> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usegandalf.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Navigate the Gandalf terminal workspace

> Use the Gandalf TUI setup console to inspect Hooks, Plugins, Marketplace, Skills, and MCP Servers. Preview changes, review drift, and navigate with keyboard shortcuts.

The Gandalf TUI is a Bubble Tea based setup console that lets you inspect and manage your local AI agent configuration without leaving the terminal. This page walks through opening the console, navigating its tabs, reviewing unified inventory rows, and understanding the safety model behind every mutation.

## Open the setup console

Start the interactive console from any project directory.

```bash theme={null}
# Default open
gandalf

# Explicitly open the TUI for a specific project
gandalf tui --project .
```

The console opens on the Home tab by default. You can move between the persistent sidebar sections using arrow keys or the displayed shortcuts.

## Navigate the sidebar and tabs

The setup console is organized into a persistent sidebar with five top level sections. Each section serves a distinct purpose.

| Section      | Purpose                                                                    |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Home**     | Shows a Changes first summary of drift from the latest supported baselines |
| **Console**  | Unified inventory of Hooks, Plugins, Marketplace, Skills, and MCP Servers  |
| **Changes**  | Active Review Changes sessions and pending provider backed actions         |
| **Timeline** | History of snapshots and operations with dry run undo support              |
| **Saves**    | Saved snapshots you can diff, restore, or export as bundles                |

The Console section contains five sub tabs.

| Tab             | What it shows                                     |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| **Hooks**       | Installed hooks across supported agents           |
| **Plugins**     | Plugin entries found in local agent directories   |
| **Marketplace** | Agent native marketplace and source entries       |
| **Skills**      | Local skills with Markdown overlay support        |
| **MCP Servers** | Configured MCP servers and their enablement state |

Move between sidebar sections with `←` / `→` or `Tab` / `Shift+Tab`. Move between Console tabs with `↑` / `↓` or the labeled shortcut keys.

## Inspect skills with the Markdown overlay viewer

Skills that include a `SKILL.md` file can be opened in a read only overlay viewer.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to Console > Skills">
    Use the sidebar to open **Console**, then select the **Skills** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a skill row">
    Move the selection cursor to the skill you want to inspect.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the overlay">
    Press `Enter` to open the Skill Markdown Overlay Viewer. This renders the `SKILL.md` read only and does not modify any files.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Close the overlay">
    Press `Esc` or `q` to return to the Skills tab.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Review Changes as a mandatory step

Every available write operation in the console starts with **Review Changes**. This is not optional. Gandalf enforces a preview step before any provider backed action is executed.

When you select a mutation, the Changes tab activates automatically and shows:

* The files or entries that will be modified
* Diff style additions and removals
* A confirmation prompt before execution

If you decline, no changes are written and you return to the prior view.

<Warning>
  There is no bypass for Review Changes in the TUI. This is part of the Trust Contract that bounds what Gandalf can modify.
</Warning>

## Timeline undo is always a preview

The Timeline section lets you inspect past operations, but its undo action remains a dry run preview. `writesFiles=false` is enforced for all timeline undo operations. This means you can see exactly what an undo would do, but you cannot trigger a file writing undo directly from the Timeline. Use `gandalf restore` with an explicit snapshot if you need to roll back to a saved baseline.

## Keyboard shortcuts

| Key         | Action                          |
| ----------- | ------------------------------- |
| `↑` / `↓`   | Move selection                  |
| `←` / `→`   | Switch sidebar section          |
| `Enter`     | Open overlay or confirm preview |
| `Esc` / `q` | Close overlay or cancel         |
| `Tab`       | Next focusable region           |
| `?`         | Show help                       |

## Next steps

* [Snapshot and restore your setup](/guides/snapshot-and-restore)
* [Export and import portable bundles](/guides/bundles)
* [Share agent environments with gandalf.toml](/guides/team-manifest)