Getting started

Requirements

• A Mac with Apple silicon, running macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later.
• git 2.38 or later. Apple's free Command Line Tools include it. If git is missing, Mooring offers to install the Command Line Tools for you.
• Claude Code, for Claude tabs and Coxswain. Plain shell tabs work without it.

Install

Mooring is free. Install it either way below. Mooring then updates itself when a new version comes out, however you installed it.

Download

1. Download Mooring from mooring.sh/download.
2. Open the downloaded disk image and drag Mooring into your Applications folder.
3. Open Mooring from your Applications folder, or press ⌘Space and type "Mooring" to find it with Spotlight.

Homebrew

If you use Homebrew, run this in Terminal:

brew install --cask mooring-sh/tap/mooring

Then open Mooring from your Applications folder or with Spotlight.

First launch

The first time you open Mooring, a short first-run window sets things up. Cox, the Mooring icon in a cox's cap, guides you through it.

1. Welcome. Click Get Started.
2. git. If git is already installed, the page says so and moves on by itself. If not, click Install Command-Line Tools… and Mooring carries on when the install finishes.
3. Full Disk Access. This step is optional. It lets Claude's searches reach every folder you can. Click Open System Settings… and turn on the switch next to Mooring, or click Not Now.
4. Your projects folder. Click Choose Folder… and pick the folder where your projects live. Mooring lists each folder inside it as a project.

When the main window opens, Cox shows three steps to start: pick a project, open Up Next, and add your first card. For more, see Cox and first run.

Open your first project

Projects show in the sidebar on the left. To add more:

1. Click + at the top of the sidebar, or open the File menu.
2. Choose one of these:
   • New Project… (⇧⌘N) creates an empty project or clones a repository from its URL.
   • Add Existing Folder… adds one folder from anywhere on your Mac.
   • Add Root Folder… adds a folder of projects. Each folder inside it becomes a project.
3. Click a project in the sidebar to open it.
4. Click the shell button in the project strip to open a terminal, or one of the agent buttons beside it to start Claude Code.

What to read next

• Projects: what a project is, and how roots work.
• Tabs and sessions: how tabs keep running when you quit.
• Up Next: capture work and hand it to Claude.
• Keyboard shortcuts: the shortcuts you'll use every day.