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Guide · Open source

How to use DeepSeek-Reasonix: install and first task guide

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

DeepSeek-Reasonix is an open-source AI coding assistant that runs on your own computer. It reads code, edits files and runs commands and tests inside a project folder you choose, showing you each step. This guide explains how to set it up, pick a model provider, give it a task and control what it is allowed to do.

Reasonixesengine/DeepSeek-Reasonix · ★ 36k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Download the app or tool. Get Reasonix Studio from the releases page, or download the reasonix command-line tool.
  2. 2Add a model provider. Run reasonix setup or enter your provider and key in the app. The DeepSeek preset is built in.
  3. 3Open your project folder. Choose the folder Reasonix is allowed to read and edit.
  4. 4Describe the task. Write what you want in plain language, for example adding retry on failure to the http client.
  5. 5Set permissions or plan mode. Choose whether to approve each action, allow everyday actions, or review a plan before work starts.
  6. 6Review each step. Allow or refuse steps as they appear, and rewind files changed by its edit tools if needed.

What you need before you start

The source README does not list any prerequisites for the program. You do need a model provider and an API key, because the AI model is a service you configure and it receives what Reasonix reads.

A built-in DeepSeek preset is available, and any OpenAI-compatible service can be added as a config entry. You pay the model provider directly.

  • A project folder you want the assistant to work in
  • An API key from the model provider you choose
  • Internet access to reach that provider, since the model is not run locally by Reasonix

Install Reasonix: desktop app or command line

The easiest starting point is the desktop app, Reasonix Studio, which the README recommends for new users. Download it from the releases page on GitHub and install it like any desktop application.

If you prefer a terminal, download the reasonix command-line tool from the same project. The README also shows how to clone the repository with git.

  • Desktop: download Reasonix Studio from the releases page linked in the README
  • Terminal: download the reasonix command-line tool, then run reasonix setup
git clone https://github.com/esengine/DeepSeek-Reasonix

Connect a model provider

Open the app, or run reasonix setup in the terminal, and enter your model provider and key when asked. The built-in DeepSeek preset works out of the box. To use another service, add an OpenAI-compatible provider as a config entry.

Because you choose the model, you can switch providers later. Your code stays on your machine, but the text Reasonix reads is sent to the provider you configured.

  • Built-in: DeepSeek preset
  • Other: any OpenAI-compatible service, added as one config entry
reasonix setup

Run your first task

Open your project folder and describe the change in plain language. The README gives the example: add retry on failure to the http client. Reasonix reads the relevant code, edits files, and runs commands and tests inside that folder while showing each step.

At the permission level you chose, it stops and asks before anything that needs your approval. You can allow the step to continue or refuse it.

  • Desktop: open the app, select your project folder, and type the task
  • Terminal: run reasonix in the project folder, or use reasonix run with a task for scripts
reasonix run "add retry on failure to the http client"

Control permissions and use plan mode

You can have Reasonix ask before every action, or let everyday actions run on their own. Your forbid rules always apply, even when automatic actions are allowed.

If you want to see the approach before any change is made, use plan mode. In plan mode the assistant starts work only after you approve the plan.

  • Ask every time: you approve each action
  • Everyday actions automatic: routine steps run without asking, forbid rules still hold
  • Plan mode: review the plan first, then approve

Use rewind and understand its limits

Before Reasonix changes a file, it saves the file. You can rewind by conversation turn without touching your git history.

Rewind only covers files changed by Reasonix's edit tools. The README says it does not undo what a shell command did, so keep your normal version control habits for command side effects.

  • Covered: files changed by its edit tools
  • Not covered: side effects of shell commands

Choose an interface: desktop, terminal, browser or editor

Reasonix offers four ways in. They run the same program underneath, so the choice is about where you prefer to work.

The browser option opens a web interface on your own machine. For VS Code, install the extension. Other editors that support ACP (Agent Client Protocol) can connect to reasonix acp.

  • Desktop app (Studio): graphical, the recommended start
  • Terminal: full-screen text interface
  • Browser: reasonix web
  • Editor: VS Code extension, or an ACP-capable editor via reasonix acp
reasonix web

What people use it for

  • Making a multi-step change across several files in a local project
  • Adding a feature or fix and letting the assistant run the project's tests
  • Reviewing a plan before any file is edited
  • Switching between model providers while keeping the same project workflow
  • Running a task from a script with reasonix run

Frequently asked questions

Is DeepSeek-Reasonix free to use?

The project is released under the MIT licence, as stated in the README. The model is a separate service: you supply a provider and key, and you pay that provider directly.

What do I need to install DeepSeek-Reasonix?

The README lists no prerequisites for the program itself. You do need a model provider and an API key, since Reasonix does not include a hosted model.

Can I use DeepSeek-Reasonix fully offline?

No. The source says the model is a service you configure and it receives what it reads, so the project is not designed for a fully offline setup.

Does Reasonix undo everything the AI changes?

No. Rewind covers only files changed by its edit tools. The README says shell command side effects are not covered.

Can I use a model other than DeepSeek?

Yes. Any OpenAI-compatible service can be added as a config entry, and the DeepSeek preset is built in.

Where do I get help if setup fails?

The README links to a Discord community for setup help and a QQ group, both listed in the project README.

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Our verdict

Reasonix suits developers who want an AI assistant to make multi-step changes in a local project, choose their own model provider and approve actions or review plans. If you want a hosted service with no API key or setup, or you need a fully offline tool, pick something else; comparable projects named in the source include Aider, Cline, Continue and OpenHands.

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