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Overview

The vibekit init command sets up VibeKit by installing and configuring your chosen sandbox providers and AI agent templates. This is typically the first command you run after installing the CLI.

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Syntax

vibekit init [options]

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Options

OptionAliasDescriptionDefault
--providers-pComma-separated list of providers to installInteractive prompt
--agents-aComma-separated list of agent templatesInteractive prompt
--cpu-cCPU cores per provider (2-4 recommended)Interactive prompt
--memory-mMemory per provider in MB (1024-4096 recommended)Interactive prompt
--disk-dDisk space per provider in GB (10-50 recommended)Interactive prompt
--project-id-PNorthflank project IDFrom env: NORTHFLANK_PROJECT_ID
--workspace-id-wDaytona workspace IDFrom env: DAYTONA_WORKSPACE_ID
--upload-images-uAuto-upload Docker images (local provider only)Interactive prompt
--no-upload-imagesSkip Docker registry setupfalse

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Interactive Mode

When run without options, vibekit init enters interactive mode: 
vibekit init
You’ll be prompted to:
  1. Select Providers - Choose from available sandbox providers
  2. Select Agents - Choose AI agent templates to install
  3. Configure Resources - Set CPU, memory, and disk allocations
  4. Provider Settings - Configure provider-specific options

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Providers

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Available Providers

  • Dagger - Local container-based sandboxes (recommended for local development)
  • E2B - Cloud-based ephemeral environments
  • Daytona - Self-hosted development environments
  • Northflank - Kubernetes-based cloud sandboxes

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Provider Requirements

Each provider has specific requirements:
  • Docker installed and running
  • Optional: Docker Hub account for image uploads
  • No additional setup required

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Agent Templates

Available AI agents that can be installed:
  • claude - Claude 3.5 Sonnet optimized environment
  • codex - OpenAI GPT-4/Codex environment
  • gemini - Google Gemini environment
  • opencode - Open source models via Groq
  • grok - Grok AI environment

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Examples

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Basic Initialization

Interactive setup: 
vibekit init

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Install Specific Providers

Install Dagger and E2B providers: 
vibekit init --providers Dagger,E2B

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Full Configuration

Complete setup with all options: 
vibekit init \
  --providers Dagger,Northflank \
  --agents claude,codex,gemini \
  --cpu 4 \
  --memory 4096 \
  --disk 50 \
  --project-id "my-project" \
  --upload-images

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Local Development Setup

Quick setup for local development: 
vibekit init --providers Dagger --agents claude --memory 2048

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CI/CD Setup

Non-interactive setup for automation: 
vibekit init \
  --providers E2B \
  --agents codex \
  --cpu 2 \
  --memory 2048 \
  --disk 20 \
  --no-upload-images

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Resource Recommendations

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CPU Cores

  • Minimum: 1 core
  • Recommended: 2-4 cores
  • Heavy workloads: 4-8 cores

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Memory (RAM)

  • Minimum: 512 MB
  • Recommended: 1024-4096 MB
  • Large projects: 8192+ MB

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Disk Space

  • Minimum: 5 GB
  • Recommended: 10-50 GB
  • Data-intensive: 100+ GB

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Environment Variables

The init command uses these environment variables: 
# Provider-specific
NORTHFLANK_PROJECT_ID    # Northflank project identifier
DAYTONA_WORKSPACE_ID     # Daytona workspace naming
DOCKER_USERNAME          # Docker Hub username for uploads

# API Keys (used by agents)
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY        # For Claude agent
OPENAI_API_KEY          # For Codex agent
GOOGLE_API_KEY          # For Gemini agent
GROQ_API_KEY            # For OpenCode agent

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Docker Image Management

For the Dagger (local) provider:

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With —upload-images

  1. Builds agent images locally
  2. Tags images with your Docker Hub username
  3. Pushes images to Docker Hub
  4. Requires docker login to be configured

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Without —upload-images

  1. Builds and uses images locally only
  2. Faster initial setup
  3. Images not shareable across machines

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What Happens During Init

  1. Checks Prerequisites - Verifies Docker, required CLIs
  2. Installs Providers - Sets up selected sandbox providers
  3. Builds Images - Creates Docker images for agents
  4. Configures Settings - Saves configuration for future use
  5. Validates Setup - Ensures everything is working

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Troubleshooting

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Docker Not Running

# Check Docker status
docker info

# Start Docker
# macOS: Open Docker Desktop
# Linux: sudo systemctl start docker

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Provider Installation Fails

# Check provider CLI is installed
e2b --version
daytona --version
northflank --version

# Install missing CLIs
npm install -g @e2b/cli
# Follow provider-specific installation guides

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Image Build Failures

# Clear Docker cache
docker system prune

# Rebuild with more memory
vibekit init --memory 4096

# Skip upload if Docker Hub issues
vibekit init --no-upload-images

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Permission Errors

# Add user to docker group (Linux)
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

# Restart terminal or run
newgrp docker

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Configuration File

After initialization, settings are saved to ~/.vibekit/config.json: 
{
  "providers": {
    "dagger": {
      "enabled": true,
      "preferRegistryImages": false
    },
    "e2b": {
      "enabled": false
    }
  },
  "defaults": {
    "cpu": 2,
    "memory": 2048,
    "disk": 20
  }
}

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Next Steps

After successful initialization:
  1. Create your first environment: vibekit local create --name my-env
  2. Generate code with AI: vibekit local generate -e my-env -p "Your prompt"
  3. Execute commands: vibekit local exec -e my-env -c "npm install"