Getting Started

Dino is an AI coding partner for Visual Studio Code — built for collaboration, not delegation. It reads your codebase, proposes multi-file changes, and presents every edit for your review before anything touches your files.

Installation

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to the Extensions view (Cmd+Shift+X on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows/Linux)
3. Search for “Dino”
4. Click Install

System Requirements

• VS Code 1.85 or later
• macOS, Windows 10/11, or Linux
• An internet connection (for LLM API calls)

Opening Dino

Once installed, open Dino with any of these:

• Keyboard shortcut — Cmd+Shift+D (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+D (Windows/Linux)
• Command palette — Cmd+Shift+P → “Dino: Open Tab”
• Editor toolbar — Click the Dino icon in the top-right corner of any editor

First Launch

When you open Dino for the first time, you’ll walk through a short onboarding flow:

1. Welcome — Dino’s philosophy: collaboration over automation.
2. Configure a Provider — Add your first LLM provider so Dino can work.
3. Select a Model — Pick a default model for your conversations.

Configure a Provider

Dino doesn’t include a built-in LLM — you bring your own API key. During onboarding, you can choose from:

• API Key Providers — OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral, DeepSeek, and more
• Coding Plans — Flat-rate subscriptions from providers like Synthetic, Fireworks AI, MiniMax, Moonshot, Z.ai, and others
• Local Models — Ollama, LM Studio, or any local server with OpenAI or Anthropic API format
• Custom — Any endpoint with OpenAI or Anthropic API format

To add a provider:

1. Select a provider type (or choose “Custom”)
2. Paste your API key
3. Dino will auto-fetch available models

You can always add, edit, or remove providers later from Settings → Models & Providers.

Select Models

After configuring a provider, select the models you want available in the model switcher. You can switch models at any time — even mid-conversation.

Your First Conversation

Once setup is complete, the Dino chat tab opens in your VS Code editor area. Type a message to start:

Refactor the authentication module to use async/await

Dino will:

1. Read your codebase for context
2. Make changes across whatever files are needed
3. Show all proposed edits in a diff viewer for your review
4. Wait for your approval before applying anything to disk

The Iterative Workflow

The typical way to work with Dino is iterative: send a prompt, review the result, leave feedback, and refine. You don’t need to write a detailed spec upfront — just describe what you want and iterate from there.

If the first attempt isn’t quite right, send another prompt to refine — or leave inline comments on the diff and click Send Feedback. Repeat until you’re satisfied, then apply.

Key Concepts

Dino works differently from typical AI coding tools. Understanding these concepts will help you get the most out of it.

The Staging Layer

Dino never modifies your files directly. Every proposed change lives in a virtual staging layer in memory — not on disk. You can review it, iterate on it, and selectively apply or revert individual edits before anything touches your filesystem.

Diff-First Workflow

All changes are presented as diffs. You see exactly what’s being added, removed, and modified — file by file, line by line. You can leave inline comments to give feedback, revert specific changes you don’t want, and then apply only what you approve.

Bring Your Own Key

Dino connects to your own LLM provider accounts. Your API keys are stored securely in VS Code’s secret storage. Dino respects your privacy and never collects your code or conversations.

Quick Tips

• Attach files — Drag and drop from your file explorer, or paste images directly into the chat
• Switch models — Click the model name in the status line to switch providers or models mid-conversation
• Review diffs — Always check the diff viewer before applying changes
• Send feedback — Leave inline comments on diffs to tell Dino what to adjust
• Cancel a response — Press Escape or click the stop button to stop a response in progress
• Open another tab — Cmd+Shift+D opens a new Dino tab (Pro). Each tab has its own isolated changes.

Next Steps

• Features Overview — Everything Dino can do
• Design Philosophy — Why Dino works the way it does
• Providers & Models — Detailed provider setup guide
• Diff Review — How to review and apply changes
• Pricing — Free vs Pro plan comparison