Tips for New Users

Get the most out of CodeFrog with these platform-specific tips and AI assistant guidance.

macOS-Specific Tips

File Access Permissions

• Security-Scoped Bookmarks: CodeFrog uses macOS security-scoped bookmarks for local folder access. When you select a folder, macOS will ask for permission—this is normal and required for the app to access your files.
• Granting Access: If you move or rename a project folder, you may need to re-grant access. Use the project diagnostics tool (medical icon) to fix connection issues.
• Multiple Folders: Each project folder requires separate permission. CodeFrog can only access folders you explicitly grant access to.

Keyboard Shortcuts

• ⌘S: Save current file (works in code editor)
• ⌘W: Close current tab or window
• ⌘K: Quick project switcher
• ⌘T: Open terminal
• ⌘P: Quick file search

See the Keyboard Shortcuts guide for the complete list.

Menu Bar Integration

• File > Open Recent: Quickly access recently opened projects and files
• File > Open: Open a project folder or file directly
• Project > Close Project: Close the current project and return to Welcome screen

Windows-Specific Tips

Terminal Configuration

CodeFrog works best with Windows Terminal, but also supports PowerShell and Command Prompt.

Windows Terminal (Recommended):

• Install from Microsoft Store for the best experience
• Supports tabs, multiple panes, and customization
• Better color support and font rendering
• Set as default terminal in Windows Terminal settings

PowerShell:

• Pre-installed on Windows 10/11
• More powerful than Command Prompt
• Better script support and modern features
• Use PowerShell 7+ for best compatibility

Terminal Tips:

• Use Ctrl + Shift + T to open new terminal tabs (Windows Terminal)
• Right-click terminal for context menu options
• Customize terminal appearance in Windows Terminal settings
• Use Ctrl + C to cancel running commands

File Path Handling

Windows file paths have unique characteristics:

Long Paths:

• Windows has a 260-character path limit by default
• Enable long path support for deep directory structures (see Windows Setup Guide)
• Keep project paths short to avoid long path issues

Case Sensitivity:

• Windows file system is case-insensitive by default
• File.txt and file.txt are treated as the same file
• This differs from macOS/Linux which are case-sensitive
• Be aware when working with projects that will run on case-sensitive systems

Path Formats:

• Standard: C:\Users\Username\Documents\Project
• UNC (network): \\Server\Share\Path
• Avoid special characters: < > : " / \ | ? *

SSH Key Management

Windows OpenSSH stores keys in a specific location:

Key Locations:

• User keys: C:\Users\YourUsername\.ssh\
• Private key: id_rsa or id_ed25519
• Public key: id_rsa.pub or id_ed25519.pub

Key Management:

• Generate new key: ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"
  • Note: This requires OpenSSH to be installed. Windows 10/11 include OpenSSH by default, but if ssh-keygen is not available, you can:
    • Enable OpenSSH via Settings → Apps → Optional Features → OpenSSH Client
    • Use WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) if available
    • Use an alternative tool like PuTTYgen for SSH key generation
• Set proper permissions: Right-click private key → Properties → Security → Remove all users except your account
• Add public key to servers: Copy content of .pub file to server’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

OpenGrep DLL Dependencies

CodeFrog’s code analysis uses OpenGrep, which requires specific DLL files:

Required DLLs:

• libgmp-10.dll - GNU Multiple Precision Arithmetic Library
• libstdc++-6.dll - C++ standard library
• libgcc_s_seh-1.dll - GCC runtime library

DLL Management:

• DLLs should be extracted automatically with OpenGrep binary
• If you see “missing DLL” errors:
  1. Close CodeFrog completely
  2. Delete the binaries cache folder (typically located at C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\CodeFrog\Cache\Binaries)
     • Note: The cache path may vary depending on your installation method (portable vs. installer) or CodeFrog’s configuration. If the standard path doesn’t exist, check CodeFrog’s settings or logs to locate the cache directory.
  3. Restart CodeFrog - it will re-extract DLLs

AI Assistant Guidance

Recommended Development Setup

For the best development experience, we recommend using CodeFrog alongside dedicated IDEs and AI tools:

• Primary IDE: Use Cursor or VS Code for your main coding work
  • These IDEs provide better AI assistance, debugging, and extension support
  • CodeFrog complements these tools with testing, security scanning, and project management
• AI Code Review: Use CodeRabbit for automated PR reviews
  • CodeFrog can import CodeRabbit PR comments as tasks for tracking and management
  • CodeRabbit handles verification and task resolution; CodeFrog only imports and tracks
  • CodeFrog does not auto-complete tasks or mark PR comments as resolved
  • See CodeRabbit + Augment Workflow for integration details
• CLI Workflows: Use Terminal (macOS) or PowerShell/Windows Terminal (Windows) for AI CLI tools
  • CodeFrog doesn’t include embedded AI CLI tools by design
  • This gives you flexibility to use the AI tools that work best for your workflow

Why Not AI CLI in CodeFrog?

CodeFrog intentionally doesn’t include embedded AI CLI programs. Instead, we recommend:

• Using external IDEs like Cursor for AI-powered coding
• Using Terminal/PowerShell for AI CLI tools when needed
• Using CodeRabbit for AI-powered code reviews

This approach provides better security, more flexibility, and lets you choose the AI tools that work best for you.

Recommended Tools & Integrations

For a complete list of recommended tools and services that work well with CodeFrog, see our Recommended Tools & Integrations guide. This includes:

• IDEs: Cursor, VS Code, and other development environments
• Cloud Services: Hetzner, Linode for infrastructure
• Email Services: SendGrid, Mailchimp (REST API mode)
• Version Control: GitHub integration workflows

Best Practices

• Start with Onboarding: Run the onboarding flow to configure your preferences
• Use Project Workflows: Choose the right workflow (local vs. remote) for your needs
• Connect GitHub: Link your GitHub account for PR automation and issue tracking
• Use External IDEs: Use Cursor or VS Code for primary development, CodeFrog for testing and management
• Regular Backups: CodeFrog doesn’t automatically backup your code—use Git for version control

Productivity Tips

Project Management

• Use Tags: Organize projects with tags for easy filtering
• Favorites: Mark frequently used projects as favorites
• Recent Projects: The Welcome screen shows your 5 most recent projects

Code Editor

• Syntax Highlighting: Automatically detects language from file extension
• Save As: Use File > Save As to save files to new locations
• Multiple Tabs: Open multiple files in tabs for easy switching

Testing & Analysis

• Web Testing: Test both local HTML files and live URLs
• Bulk Scanning: Use Bulk Security Scanner for multiple domains at once
• Mega Report: Generate comprehensive reports combining all test results

Troubleshooting Tips

• Connection Issues: Use the diagnostics tool (medical icon) on project cards
• File Not Found: Check that you’ve granted folder access permissions
• Slow Performance: Close unused projects and clear terminal history
• GitHub Issues: Verify your GitHub OAuth token is valid
• Platform-Specific: See Troubleshooting for detailed platform-specific solutions

Next Steps

• Getting Started Guide (macOS) or Getting Started Guide (Windows) - Learn the basics
• Project Workflows - Choose your workflow
• Keyboard Shortcuts - Boost productivity
• Troubleshooting - Solve common issues