CLI guide 1: install and first wallet

By the end of this guide you will have the Hartii CLI (hartii) installed, a new encrypted wallet on your computer, and a health check that passes. You will not spend anything.

Who this is for: anyone comfortable typing a few commands in a terminal. No coding needed.

What you will need

• Node.js 20 or newer (node --version should print v20 or higher).
• A terminal (Terminal, PowerShell, Windows Terminal, or similar).
• Later, a small amount of QUAI to fund the wallet. Not needed for this guide.

#Step 1: install

npm install -g https://hartiilabs.com/downloads/hartii-cli.tgz
hartii --version

The second command prints a version number. To try it once without installing, put npx -y https://hartiilabs.com/downloads/hartii-cli.tgz in front of any command instead of hartii.

The download's checksum is published next to it at https://hartiilabs.com/downloads/hartii-cli.tgz.sha256 if you want to verify the file.

#Step 2: look around with demo data

hartii ui --demo

This opens a full-screen terminal app filled with fixture data. It has no wallet, makes no wallet actions and can never sign anything, so it is a safe way to explore. Use the arrow keys to move, Tab to switch panes, ? for help and q to quit. Run without a real terminal (for example piped into a file), it prints one plain 80x24 frame instead.

#Step 3: see every command

hartii ?

You get the full command list in groups: Start here, Wallet, Look things up, Trade, Hartii tools, Setup, Agents. Ask for help on one command with hartii buy ? or hartii help buy. If you mistype a command, the CLI suggests the closest ones.

#Step 4: create your wallet

hartii wallet new

The CLI asks for a new password (at least 8 characters, typed twice, hidden as you type). It then creates a new wallet, encrypts it with that password, makes it your current wallet and prints its name and address. The recovery phrase is not shown automatically.

Back it up now:

hartii wallet export

You have to type the wallet's name back to confirm. Write the 12 words on paper and keep them offline. This is the only command that ever prints a recovery phrase.

Already have a wallet? hartii wallet import mnemonic and hartii wallet import key ask for the phrase or key at a hidden prompt (or from piped input). Never put a secret on the command line.

#Step 5: find your address

hartii wallet address

It prints your Cyprus-1 Quai address, the address you send QUAI to. hartii whoami shows your wallet name, address and network together, and hartii wallet list shows every wallet on this computer.

#Step 6: run the health check

hartii doctor

Each line starts with PASS or a failure. The checks are rpc (can it reach the Quai node), chainId (is it mainnet, chain 9), keystorePerms (is your wallet file readable only by you), addressLedger, api (is hartiilabs.com up) and clockSkew (does your clock match the chain). All PASS means you are ready. On Windows, keystorePerms reports "not checked on this platform".

#Safety

• Your password protects the wallet file. The CLI cannot recover it. Your recovery phrase can rebuild the wallet on any machine.
• Never paste a recovery phrase or private key into a chat, an AI agent, a website or a message. Nobody legitimate will ask for it.
• Keys live only in the encrypted keystore (~/.hartii/keystore/). There is no telemetry.
• Use a dedicated wallet that holds only what you are happy to risk.

#Common mistakes

#Next

• CLI guide 2: your first trade
• CLI guide 3: connect an AI agent
• Full command reference: Hartii CLI