> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://alike.help/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # FAQ > Short answers to common questions about Alike for builders. ## General > [accordion] Does Alike change how my agent works? > > No. Your agent works as before. Alike adds short context notes at some points in a session, and gives the agent tools that it can call. See [Alike in your agent](https://alike.help/use/in-your-agent.md). > [accordion] Does Alike slow down my agent? > > Very little. Each hook stops after a few seconds at most, and most hooks answer much faster. If Alike is slow or down, the agent continues without Alike's context. > [accordion] Do I need a team to use Alike? > > No. Alike works for one person: it briefs your sessions, keeps your decisions, and searches your past sessions. It adds more value when your team joins. > [accordion] Does Alike work on Windows? > > The installer does not. You can connect MCP clients on Windows by hand. See [Connect an MCP client](https://alike.help/reference/mcp-server.md). > [accordion] Can I sign in with Google or GitHub? > > No. Alike uses email and password. > [accordion] Is there an Alike command-line tool? > > The only command-line tool for builders is the installer, `npx @alikeai/setup`. > [accordion] Does Alike replace CLAUDE.md or AGENTS.md? > > No. Keep the rules that are always true for a repository in those files. Alike gives the context that is true for the current work: the work item, its decisions, and who else works on it. Use both. > [accordion] Does Alike sit between my agent and its AI provider? > > No. Your agent sends your prompts to its AI provider as usual. Alike's hooks send a copy of some session data to Alike. See [What leaves your machine](https://alike.help/privacy/what-leaves-your-machine.md). > [accordion] Is my data used to train AI models? > > The [Alike Privacy Policy](https://alike.network/privacy-policy) says that Alike uses your session data to power your own Alike, not for advertising, and never to train AI models. ## Install and pairing > [accordion] Can my agent install Alike for me? > > Yes. Ask it to run `npx @alikeai/setup --capture=all` and to show you the pairing link. You approve the code yourself. See [Install from a script or agent](https://alike.help/install/non-interactive.md). > [accordion] Can I install on a server over SSH? > > Yes. The installer prints a link and a code. Open the link on any device. > [accordion] Why do I sign in twice, once to pair and once for each agent? > > Pairing lets the machine's hooks send sessions and receive context. Each MCP client signs in on its own to use Alike's tools. Both are one-time steps. > [accordion] Can I connect one machine to two accounts? > > No. A machine has one credential. To switch accounts, delete `~/.alike/credentials.json` and run the installer again. See [Switch to a different account](https://alike.help/install/pairing.md#switch-to-a-different-alike-account). > [accordion] How do I update Alike? > > Run `npx @alikeai/setup@latest`. See [Update and uninstall](https://alike.help/install/update-and-uninstall.md). > [accordion] Does the installer change my settings files? > > It adds its own entries and keeps yours. It saves a backup of each file before the first change, as `.bak-alike`. It rewrites JSON files with its own formatting. See [How the installer changes your files](https://alike.help/install/install.md#how-the-installer-changes-your-files). ## Privacy > [accordion] Can my teammates read my prompts? > > No. Your raw transcripts, prompts, replies, and tool calls are private to you. With the default sharing level, teammates see session summaries, the folder and branch of each session, and the tasks and decisions that Alike found. See [Who sees what](https://alike.help/privacy/who-sees-what.md). > [accordion] If I say no to transcript capture, is anything sent? > > Yes. The live hooks still send your prompts, the agent's replies, and tool calls. The capture choice controls only the upload of saved session files. To send nothing from an agent, remove Alike from that agent. See [What leaves your machine](https://alike.help/privacy/what-leaves-your-machine.md). > [accordion] Does Alike remove secrets from my sessions? > > No. Alike stores sessions as it receives them. Do not paste secrets into sessions that Alike captures. If a secret reaches a session, rotate it. > [accordion] Does installing upload my old sessions? > > Yes, for each agent that you choose for capture. The first capture uploads that agent's full history. > [accordion] Can I keep one repository out of Alike? > > Not yet. The live hooks send data from every session in a wired agent. To keep a project out, use an agent without Alike for it. See [Privacy controls](https://alike.help/privacy/controls.md#stop-all-sending-from-an-agent). > [accordion] Can I delete one session? > > No. Only account deletion removes sessions. See [Delete and export your data](https://alike.help/privacy/delete-data.md). > [accordion] Can people outside my workspace see my data? > > No. > [accordion] Can a workspace admin see my private items? > > Admins do not see items that you keep private. But admins can change the members of privacy groups, including your trusted circle. A person that an admin adds to a group sees what you share with that group. See [Workspace admins and privacy groups](https://alike.help/privacy/who-sees-what.md#workspace-admins-and-privacy-groups). ## Using Alike > [accordion] Why does my agent not mention Alike? > > Alike gives its context to the agent, not to you. The agent mentions Alike when the context is relevant. Ask: "What did Alike tell you at the start of this session?" > [accordion] My agent did not use the brief. Why? > > The brief is reference data. Your agent decides how to use it. Ask directly, for example: "What does Alike know about this branch?" If the brief is empty, the branch does not link to a work item yet. See [Troubleshooting](https://alike.help/help/troubleshooting.md#the-brief-says-alike-has-nothing-linked-to-this-session-yet). > [accordion] Can two of my agents work on the same thing without conflicts? > > They can know about each other. Each session sees the other live sessions on the same work item in its brief. The sessions can also send each other messages. See [Run parallel sessions](https://alike.help/use/parallel-sessions.md). > [accordion] Can my agent message a teammate without asking me? > > Your agent is told to ask you before it sends anything to another person. Invitations are held by Alike until you confirm. > [accordion] What does 'not confirmed' mean on an item? > > Alike found the item in your sessions or sources by itself. A person has not confirmed it yet. Confirm or reject found items on the **Briefing** page. > [accordion] Why does get\_briefing create a day plan? > > When no plan exists for today, `get_briefing` creates one. This is expected. > [accordion] How do I get scheduling and reminder tools? > > Ask your agent to call `get_more_tools`. See [More tools](https://alike.help/reference/mcp-tools.md#more-tools). This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.