Customize Warp

Configure Warp Terminal for comfortable command-line work: appearance, AI settings, and essential features.

Introduction

When to do this

Complete this after Mac Setup Guide or Windows Setup Guide and after working through Terminal and TXT Files. You should already know basic commands like pwd, ls, and cd.

Windows users: If you encounter permission issues with Warp, use Git Bash instead. Git Bash works perfectly for this course—Warp's AI features are helpful but not required.

What you'll configure

• Theme and font size: Make the terminal easy to read
• Input position: Choose where you type commands (top or bottom)
• AI model: Set up Warp's built-in AI assistant
• AI features: Enable web search and natural language detection

The goal

Make Warp readable and set up AI assistance for learning terminal commands. You should be able to type commands comfortably and ask Warp's AI for help when stuck.

Core Concept Overview

Settings strategy: search, change one thing, test

Warp has many settings. Don't browse through menus trying to understand everything.

Efficient approach:

1. Open Settings
2. Use the search bar to find what you want
3. Change one setting
4. Test if it feels better
5. Undo if it feels worse

Input position: top vs bottom

Warp lets you type commands at the top or bottom of the window.

Bottom (traditional):

• Output scrolls upward
• Matches most traditional terminals
• Command prompt stays at bottom

Top (modern):

• Output appears below your command
• Easier to see what you just typed
• Command prompt stays visible

Neither is "better." Pick based on what feels natural. You can change it later.

AI base model: cost vs capability

Warp offers different AI models. For this course:

• Cost Efficient: Faster, handles basic questions, free tier lasts longer
• Advanced models: Slower, more detailed, uses free tier faster

Use Cost Efficient unless you need complex explanations. Save the advanced models for when you're truly stuck.

Features to ignore (for now)

Warp has many advanced features you don't need yet:

• Custom YAML themes
• Vim keybindings
• Voice input
• Custom keyboard shortcuts
• MCP servers (not used in this course)

If you don't know what a setting does, leave it alone.

Hands-On Application

60-second setup checklist

Open Warp → Settings → use the search bar.

Do these in order:

1. Update Warp

   • If you see an "Update Warp" notification, do it first
   • Restart Warp after updating

2. Choose a theme

   • Search "theme" in Settings
   • Pick a theme with strong contrast
   • Test: If you squint to read text, pick a different theme

3. Adjust font size

   • Search "font size" in Settings
   • Increase until text is comfortable to read
   • Err on the side of slightly too large

4. Set input position

   • Search "input position" in Settings
   • Try both top and bottom
   • Pick whichever makes it easier to see what you're typing
   • There's no wrong choice

5. Set AI base model

   • Search "base model" in Settings
   • Set to Cost Efficient
   • This is sufficient for learning terminal commands

6. Enable AI helpers (if available)

   • Search "call web tools" → turn on (lets AI look up current info)
   • Search "natural language detection" → turn on (Warp detects questions)

Stop here. Don't tweak other settings.

Test your setup (2 minutes)

Open a new terminal session in Warp and run:

pwd
ls
cd ~
ls

What to check:

• Can you read the output easily?
• Is the command prompt obvious?
• Can you see where to type your next command?

If any answer is "no," adjust the relevant setting (theme, font size, or input position).

Using Warp's AI (quick reference)

You already learned terminal commands in Terminal and TXT Files. Warp's AI helps when you forget or get stuck.

Ask for help:

Type # followed by your question:

# how do I list hidden files?

Warp suggests: ls -a

Explain a command:

If you see a command you don't understand:

# explain: git log --oneline

Warp explains what each part does.

Get suggestions:

Start typing what you want to do. Warp will suggest commands based on context.

Important: Read AI suggestions before running them. Don't blindly execute commands you don't understand. AI is your tutor, not your autopilot.

Common mistakes

Theme rabbit hole

Don't spend 30 minutes comparing themes. Pick one with good contrast in 60 seconds.

Changing too many settings at once

If something feels wrong after multiple changes, you won't know which setting caused it. Change one thing at a time.

Blindly running AI commands

Always read what the AI suggests. If you don't understand a command, ask Warp to explain it before running it.

Using advanced AI models too early

The Cost Efficient model handles 95% of questions you'll have in this course. Don't waste your free tier on questions like "how do I list files."

Wrap-Up

What you should have now

• Theme with strong contrast
• Font size large enough to read comfortably
• Input position set (top or bottom)
• AI base model set to Cost Efficient
• AI web tools and natural language detection enabled

Key takeaways

• Readability first: Theme and font size matter more than aesthetics
• Input position is personal: Pick what makes the prompt obvious to you
• Cost Efficient AI is enough: Save advanced models for complex problems
• AI is a learning tool: Use it to understand commands, not avoid learning them

Self-check

Answer these in your course notebook:

1. What theme did you choose and why?
2. What input position did you pick (top or bottom) and why?
3. Give an example of when you would use Warp's AI to help you learn vs when you would just run a command you already know.

What's next

Warp is configured. You already know basic terminal commands from Terminal and TXT Files. The upcoming lessons will teach you Git, which relies heavily on terminal work.

Your terminal is ready. Now you'll use it.