dexterm

docs › Getting started

Getting started

Requirements, install, first run and dexterm doctor.

dexterm is a terminal screener for Solana memecoins with a local Claude analyst. It runs on your machine, reads public data with no key, never holds a wallet key and never sends a transaction. This page gets you from nothing to the live screener.

Requirements#

needwhynotes
Node.js 22.18 or newerdexterm runs its TypeScript sources directly; no build stepnode -v to check. The installer can fetch a verified Node for you.
a terminal with 24-bit colourthe cyberspace lookiTerm2, WezTerm, Ghostty, Kitty, Alacritty, Windows Terminal. 256-colour and monochrome terminals still work, flattened.
an internet connectionall data is public and keylessnothing goes through a dexterm server; see data sources.
optional: Claude Code logged inonly the analyst needs itclaude on your PATH, logged in with your own account. Everything else works without it.
optional: a free RPC keythe ranked top-20 holder list and faster chain readsHelius, Alchemy, QuickNode or Ankr free tier; see configuration.
optional: Rust (cargo)the native docked chart windowwithout it the chart popup opens in your browser; see popup chart.
the repository is not public yet. The steps below are the exact steps that work from a checkout; the clone URL, the npm package and the signed releases land together, with no date. Nothing on this site has a download yet.

Install#

$ cd dexterm/app
$ ./install.sh
$ dexterm doctor
$ dexterm

install.sh is user-level: no sudo, no edits to your shell profile. It checks for Node 22.18+, downloads an official build into your home directory only if none is found (verified against Node's published SHASUMS256.txt), links the app, builds the native chart window when cargo is present, and writes a dexterm launcher to ~/.local/bin. If that directory is not on your PATH it prints the one line to add and does not add it for you.

Already have Node 22.18+? You can skip the installer. dexterm has no third-party runtime dependencies, so it runs straight from the source tree:

$ npm run dexterm
$ node packages/cli/bin/dexterm.mjs doctor

npm install is optional and only pulls the dev tooling (TypeScript, @types/node).

dexterm doctor#

Run dexterm doctor before anything else. It is non-interactive, never touches your keys, and prints one line per check with the exact fix for anything that is not a pass. Exit code 0 means the app will run (warnings are optional); 1 means something must be fixed.

dexterm doctor

  ✓  Node            v24.20.0 (need 22.18.0+)
  !  Terminal        not a TTY (output is being piped); the interactive UI needs a real terminal
                     → Run dexterm directly in a terminal window, not through a pipe or a non-interactive shell.
  ✓  Coin images     half-block art (unknown terminal (no TERM)); --no-images turns them off
  ✓  Claude CLI      found on PATH (the analyst runs your local `claude`; log in once with `claude` if the analyst errors)
  ✓  Helius RPC      key configured (~/.dexterm/helius.key) — holders & safety enriched
  !  Network         DEXTERM_OFFLINE is set; skipped the live source probes (use --fixtures / --replay for offline data)
  !  Chart window    native window not built — C opens the chart in your browser instead
                     → Run `npm run build:shell` in packages/popup (about a minute the first time).
  ✓  Data directory  ~/.local/share/dexterm is writable (cache, watchlist, credit meter)

Ready to run (3 warnings above are optional).

The checks, in order: Node · Terminal · Terminal colour · Coin images · Claude CLI · Helius RPC · RPC · Network · Data sources · Chart window · Data directory. The data-source line probes DexScreener, Jupiter, GeckoTerminal, RugCheck, GoPlus, Solana RPC, PumpPortal; PumpPortal is a soft dependency (new pairs only).

First run#

The first launch shows the full glitch boot and then a one-screen welcome card: what dexterm is, the keys that get you around, and the safety stance (read-only, never holds keys, trading is PAPER, not financial advice). Press any key to enter the live screener. Later launches boot in about a second.

  • ? on any screen shows every key for that screen.
  • q quits. The terminal is always restored, even after a crash or a signal.
  • 1–4 switch screens, j/k move, ⏎ opens a token, esc goes back.
  • a asks the analyst about what you are looking at. This is the one explicit, paid run; opening a token with ⏎ never starts one.

The screener paints within a second on a cold start: a cached snapshot of the last rows (marked how old it is), or skeleton rows while the first DexScreener list lands. Jupiter fields fill in behind it.

Next#