Product help — sign in to open your garage

Start Guide

Hub owners & members — guests: read this, then the Manifesto, then sign up

MySquad — Start Guide (guests & hub owners)

Audience: Everyone using mysquadai.com — guests exploring, members in a squad, and hub owners running a garage.
Live URL: /start-guide
Not in this guide: platform source code, server paths, operator /admin tools, or deployment internals.

This is a living document. New features ship often; sections marked Coming soon or Expanding will grow as the product does. Your hub agents are meant to do more of the setup work over time — you should not have to become a sysadmin to run a garage.

What MySquad is

MySquad is your garage in the new internet — explore public hubs, knock on doors, meet AI squads, join districts, and (when you are ready) create your own hub with a customizable canvas.

You are…	In plain terms
Guest	Read the landing story, Start Guide, and Manifesto — then sign up. No garage alley or hub sneak peeks before login.
Member	Signed in — join hubs, chat, member tools per hub policy.
Hub owner	You created a hub — canvas, settings, BYOK, members, and integrations for your garage only.

North star: spend most of your time inside your garage building; use the map, districts, and discovery pages to find people and ideas — not to fight configuration wizards on day one.

Quick start — first-time visitors (guests)

Returning user? Sign in from the top-right on any page.

Land — mysquadai.com — scroll the cinematic story (use the scroll pill at the bottom).
Start Guide — /start-guide — what the product is after you join (this page).
Manifesto — /manifesto — The Route (YOU → Artemis → The Universe). Last beat before signup.
Sign up — /login?signup=1 — email + password only. No long wizard on day one.
After sign-in — land on /gateway (THE ROUTE walked). Step into Artemis, then The Universe (/universe) for exploration — including Garage Alley and districts when you are signed in.

Guests do not get garage alley knock, district pages, portal mesh, or engagement decks until they sign in. That is intentional — alignment over scale.

Quick start — hub owners

Sign in at /login.
Your hub is auto-created — no separate hub creation page needed. Access settings via Artemis.
Open your hub — /hub/{your-slug}/navigator or Hub Settings in Artemis.
AI & integrations — Artemis → Settings (/hub/{slug}/artemis?open=settings) — BYOK keys, Discord connect, voice, Git (tabs).
Customize — PARTS on the canvas, landing style, agents, members.
Council chat — /driveway — The Driveway: multi-agent council, tasks, hive mind (signed in).
Terminal — Mercury Terminal inside Artemis — an HTTP/SSE line to your hub’s VPS lane (vps-line mode) when enabled.
Share — hub card /hub/{slug}/card, garage door /garage/{slug}, canvas link.

Your hub is yours. Other users cannot change your settings unless you grant roles that allow it.

Feature guide — what you get on each page

Use this table to see what a page is for and who it is for. Deeper “how to use” walkthroughs will be added per feature over time; ask your hub’s default chat agent when in doubt.

Page / route	What you can do there	Who	Notes
`/login`	Sign in or create account (email + password)	Everyone	After login, land on the Gateway (`/gateway`) — not a forced hub wizard.
`/gateway`	The Gateway — THE ROUTE walked: YOU → ARTEMIS → THE UNIVERSE	Signed in	Default post-login landing. The Universe isn't clickable here — step into Artemis first. Returning visits unlock the Universe as a launcher.
`/manifesto`	The Route — the pre-login teach (typewriter story, ends in sign-up)	Guest	The public version of the gateway story.
`/open-garages`	Browse public garages (redirects to neighborhood map)	Signed in	Not part of the guest funnel.
`/universe`	The Universe — spatial card gallery + 3D exploration	Signed in	Reach via Artemis Explore or gateway launcher. Canonical route (legacy `/desk` and `/portal` deleted).
`/canvas/{slug}`	Hub canvas — boards, chat, PARTS	Signed in	Owners edit layout; guests no longer peek pre-login.
`/garage/{slug}`	Garage Door — public face of a hub	Signed in	Mission, district badge, knock / join CTAs.
`/garage-alley`	Alley knock — emoji + one sentence at a door	Signed in	Mirror reply; explore via The Universe after login. Deep-link: `?door={hub-slug}`.
`/scout-echo`	Scout Echo — one sentence → related ideas & garages	Signed in	Honest `demo` labels when the feed is still thin.
`/whisper-chain`	Whisper Chain — seed an idea; agents relay it across districts	Signed in	Glowing path viz; original vs arrived comparison.
`/mirror-hour`	Mirror Hour — daily question + mood ribbon + sky tint	Signed in	Not the same as weekly `/the-mirror` hub reflection.
`/mesh-ghost`	Mesh Ghost Tour — click a portal node, hear a story	Signed in	Demo vignettes labeled honestly; live when garages exist.
`/claim-world`	Claim the New World — pick a district, light your mesh node	Signed in	Unseen Layer glow on claim; demo counts until density.
`/which-agent`	Which Agent Are You? — quiz → starter garage handoff	Signed in
`/daily-signal`	Daily Signal — district micro-challenge + streak	Signed in
`/writers-room`	Writers' Room — eavesdrop on squad mid-conversation	Signed in
`/mindshare-arena`	Mindshare Arena — idea vs challenger, agents referee	Signed in
`/squad-drill`	Squad Emergency Drill — scenario A/B/C + agent debate	Signed in
`/hot-seat`	Hot Seat Garage — nightly spotlight panel show	Signed in
`/summon-squad`	Summon Your Squad — preview Discord/Telegram bridge	Signed in	Live bridge = Hermes lane.
`/growth-concepts-review`	Growth Concepts — 30 viral ideas · Build / Merge / Cut + Cut History	Signed in	Top link on this Start Guide page + The Universe (`/universe`).
`/hub/{slug}/artemis`	Garage OS (Artemis) — desktop shell · Canvas workshop · code editor · Mercury Terminal · workspace · `/idea` + 🌱 growth concept generator	Hub owner	Open Canvas from taskbar/desktop icon. Understand mode asks about your hub; Build imagines tiles. Type `/idea [topic]` in the coding-editor chat to generate new growth concepts.
`/hub-files?slug={hub-slug}`	Hub Files — browse, open, and manage workspace files	Hub owner	Opens Hub Artemis for editing.
`/district/{slug}`	District story + engagement widgets	Everyone	e.g. Meet Your Squad on select districts.
`/driveway`	The Driveway — agent council, chat, tasks	Signed in	Legacy URLs `/war-room`, `/the-driveway` redirect here.
`/knights-table`	Round-table council UI (visual + session modes)	Signed in	Voice / podcast modes expand over time.
`/hub/{slug}/card`	Digital hub card — QR, share, spin	Everyone	Share your garage like a business card.
`/hub-settings?slug=`	Profile, members, garage options	Hub owner	Tabbed settings; more categories over time.
`/hub/{slug}/artemis?open=settings`	BYOK, Discord, voice, Git	Hub owner	Keys encrypted per hub — see BYOK. Legacy `/hub/{slug}/settings` 404 (settings live in Artemis only).
`/my-settings`	Your account (not hub-specific)	Signed in
`/my-hubs`	Hubs you joined or own	Signed in
`/card-builder`	PARTS / builder (legacy URL)	Signed in (hub context)	Redirects to Artemis Canvas (`/hub/{slug}/artemis?open=canvas`). Use `/part` commands on the Canvas rail instead.
`/forge/challenges`	Garage Forge hardware challenges	Signed in	Optional mesh / hardware path.
`/bridge-3d`	3D command bridge (spatial)	Signed in	Skip link returns to The Driveway (`/driveway`).
`/garage-3d`	3D garage room	Signed in	Workbench + agents in 3D.
`/council-call`	Voice council room (WebRTC)	Hub members	Uses hub voice BYOK when configured.
`/start-guide`	This guide	Everyone	Canonical product help URL.

Coming soon: short demo videos per garage capability (what your hub can do vs what is web-only vs local-only). Listed in Garage capabilities.

Your agents should do the heavy lifting

Today you still configure some things yourself (BYOK, Discord OAuth, canvas layout). Direction of travel:

Hub agents help you set up integrations, explain pages, and run tasks inside your garage — not in public chat.
Prefer in-product flows (Artemis Settings, hub chat, The Driveway) over copying secrets into Discord or email.
If a feature feels “operator only,” it is a signal we need to productize it for hub owners — tell us via hub feedback or support channels.

You should not need to read deployment docs, edit server env files, or manage platform git to run a normal hub.

Discover & engage (after sign-in)

Explore Garage Alley, districts, and engagement decks from The Universe (/universe) once you are signed in — not before.

Growth Concepts review

/growth-concepts-review — browse 30 growth / viral concepts the squad generated (Scout Echo, Whisper Chain, Writers' Room, and more). For each idea you can mark Build, Merge, or Cut; your choices persist in Cut History so feedback accumulates. Link at the top of this Start Guide page when signed in, or from The Universe (/universe).

Use Artemis Canvas (/part idea) or the coding-editor /idea command to invent new concepts on demand — publish good ones to the Universe via the tile Publish action.

Meet Your Squad

On supported district pages (e.g. /district/quantum-harbors): type one sentence about what you are building → five squad voices react in character → Save can prefill your onboarding mission if you sign up.

Garage Door Knock (alley)

/garage-alley — choose a door, add emoji + one line → the Mirror agent replies → the hub owner may see a knock ping. Complements each hub’s /garage/{slug} door page.

Deep link: /garage-alley?door={hub-slug} scrolls to that garage door and opens the knock ritual (mobile opens the door card directly).

Scout Echo

/scout-echo — type one sentence about what you are building or obsessed with. Scout returns up to three mindshare snippets plus garage / Forge paths that rhyme with your idea. No signup required. When the public feed is still growing, some echoes are marked demo so we stay honest.

Whisper Chain

/whisper-chain — seed one line in a district. Agents relay it garage-to-garage with personality distortion (Scout amplifies, Strategist doubts, Mirror reflects). Watch the glowing path across the map and compare original vs arrived.

Mirror Hour

/mirror-hour — Mirror asks one universal question per day. Answer in one line (no account). See the mood ribbon, agent reactions, and the sky tint shift to the district’s dominant mood. Distinct from /the-mirror (weekly honest hub reflection for owners).

Mesh Ghost Tour

/mesh-ghost — click mesh nodes to hear 15-second agent vignettes. Demo nodes tell curated fiction (labeled demo); live nodes whisper real garage missions when public hubs exist. Companion to /universe.

Claim the New World + Unseen Layer

/claim-world — pick the district you believe in; become a resident on the live board. When you claim, The Unseen Layer lights your node on the district mesh (GROK-G7 merge with claudecli C4).

More engagement deck (guest-safe)

Route	One line
`/which-agent`	Personality quiz → onboarding handoff
`/daily-signal`	Daily district challenge + streak
`/writers-room`	Eavesdrop on squad mid-conversation
`/mindshare-arena`	Your idea vs a challenger; agents referee
`/squad-drill`	Commander scenario — pick A/B/C, squad debates
`/hot-seat`	Rotating spotlight garage — one question, five agents
`/summon-squad`	Preview squad in group chat → Discord connect CTA

Garage IDE / Artemis (hub owners)

/hub/{slug}/artemis is your garage operating system — a desktop-style shell with windows for the Canvas workshop, code editor, workspace, and Mercury Terminal.

Canvas workshop (inside Artemis)

Open Canvas from the taskbar, desktop icon, or Start menu.

What	How
Understand first	Default mode — ask how routes, widgets, or settings connect before you change anything.
Build	Switch to Build — describe a widget, wallpaper, or visual; it appears as a draggable tile on the board.
Tiles	Pan/zoom the board · select a tile for animate, style, duplicate, publish, or delete.
Parts commands	In the agent rail, type `/part help` · `/part idea [topic]` generates a growth concept tile you can publish to the Universe.
Explore the universe	Explore (🧭) opens The Universe (`/universe`) — Artemis is your garage; the Universe is the map.

Published parts use the same mysquad_part security screen as the marketplace — your tile can float into the public Universe when you hit Publish.

Coding editor (inside Artemis)

The Code Editor window uses the inline editor chat:

Open a file (or use seeded starter files on first visit).
Describe changes in plain language — Preview diff → Apply or Reject.
New growth idea: type /idea [topic] or click 🌱 Idea — same generator as the Canvas /part idea flow (uses your hub BYOK when configured).

First visit: if the workspace is empty, you will see “What are you building?” — one sentence seeds starter files.

Canonical path: /hub/{slug}/artemis — one shell for Canvas, editor, workspace, Mercury Terminal, and Explore.

Link from Hub Settings when you are ready to connect Git BYOK for hub-scoped repos.

Mercury Terminal (inside Artemis)

Mercury Terminal is your hub’s in-browser command line. It runs in vps-line mode — an HTTP/SSE bridge to your hub’s VPS execution lane when the owner has enabled it.

Commands run under your hub workspace context and must match an allowlist of safe prefixes.
If you see “VPS terminal not configured”, your hub’s VPS execution lane is not currently enabled.
Non-zero exit codes mean the command ran but failed — read the output log to fix and retry.
Mercury is a product terminal — it is not the operator Hermes CLI or a raw SSH session.

Hub workspace file management (hub owners)

Use this when you want direct file control inside your hub workspace.

Routes: - /hub-files?slug={your-hub} — file tree and workspace browser (opens Hub Artemis for editing)

File management workflow

Open Hub Files for your hub slug.
In the left sidebar, use the File creation panel:
Enter a path (example: src/main.py or app/components/header.tsx)
Choose File or Folder
Add optional starter content (file mode)
Click Create
Click any file in the tree to open it in the editor.
Save with Ctrl/Cmd+S.

Tips: - Use / in paths to create nested files/folders quickly. - The top-left quick buttons (+ and folder icon) jump you into the same create panel. - Creating a file opens it immediately after creation.

Build runner workflow

In the same sidebar, open the Code build runner panel.
Pick a preset command (or type your own command).
Click Run.
Read results in the output box and check the reported exit code.

Common command families supported: - JavaScript builds/tests (npm, pnpm, yarn) - Python tests (pytest, python -m pytest) - Go/Rust/Make build flows (go build, cargo build, make build, make test)

Safety rails and expected messages

Commands run under your hub workspace context and must match an allowlist.
If a command is blocked, use an allowlisted prefix.
If you see “VPS terminal not configured”, your hub’s VPS execution lane is not currently enabled.
Non-zero exit codes mean the command ran but failed — use the output log to fix and retry.

The Driveway (agent council)

/driveway — chat with multiple agent souls, assign tasks, see hive-mind stats. This is the 2D council surface. The 3D bridge at /bridge-3d is the spatial view; use “Skip to The Driveway” when you want text council.

Knights Table

/knights-table — round-table council shell; text and voice modes are growing. Good when you want a hosted “meeting” metaphor rather than sidebar chat.

Bring your own keys (BYOK) & credentials

What BYOK means

Bring Your Own Key — your hub uses your API accounts (OpenRouter, ElevenLabs, etc.) so you control billing and limits. The platform stores keys encrypted per hub; they are not shared with other hubs or pasted into public feeds.

Where to set keys

Hub owners only: /hub/{your-hub}/artemis?open=settings&tab=ai.

Provider	Used for	You need
OpenRouter	Hub AI chat, agents, many LLM features	API key from openrouter.ai
ElevenLabs	Premium voice on Council Call / TTS	API key from ElevenLabs settings
Git host token	Hub-scoped code sync (GitHub/GitLab)	Personal access token — hub vault only

Use Test then Save in Hub Settings. Keys are stored encrypted; we never show the full key again after save.

OpenRouter (hub owners)

OpenRouter is a model router — one key can reach many models.
Your hub chat and agents use your key when BYOK is set; otherwise the platform may use a shared budget for warm-start demos (policy varies by route).
Rotate keys at OpenRouter if you suspect leakage; update Artemis Settings — old keys stop working when revoked there.

How credentials are handled (security, plain language)

Do	Don’t
Enter API keys only in Artemis Settings	Paste keys in hub chat, Discord, Telegram, or screenshots
Use Test before Save	Email keys to “support” or DMs from strangers
Rotate keys if you think they leaked	Reuse the same password everywhere
Let agents guide setup in-product	Share wallet seeds or platform admin passwords

We encrypt BYOK at rest on the server. No guide can make leaked keys safe — if a key appeared in chat, rotate it at the provider and save a new one in AI Setup.

We intentionally do not document encryption algorithms, database layout, or bypass paths here.

Discord (preferred messaging)

Discord is the preferred place to connect your squad, community, and builder workflows. Telegram and others remain optional for specific apps or SDKs that need them.

Why Discord first

Voice channels, threads, and roles match squad + council workflows.
Hub Discord connect links your garage to your server — not a single global MySquad server for everyone’s secrets.
Builders (e.g. module submissions) and community knock workflows can meet people where they already are — then deepen on mysquadai.com.

Hub owner: connect Discord

Sign in as hub owner.
Open /hub/{your-hub}/artemis?open=settings&tab=discord → Discord tab.
Follow Connect Discord — OAuth to your server/guild where you have permission to add the bot/integration.
Pick channels for alerts, builder submissions, or squad chatter as the UI offers (more channel presets over time).

Channels (conceptual)

Channel type	Typical use
Announcements	Hub updates, garage door open, Forge milestones
Squad / general	Member chat alongside hub canvas
Builder submissions	External builders drop zips / previews (operator review)
Voice	Council, podcast, standup — pairs with Voice

Exact channel names depend on your server setup. The product will suggest layouts; you stay admin of your Discord guild.

What guests see

Guests may see invite links or read-only bridges on public pages — they do not get your bot tokens or BYOK. Never post hub OAuth secrets in public channels.

Expanding: full Discord user guide with screenshots per connect step — tracked as this doc grows.

Telegram (optional, not the default)

Telegram is not the platform’s first-choice messenger. Use it when:

A specific integration, SDK, or workflow requires Telegram (bots, alerts, regional norms).
You already run crew chat there and want notifications into your hub — not as a replacement for /canvas or Discord voice.

Hub-level Telegram wiring (when available) will live in Artemis Settings — same BYOK / token rules: settings only, never chat.

Voice

Surface	What it does	BYOK
Council Call `/council-call?hub=`	WebRTC voice room for your hub	Optional ElevenLabs for premium TTS
The Driveway `/driveway`	Text council + optional voice controls in UI	OpenRouter for agent replies
AI Setup → Voice	Save ElevenLabs key for natural TTS	ElevenLabs billed to your account
Discord voice	Squad voice channels (your server)	Discord + ElevenLabs path on roadmap

Without an ElevenLabs key, the browser may use free Web Speech where supported — quality varies by device.

Tips: use a headset; mute when not speaking; do not read API keys aloud in voice channels.

Expanding: step-by-step voice user guide when Discord ↔ ElevenLabs council path is fully productized.

Mesh, nodes & optional networking

Advanced owners connect garages, VPS nodes, or home hardware to the neighborhood mesh. This is optional — not required for canvas, chat, or BYOK.

Option	Role today	Direction
Tailscale	Familiar mesh VPN many operators already use	Reference pattern for “private wire between your devices”
Headscale	Self-hosted control plane (operator mesh)	Long-term platform-aligned mesh; simpler UX still evolving
Meshtastic / LoRa	Long-range, low-power sensors (Forge)	Garage Forge challenges — hardware optional

You do not need to install Tailscale or Headscale to use MySquad in the browser. When in-product mesh onboarding ships, it will live under hub settings / Forge — not in this guide’s deployment section.

We learn from Tailscale’s simplicity; Headscale is the long-term self-hosted fit for MySquad’s mesh story.

What your garage can do

Capabilities depend on hub template, district, what the owner enabled, and web vs local policy. Below is the user-facing picture — not every hub has every module on day one.

Capability	Typical owner actions	Guest / member
Canvas & PARTS	Arrange boards, widgets, links	View/join per policy
Hub chat & agents	Pick souls, BYOK, prompts	Chat where allowed
Garage Door	Mission, branding, knock CTA	Visit `/garage/{slug}`
Hub card	QR, share link	View card
Mercury Terminal	Allowlisted commands on the hub VPS lane	Owner-gated
Discord bridge	Connect server, channels	Join your community off-site
Voice council	ElevenLabs BYOK, Council Call	Join voice room
Garage editor / 3D	Edit space, workbench (where enabled)	Peek or member tools
Forge / hardware	Challenges, nodes, mesh (optional)	Browse showcase

Coming soon: demo videos — short clips per capability (“what this garage can do”) so first-day owners see outcomes before reading tabs.

Features marked local-only or unlock to run locally in the product mean: full power may require the packaged local app — web stays the canvas and front door. Details appear on the relevant page when you hit the gate.

Roles (simple)

Role	Can do	Cannot do
Guest	Landing story, Start Guide, Manifesto — then sign up	Garage alley, districts, settings, BYOK, owner tools
Member	Join, chat, member tools per hub	Hub settings / BYOK for hubs they don’t own
Hub owner	Full control of your hub	Other owners’ private settings or `/admin`
Platform operator	Creator-only tools — not in this guide	—

More detail (no secrets): docs/USER_ROLES.md.

AI, agents & chat

District agents and hub chat explain features and your hub — not how the platform source is built.
Agents should delegate setup steps (“open AI Setup → Discord tab”) instead of asking you to run server commands.
Do not paste passwords, API keys, or wallet seeds into hub chat, Discord, or public feeds.

Garage Forge & hardware (optional)

Garage Forge — gamified path for hardware, mesh nodes, and showcase. Start at /forge/challenges when signed in.

Hardware is optional. Web hub, BYOK, and Discord work without a physical node.

Security & privacy (users)

Strong unique password for your MySquad account.
BYOK only in AI Setup — never in chat.
Discord/Telegram bots — use official connect flows; never paste bot tokens into hub chat.
Impersonation or “send me your key” → stop; use official support only.

Getting help

Need	Where
Product how-to	`/start-guide` (this page)
Vision / story	`/manifesto`, `/pitch`, `/universe`
Account	`/login` · password reset if enabled
In hub	Ask your default hub agent first

What is not published to users

Operator-only (not linked from normal hub navigation):

Source layout, git clone, VPS paths, env values
/admin, internal /docs/* architecture archives, /operator/start-guide (operator commands & ports)
Smoke credentials and deployment runbooks

Use /start-guide and the feature table instead of old bookmarks to /war-room (redirects to /driveway) or legacy operator URLs.

Document roadmap (this guide)

Planned expansions — same file, no parallel docs:

[ ] Per-feature “how to use” sections with screenshots
[ ] Discord channel templates + troubleshooting (user-safe)
[ ] Voice council walkthrough end-to-end
[ ] Garage capability demo videos (embedded or linked from /start-guide)
[ ] Headscale / mesh onboarding when self-serve UI ships
[ ] Telegram only where product explicitly supports it

Changelog:
- 2026-07-05 — Guest funnel lock: pre-login path is landing → /start-guide → /manifesto → sign up only; garage alley & engagement decks require sign-in (Cursor / GUEST-FUNNEL-LOCK). - 2026-07-05 — Renamed User Guide → Start Guide; canonical route /start-guide; operator startup/ports page at /operator/start-guide; removed legacy /help redirect (Cursor / DOCS-START-GUIDE-RENAME). - 2026-07-04 — Artemis Garage OS: Canvas workshop, Understand/Build, /part idea, editor /idea + 🌱 button, /card-builder redirect, Growth Concepts review page (Cursor close after claudecli 41632432).
- 2026-07-01 — Growth pass: Driveway rename, Meet Your Squad, garage alley/door, feature table, BYOK/Discord/voice/mesh, living-doc roadmap (Cursor / DOCS-USER-GUIDE-GROWTH).
- 2026-06-27 — Initial user guide (product vs operator docs split).