# Getting started with AI authoring

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## Before you start

Install form0-cli on Node.js 22.19.0 or newer. You need either a supported provider credential or a
reachable local Ollama model. A schema is optional: without one, AI authoring starts from the
canonical empty form.

See [Install and update](/cli/install-update) for CLI installation and runtime requirements.

## Enter AI mode

Open a known schema directly:

```bash
form0 ai form.schema.json
```

Or compose AI authoring with the interactive preview server:

```ansi
form0> load form.schema.json
form0> serve
form0(server)> ai
form0(server,ai)>
```

Starting AI mode does not automatically start a server. An existing server remains active and shows
validated drafts immediately.

You can also start both from AI mode, including when the form has not been saved yet:

```ansi
form0> ai
form0(ai)> /serve --app
form0(server,ai)>
```

The server receives the current working schema, including a validated unapplied proposal. In AI
mode, unprefixed input is always a model request; use slash commands such as `/serve`, `/validate`,
and `/preview` for CLI actions.

## Authenticate and select a model

List the provider catalog, authenticate, inspect model identifiers, and select one:

```ansi
form0(ai)> /providers
form0(ai)> /login openai-codex oauth
form0(ai)> /models openai-codex
form0(ai)> /model openai-codex/gpt-5.6-luna
form0(ai)> /status
```

Provider and authentication identifiers come directly from Pi. For API-key authentication, the CLI
asks for the secret without adding it to the project or schema. See
[Providers and models](/cli/ai-authoring/providers-models) for the supported baseline and storage
behavior.

## Make and review a first change

Describe the desired form behavior, not raw JSON edits:

```ansi
form0(ai)> Add quantity and unit price fields, then a calculated total rounded to two decimals.
```

The agent may ask questions or return diagnostics while it constructs a valid mutation batch. Once a
proposal is ready:

```ansi
form0(ai)> /preview
form0(ai)> /diff
form0(ai)> /apply
```

Nothing is written until apply is confirmed. Use the workflow guide to understand
[draft review, revisions, undo, and conflicts](/cli/ai-authoring/authoring-workflow).

## Start without a schema

Run the command without a path to begin from an empty form:

```bash
form0 ai
```

The first apply asks for a schema path and uses the normal overwrite confirmation if that file
already exists. After saving, the temporary conversation identity is reassigned to the canonical
schema path.