> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ade-app.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Install

> Install @ade-dev/sdk and @ade-dev/chat-ui. Node 22, an isolated home directory, and how the sidecar finds an ade binary.

```bash theme={null}
npm install @ade-dev/sdk
```

Optional UI:

```bash theme={null}
npm install @ade-dev/chat-ui
```

Requires **Node 22**. The packages ship ESM + CJS.

## Isolated home

Pass a directory your app owns. The sidecar stores thread keys and runtime state there. Never point it at the developer's `~/.ade` or at ADE's default machine socket.

```ts theme={null}
import { createAdeChat } from "@ade-dev/sdk";

const ade = await createAdeChat({
  home: "./.ade-embed", // created if missing, mode 0700
});
```

In Electron, use the main process and a path under `userData`:

```ts theme={null}
import path from "node:path";
import { app } from "electron";
import { createAdeChat } from "@ade-dev/sdk";

const ade = await createAdeChat({
  home: path.join(app.getPath("userData"), "ade"),
});
```

Two clients on one `home` fight over the same socket and SQLite root. Open **one** client per isolated home.

## Where `ade` comes from

Resolution order:

1. `binaryPath` — pin a specific build; skips PATH and download.
2. A previously downloaded binary in the home cache.
3. `ade` on `PATH` (optional; tests can disable this).
4. Download from the ADE GitHub release, fail-closed against that release's `SHA256SUMS`.

```ts theme={null}
const ade = await createAdeChat({
  home: "./.ade-embed",
  binaryPath: "/usr/local/bin/ade", // skip download
  channel: "latest",                // or a release tag
});
```

Downloads verify checksums before the binary is used. A mismatch is a hard error (`checksum_mismatch`), not a warning.

## Electron

Run `@ade-dev/sdk` from the **main process**, not the renderer. Spawn owns a child process and a Unix socket (or a Windows named pipe). Bridge events to the renderer yourself, or put [`@ade-dev/chat-ui`](/docs/sdk/chat-ui) behind a preload that talks to main.

## Windows

The sidecar is a supported host. Named pipes are hashed from home + user identity. `taskkill` / `tar` are resolved through the kernel `GLOBALROOT` System32 alias, never from `PATH`. `.cmd` / `.bat` wrappers spawn through `ComSpec`.

## Next

<Card title="Quickstart" href="/docs/sdk/quickstart" icon="rocket" horizontal>
  Open a thread and send the first message.
</Card>