---
title: "init"
description: "Create a new companion, with a soul.md to edit, its database key and the embedding model."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://clanka.jfa.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# init

```sh
clanka init [--from <file>] <name>
```

Writes a `soul.md` template under `~/.config/clanka/souls/` with a fresh ID
and doctor token, stores a random database key in the Secret Service
(service `clanka`), and downloads the embedding model if it is missing. The
database itself is created the first time the companion opens.

Prints the `soul.md` path that every other command takes.

On a machine with no Secret Service, set
[`[keys] store = "file"`](/configuration/#keys) in `config.toml` first.

## Arguments

### `<name>`

The companion's display name.

```sh
clanka init Nova
```

## Flags

### `--from <file>`

A Markdown persona body to use instead of the template. `-` reads standard
input. The body should start at `# Name`; the frontmatter is added. Lint the
soul afterwards.

```sh
clanka init Nova --from body.md
```

Source: https://clanka.jfa.dev/cli/init/index.mdx