How to use Lana

Install

Lana runs on macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel), Linux and Windows. You need Node.js 22 or newer, which also gives you npm.

$ npm install -g @uselana/cli

To check it worked, run lana --version. You should see a version number.

Not sure which Node.js version you have? Run node --version. If it starts with a number lower than 22, update Node.js from nodejs.org first.

Sign in

Lana is invite only during the beta, so make sure you have requested an invite first. Then sign in with the Google account you used for your invite.

$ lana login

Your browser opens so you can sign in. When you are done, head back to your terminal and you are ready to go.

If the browser can't connect back to your terminal, for example when you are working on a remote server, use manual sign-in instead. Lana shows you a one-time code in the browser, and you paste it into the terminal. The code expires after five minutes, so keep it private and use it straight away.

$ lana login --manual

To sign out on this computer, run lana logout.

Your first session

Open your terminal in the project you want to work on and start Lana.

$ cd your-project
$ lana

Lana opens a chat in your terminal. Type what you want, press Enter, and watch it work. You can also give it a task right away by putting your request in quotes:

$ lana "explain how authentication works in this project"

A few things you can ask for to get a feel for it:

• "Find out why the checkout tests are failing and fix them."
• "Add a dark mode toggle to the settings page."
• "Explain what this repository does and how it is organised."
• "Write unit tests for the payment service."

Inside a session

Once Lana is running, you talk to it the same way you would talk to a teammate. Be specific about what you want and mention any files or rules that matter.

Point Lana at a file

Type @ followed by a file name to mention a file, so Lana knows exactly where to look.

Approve what it does

Before Lana runs a command or edits something outside your project, it asks for your permission. You stay in control of what happens on your machine. Use /permissions to change how often it asks.

Stop it mid-task

Press Esc to interrupt Lana if it is heading in the wrong direction, then tell it what to do instead.

Plan before changing code

For bigger tasks, type /plan so Lana agrees an approach with you before it touches any code.

Check its work

Type /diff to see every change Lana has made, including new files.

Slash commands

Inside a session, type / to see the full list of commands. These are the ones you will reach for most often.

Run a task without the chat

Sometimes you just want Lana to do one thing and finish, for example in a script or a CI job. lana exec does exactly that. It works through the task, prints what it did and exits.

$ lana exec "update the README with the new setup steps"

You can also pipe text into it. Lana adds whatever you pipe in to your request, so it can work with logs, diffs or any other output:

$ git diff | lana exec "summarise these changes"

• -o, --output-last-message <file> saves Lana's final answer to a file.
• --json prints every step as JSON, which is handy for tools and scripts.
• --skip-git-repo-check lets Lana run in a folder that isn't a Git repository.

Review your code

lana review reads your changes like a careful reviewer would and tells you about bugs, risks and things worth a second look. It is a great habit before you open a pull request.

Inside a session, /review does the same thing without leaving the chat.

Come back to earlier work

Lana saves your chats, so you can pick up right where you stopped.

Your account

Useful options

You can add these to lana, lana exec and most other commands.

Be careful with danger-full-access and never. They let Lana run commands anywhere on your machine without asking, so only use them somewhere safe, like a throwaway container.

To see every option for a command, add --help, for example lana exec --help.

Project instructions

If your project has rules Lana should always follow, such as how to run tests or which style to use, write them in a file called AGENTS.md at the root of your project. Lana reads it at the start of every session.

The quickest way to create one is to type /init inside a session. Lana looks around your project and writes a first draft for you to edit.

Updates and health checks

Troubleshooting

Lana says my access is pending

Your invite hasn't been approved yet. Make sure you signed in with the same Google account you used to request your invite. We'll email you as soon as you are approved.

lana: command not found

Your terminal can't find Lana yet. Close and reopen your terminal, then try again. If it still fails, run npm install -g @uselana/cli once more and check that npm's global folder is on your PATH.

The install fails or complains about Node.js

Lana needs Node.js 22 or newer. Run node --version to check, and update Node.js if it is older.

Sign-in opens the browser but never finishes

Use lana login --manual and paste the one-time code from the browser into your terminal.

Lana says I need a plan or have run out of credit

Run lana billing to choose a plan or renew it in your browser. You can check what you have left with lana account.

Something else isn't working

Run lana doctor. It checks the most common problems and tells you how to fix them. If you are still stuck, get in touch and include what lana doctor --summary shows.

Get help

We would love to hear from you, whether something is broken or you have an idea that would make Lana better. Email us at support@getconvoy.io, and if you are setting Lana up for a team, book a call with us.