGrid-dev/slate.git
cd slate
cargo build --locked -p slash
./target/debug/slash

Claude Code is the default backend. If you use Codex, enter /agent codex at the Slash prompt before sending a task. /agent shows the current backend. Switching backends starts a new agent session.

To make slash available outside the checkout, run cargo install --locked --path crates/slash from the repository root and ensure Cargo’s binary directory (normally ~/.cargo/bin) is on your PATH.

Your first session

Input at the Slash prompt	What it does
`Explain how this repository is organized.`	Send a request to your agent.
`!pwd` or `!git status`	Run a command yourself in your regular shell.
`/help`	List Slash commands.
`/new`	Start a fresh agent session.
`/exit`	Return to the terminal shell you launched Slash from.

Run Slash from the directory you want to work in, or use /cd path to move to another directory. Slash can include the output of recent ! commands in the next agent turn.

Choose a default backend

Add backend = "codex" to your Slash configuration to start with Codex each time. Use backend = "claude" for Claude Code. The config file is ~/.config/slate/slash.toml on Linux (under $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/slate/ if set) and ~/Library/Application Support/slate/slash.toml on macOS. Keep any existing settings when editing it. See the Slash reference for model and shell options.

What works with just the shell

Plain-language requests and ! commands work without the SlateOS desktop. When slated is unavailable, Slash still runs and your backend’s permission settings apply. Slate’s approval broker, task audit, and snapshot-based undo need slated; undo also needs a supported btrfs snapshot setup. Desktop control requires a compatible Linux Wayland session and the desktop integration.

If the backend won’t start, check that its CLI runs and is signed in from the same terminal. If Slash warns that slated is unavailable in a shell-only setup, you can still use the shell.

Slash reference · Try the full SlateOS desktop

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