Documentation
Installation/Initial Setup and Configuration

Initial Setup and Configuration

After installing ThinkCode, it's important to configure it properly to match your development workflow, preferences, and system capabilities. This guide will walk you through the initial setup process to help you get the most out of ThinkCode.

First Launch

When you launch ThinkCode for the first time, you'll be greeted with a setup wizard that guides you through the essential configuration steps:

  1. Welcome Screen: Brief introduction to ThinkCode
  2. Sign In or Create Account: Connect with your ThinkCode account
  3. AI Configuration: Set up the Think engine
  4. Import Settings (optional): Import settings from VS Code or other editors
  5. Extension Selection: Choose initial extensions to install
  6. Theme Selection: Pick your preferred UI theme
  7. Final Configuration: Review and confirm your settings

Let's go through each of these steps in detail.

Sign In or Create Account

While ThinkCode can be used without an account, signing in provides several benefits:

  • Settings Sync: Synchronize your settings across devices
  • Enhanced AI Features: Access to cloud-based AI models
  • Extension Entitlements: Access to premium extensions you've purchased
  • Usage Metrics: Track your productivity and AI usage

Creating a New Account

If you don't already have a ThinkCode account:

  1. Click "Create Account" on the sign-in screen
  2. Provide your email address and create a password
  3. Verify your email address via the confirmation link
  4. Complete your profile (optional but recommended)

Signing In with Existing Accounts

ThinkCode supports several authentication methods:

  • ThinkCode Account: Sign in with your email and password
  • GitHub: Connect using your GitHub account
  • Google: Sign in with your Google account
  • Microsoft: Use your Microsoft account
  • Enterprise SSO: For organizations with configured single sign-on

AI Engine Configuration

The Think engine is ThinkCode's AI component, and it can be configured in several ways:

Model Selection

ThinkCode offers different AI models to suit your needs:

  • Cloud Models: More powerful, require internet connection

    • Think Standard: Balanced performance and speed
    • Think Advanced: Higher quality but slightly slower
    • Think Specialized: Domain-specific models for certain languages

  • Local Models: Run entirely on your machine

    • Think Local: Optimized for offline use
    • Think Small: Lower resource requirements
    • Think Custom: Your own fine-tuned models

Select the model that best fits your workflow and system capabilities.

Privacy Settings

Configure how ThinkCode handles your code and data:

  • Code Privacy: Control what code is shared with AI services

    • Share all code (default for cloud models)
    • Share only current file/selection
    • Local processing only (requires local model)

  • Telemetry: Control what usage data is collected

    • Full telemetry (helps improve ThinkCode)
    • Limited telemetry (only critical information)
    • No telemetry

  • Sensitive Projects: Mark specific projects as sensitive

    • Never share code from these projects with cloud services
    • Force local model use for these projects

AI Behavior Preferences

Configure how the AI interacts with you:

  • Suggestion Frequency: How often the AI suggests code

    • Aggressive: Frequent suggestions as you type
    • Balanced: Suggestions at logical pauses
    • Conservative: Suggestions only when explicitly requested

  • Verbosity: Detail level for AI explanations

    • Concise: Brief, to-the-point explanations
    • Standard: Moderately detailed explanations
    • Detailed: Comprehensive explanations with examples

  • Coding Style: Align AI suggestions with your style

    • Follow your existing code style
    • Follow language-specific best practices
    • Follow custom style guide (configurable)

Importing Existing Settings

If you're transitioning from another editor, ThinkCode can import your settings:

From VS Code

ThinkCode can import the following from VS Code:

  • Editor preferences and configuration
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Extensions and their settings
  • Themes and color customizations
  • Snippets and templates

To import from VS Code:

  1. Click "Import from VS Code" in the setup wizard
  2. Select the components you want to import
  3. Choose whether to merge or replace existing settings
  4. Review and confirm the import

From Other Editors

ThinkCode provides import tools for several other editors:

  • JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, etc.)
  • Sublime Text
  • Atom
  • Vim/NeoVim configurations

The import process varies slightly depending on the source editor.

Extension Selection

Extensions enhance ThinkCode's capabilities. During setup, you can choose from:

ThinkCode recommends extensions based on your:

  • Selected programming languages
  • Project types in your workspace
  • System capabilities
  • Development workflows

Extension Categories

Extensions are organized into categories:

  • Language Support: Language servers, syntax highlighting, etc.
  • AI Enhancements: Additional AI capabilities
  • Themes: Visual customization
  • Tools: Debugging, testing, deployment, etc.
  • Productivity: Workflow improvements
  • Collaboration: Team features

Extension Management

You can refine your extension selection:

  • Install extensions individually or in bulk
  • Preview extension features before installing
  • Set auto-update preferences
  • Configure extension loading behavior

Performance Optimization

Optimize ThinkCode for your system:

System Resource Allocation

Configure how ThinkCode uses your system resources:

  • Memory Usage:

    • Set maximum memory limit
    • Configure caching behavior
    • Adjust garbage collection frequency

  • CPU Usage:

    • Set thread pool size
    • Configure background processing priority
    • Adjust AI processing load

  • GPU Acceleration:

    • Enable/disable GPU acceleration for AI
    • Select GPU device (if multiple are available)
    • Configure VRAM allocation

Startup Optimization

Improve ThinkCode startup time:

  • Lazy Loading: Only load components when needed
  • Startup Extensions: Control which extensions load at startup
  • Workspace Caching: Cache workspace information for faster reopening

Large Project Optimization

For large codebases:

  • Indexing Strategy: Control how and when files are indexed
  • File Watchers: Limit the number of watched files
  • Symbol Caching: Optimize symbol lookup for large codebases

Interface Customization

Personalize ThinkCode to your preferences:

Theme Selection

Choose from built-in themes:

  • Dark Themes: Dark+ (default), Monokai, One Dark Pro
  • Light Themes: Light+, Solarized Light, GitHub Light
  • High Contrast: For accessibility needs

Or install custom themes from extensions.

Layout Customization

Configure the editor layout:

  • Panel Positions: Place panels on sides, bottom, or hide them
  • Editor Groups: Configure how editor tabs are organized
  • Minimap: Show/hide and customize the code overview
  • Status Bar: Choose what information appears
  • Activity Bar: Customize or hide the side icon bar

Font and Text

Customize text appearance:

  • Font: Select editor font and font size
  • Line Height: Adjust spacing between lines
  • Letter Spacing: Fine-tune character spacing
  • Ligatures: Enable/disable programming ligatures

Language-Specific Settings

Configure ThinkCode for different programming languages:

Language Preferences

For each language, configure:

  • Formatter: Select and configure code formatters
  • Linter: Choose linting rules and severity levels
  • Indentation: Set tab/space preferences
  • AI Behavior: Language-specific AI settings

Project-Specific Settings

Set different preferences for different projects:

  • Create .thinkcode folder in your project
  • Add settings.json for project-specific settings
  • Configure language server settings per project

Final Configuration

After completing the wizard, review your configuration:

  • Settings Summary: Overview of selected preferences
  • AI Status: Verification that the AI engine is properly configured
  • Next Steps: Suggestions for exploring ThinkCode features
  • Documentation Links: Quick access to relevant guides

Post-Setup Configuration

After initial setup, you can fine-tune your configuration:

Accessing Settings

Access the settings interface through:

  • Command Palette: Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on macOS) and type "Settings"
  • Menu: File > Preferences > Settings
  • Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+, (Cmd+, on macOS)

Settings Interface

The settings interface has several components:

  • Search: Find settings by keyword
  • Categories: Browse settings by category
  • JSON Editor: Edit settings as JSON for advanced users
  • Profiles: Create and switch between setting profiles

Advanced Configuration

For more advanced customization:

  • User Settings: Apply to all projects
  • Workspace Settings: Apply only to the current workspace
  • Language-Specific Settings: Apply to specific file types
  • Machine-Specific Settings: Apply only on the current machine

Think Engine Fine-Tuning

After using ThinkCode for a while, you might want to fine-tune the AI:

Personalization

Train the AI to better match your preferences:

  • Code Style: Learn from your coding style
  • Feedback: Provide explicit feedback on suggestions
  • Custom Prompts: Create custom AI commands
  • History Management: Review and manage AI interaction history

Performance Tuning

Adjust AI performance:

  • Prediction Depth: Balance between suggestion quality and speed
  • Context Size: How much code the AI considers
  • Caching Strategy: How suggestions are cached
  • Batch Processing: Group AI requests for efficiency

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during setup:

  • Diagnostic Tool: Run the built-in diagnostic tool from the Command Palette
  • Setup Logs: Check logs at:
    • Windows: %APPDATA%\ThinkCode\logs\setup.log
    • macOS: ~/Library/Logs/ThinkCode/setup.log
    • Linux: ~/.config/ThinkCode/logs/setup.log
  • Reset Configuration: Use the "Reset to Defaults" option in Settings
  • Support: Contact support for assistance

Next Steps

After completing your initial setup:

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Installing ThinkCode on Linux

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License Management

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