TESSERA

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Getting Started ​

Tessera works on top of your existing Git repository so multiple AI coding agents and terminal sessions can work in the same checkout without overwriting files or colliding on .git/HEAD. This guide covers installing the tes CLI, initializing a repository, and running your first multi-branch workflow.

Prerequisites ​

  • OS: macOS, Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, or NetBSD
  • Git: Standard Git 2.23+

Installation ​

Install the tes CLI on macOS, Linux, or BSD:

bash
curl -fsSL https://tessera.getlunaris.dev/install.sh | sh
tes --version

Or on Windows (PowerShell):

powershell
irm https://tessera.getlunaris.dev/install.ps1 | iex
tes --version

For shell integration, prebuilt binaries, and editor setup details, see the Installation Guide.

Initializing Your Project ​

Navigate to any project directory and run tes init:

bash
tes init

This creates .git/tessera and installs workspace rules for your AI coding editors.

Note: If the directory is not yet a Git repository, tes init runs git init and creates an initial commit from your existing files before setting up Tessera.

Your First Workflow ​

Switch your current terminal tab to a feature branch, run your tests, and merge your work:

bash
tes switch feat/pricing
npm test
tes status
tes merge feat/pricing --into main -m "feat: add pricing calculator"

What Each Command Does ​

bash
tes init
  • Sets up .git/tessera inside your existing Git repository
  • Installs instruction rules (AGENTS.md, .agents/rules/tessera.md, .cursor/rules, CLAUDE.md) so your AI coding agents coordinate through Tessera
bash
tes switch feat/pricing
  • Binds your current terminal tab to the feat/pricing branch (creating it from HEAD if it does not exist yet)
  • Prepares a Copy-on-Write sandbox for feat/pricing that shares your existing node_modules, target, or .venv
bash
tes merge feat/pricing --into main -m "feat: add pricing calculator"
  • Merges feat/pricing into main using Tessera's 3-way AST merge engine
  • Updates your working directory on main

Working in a Single Folder ​

In standard Git, running two AI agents on two different branches requires creating separate git worktree folders, reinstalling dependencies in each folder, and configuring different ports by hand.

With Tessera, you work inside a single repository folder:

bash
# Terminal 1 works on feat/pricing (assigned port 4100)
tes switch feat/pricing
npm run dev

# Terminal 2 works on feat/faq in the same folder (assigned port 4200)
tes switch feat/faq
npm run dev

When you prompt an AI agent in your editor, you do not need to mention tes in your prompt:

text
On branch feat/pricing, create PricingCalculator.vue and add it to src/App.vue.

The workspace rules installed by tes init instruct the agent to claim the branch, isolate its edits, verify the build in its branch sandbox, and commit.

Next Steps ​

  • Why Tessera? - See how Tessera compares to standard Git and git worktree
  • Installation - Set up (tes:<branch>) in your terminal prompt and tab completion
  • Your First Workflow - Walk through a multi-agent example step by step
  • Guides - Learn about multi-agent workflows, dev servers, conflicts, and editor integration