Manage projects from the CLI

Set up and repair project links from the Tessl CLI.

Start with tessl init or tessl project create. Both commands recognize a Tessl project that already matches the current repository and link it automatically when there is one clear match.

If you're blocked when starting an eval, this is usually the page you need.

Creating a Tessl project does not create a new Git repository. It creates the Tessl project for the repository you are already working in.

When you are asked to create a project

Tessl asks for a project when it needs to identify the repository behind the current directory.

This happens most often when you run an eval from a repository that is not linked yet.

Automatic setup

Run tessl init to set up Tessl and your coding agents. If the repository already has a project that Tessl discovered from GitHub, tessl init records that link in a new tessl.json. It does not create a duplicate project.

Run tessl project create when you only need to set up the project link. The command creates tessl.json if it is missing, then:

• Links the project automatically when exactly one project matches the repository and package path
• Creates a project when none match
• Shows the matching projects and the resolving command when more than one match is available

Both commands show the repository, matched project, manifest link, and next action after an automatic match.

Which explicit command should I use?

Command	Use it when	What it does
tessl project create	This directory is not linked yet	Links one matching project automatically, or creates a project when none match
tessl project link	Several projects match and you need to choose	Links this directory to the selected existing project
tessl project repair	An existing local link is missing, wrong, or old	Inspects the link and applies an explicit relink, source update, or name update

tessl project create

Sets up the Tessl project link for the current repository checkout.

Use this when the current repository is not linked yet. The command checks the projects across your organization before it creates anything.

If no tessl.json is found in this directory or any parent directory, the command creates one before proceeding. You do not need to run tessl init first.

If a tessl.json already exists in a parent directory (but not in the current directory), the command stops and asks you to pass --nested. Run it again with --nested to create a new tessl.json in the current directory and a separate project for it, rather than reusing the parent project.

When one existing project matches, the command records its full workspace/project link in tessl.json. When no project matches, it creates one and records the new link. Use --new with an explicit workspace and project name only when you intentionally need another project for the same repository.

tessl project link

Links the current repository to an existing Tessl project.

Use this when several projects match and you need to choose one explicitly.

This command only links to an existing project. It does not create a new one.

If you want to create a brand new project for this repository, use tessl project create instead.

tessl project repair

Inspects or repairs the Tessl project link for the current repository.

Use this when the repository should already be linked to a project, but the link is missing, broken, outdated, or no longer matches the expected repository.

Use --relink to connect the repository to a different existing project, --update-source to keep the linked project but approve this repository as its source, and --update-name to rename the linked project to match tessl.json.

What happens after linking

Once a repository is linked:

• Evals attach to that Tessl project
• The CLI and app can show one shared evaluation history