Set up Scout

scout setup is the normal first-run path. It helps choose a local profile, log in when needed, configure a local model provider, and install optional shell integration.

scout setup

scout login

Scout opens an Atlas approval page in your browser. If you are on a server or inside a terminal-only environment, print the approval URL instead:

scout login --no-browser

Check the current login:

scout auth status
scout whoami

Scout stores login tokens in your operating system’s credential store. Atlas does not store login tokens in Scout profile TOML files. Local direct URL runs do not require login. Sync and worker mode do.

Local Model Provider

Scout can use local providers such as LM Studio or Ollama. Configure the active provider and model:

scout config model

For an interactive repair flow:

scout config model --interactive

For scripts, pass the provider and model explicitly:

scout config model --provider lmstudio --model local-model-name

Use scout config show to inspect the active profile and scout config path to print the profile file path.

Profile Configuration

Scout profile files store non-secret settings for this computer. Use dedicated commands for credentials and structured state:

scout config show
scout config path
scout config get llm.provider
scout config set scraper.max_concurrent_fetches 6

scout config set accepts known scalar settings only. It will not save API keys, tokens, or structured values. Scheduled discovery targets use their own commands:

scout config schedule set --enabled --cron "0 8 * * 1"
scout config schedule target add --location "Austin, TX" --issues housing_affordability,transportation
scout config schedule target list

Search-Backed Discovery

Known URL runs and local article-corpus recovery do not need a search key. Connect search when you want Scout to find new public sources for place and issue discovery:

scout search connect
scout search status

Scout stores saved search keys in your operating system’s credential store. SEARCH_API_KEY can be used as a script override for a single shell or script. Disconnect stored search credentials:

scout search disconnect

Readiness Check

Run doctor before a large run:

scout doctor

Check the exact Atlas environment before sync:

scout doctor --atlas-url https://atlas.rebuildingus.org

When a saved login is present, doctor contacts Atlas and verifies that the login can create an upload token for the selected environment. It discards that token and does not sync any run data. Include worker checks only when this computer should process Atlas-assigned jobs:

scout doctor --worker

For scripts:

scout doctor --json

For scripts, require the checks the run needs:

scout doctor \
  --atlas-url https://atlas.rebuildingus.org \
  --require direct-url-runs \
  --require search-discovery \
  --require atlas-sync \
  --json

See Readiness checks for what each check means.

Profiles

Profiles keep laptop, workstation, and test settings separate:

scout config create-profile studio
scout config use-profile studio
scout --profile studio run https://example.org

Start

Run discovery

Review and share

Operations

Reference

Local Model Provider

Profile Configuration

Search-Backed Discovery

Readiness Check

Profiles

​Atlas Login

​Local Model Provider

​Profile Configuration

​Search-Backed Discovery

​Readiness Check

​Profiles

Atlas Login

Local Model Provider

Profile Configuration

Search-Backed Discovery

Readiness Check

Profiles