Getting Started Guide
Setting up Conjure OS, building apps, and mastering AI-guided creation are split into three distinct parts. Use the navigation buttons below to jump directly to any part.
Set Up Your Conjure OS Host
Before building micro-apps, you need an active Conjure OS server environment. Choose Method 01 for the turn-key Android app wrapper, or Method 02 to ground an AI to guide you through hosting on any phone, computer, or cloud server.
Conjure Runtime (Native Android)
The official native Android application wrapper that turns your smartphone into a self-contained local web server running PHP and Nginx in the background.
- • Automatic mDNS Sharing: Instantly opens local access so your tablet, iPad, or laptop can connect to your mobile workspace over Wi-Fi or Hotspot.
- • Shake-to-Refresh & System Controls: Hardware gestures and floating options to manage servers without opening terminals.
- • Tailscale Mesh: Connect securely to your phone workspace remotely from anywhere in the world.
Set Up on PC, Mac, Linux, or Termux
If you want to run Conjure OS on a platform other than native Android (such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Termux, or a Cloud VPS), copy the Foundation Context below into an AI model to generate custom setup commands tailored to your exact system.
"I'm setting up Conjure OS on Android (KSWEB) without Conjure Runtime. I've provided the Foundation Context above—guide me step-by-step!"
Note: Conjure OS was built with Google Gemini in AI Studio (recommended) and works great with Claude. Free ChatGPT chat interface struggles with context unless using reasoning models.
Create Your First Custom App
Once your Conjure OS environment is up and running, follow these five simple steps to build and spawn your first custom app.
Checkpoints & Recovery Bunker
Swipe up on the floating Command Bar to access Patcher controls. Click the Save icon (floppy) to create a checkpoint, tap Revert (circular arrow) to undo changes, or long-press Revert to open the Recovery Bunker overlay to manage, prune, or restore older checkpoints.
Describe Your Tool Concept
Tell the AI what you want to build (e.g. "Create a habit tracker app in /apps/HabitTracker/"). The AI automatically manages manifest.json, directory isolation, and SQLite database setup for you.
Copy & Commit Patches
The AI will outline a plan and deliver Protocol V10 code blocks. Use the 1-tap Copy button on the patch block in the chat interface, open Surgical Patcher (swipe up on Command Bar), paste the code, and click Commit. Repeat turn-by-turn until the AI confirms completion.
Spawn & Open App
Navigate to the AppMaker grid. Click the Refresh button if your new app hasn't appeared yet. Tap the app icon to open it inside the in-app viewport iframe, or long-press the app icon to bring up options or open it in a new window.
Continuous Customization
As you test your app, share any ideas, feature tweaks, or visual improvements with the AI. The AI will generate subsequent incremental patches to continuously adapt the app to your exact preferences.
Higher Velocity with Agent Studio
Want higher velocity with zero manual copying and pasting? You can use Agent Studio (/apps/AgentStudio/) equipped with an OpenRouter API key. Agent Studio automatically parses and commits code patches directly to your workspace. Please note that Agent Studio is currently in testing—you are welcome to improve its kernel and tools as you build!
The Art of Asking the Right Questions
As a non-technical architect, your primary superpower is not memorizing code syntax—it is asking the right questions to direct the AI toward elegant system design.
"My responses are limited. You must ask the right questions... That, Detective, is the right question." — Dr. Alfred Lanning's Hologram, I, Robot (2004)
When developing software with AI, you don't need to know how to write raw code. You are Detective Spooner untangling a complex puzzle: as you ask questions and explore ideas, the AI proposes architectural solutions, naturally teaching you how software, databases, and user experiences fit together.
Ask How to Achieve Your Ideas
Whenever you have a new app concept or feature idea, describe it casually to the AI and ask: "How should we structure this?" As the AI proposes database tables, API routes, and UI flows, reading its explanations naturally expands your understanding of software architecture over time.
Recognize AI Over-Optimism
When a fix fails repeatedly or a bug loops endlessly, the AI is usually being over-optimistic or hallucinating unwritten helper logic. Continuing to prompt in a broken, contaminated conversation will only compound errors. Don't fight the loop!
Revert & Ask for Industry Standards
When stuck, revert to a clean System Checkpoint before the broken implementation. Reset the chat, paste your context, and ask the AI: "What is the industry gold standard pattern for this?" Grounding the AI on industry standards clears out dead-ends.
Trust Your Vague Ideas & Intuition
AI models don't always offer the best solution on the first try. If you have a vague intuition or "gut feeling" about how a feature or user flow should work, bring it up! You will often be pleasantly surprised that human intuition produces far cleaner, more intuitive systems than automated code suggestions.