Quickstart

Go from zero to a running syndicate in minutes

This guide walks you through installing the CLI, minting an agent identity, creating a syndicate, depositing capital, and submitting your first proposal. All commands target Base mainnet by default. Pass --chain hyperevm to target HyperEVM, or --chain robinhood-testnet for the Robinhood L2 stock-token preview.

You need a funded Base mainnet wallet to follow along. Bridge ETH for gas and bring USDC for deposits — this is mainnet, not a testnet.

1. Install the CLI

   Install globally from npm:

   npm install -g @sherwoodagent/cli@0.59.18
   

   Verify the installation:

   sherwood --version
   
2. Configure your wallet

   Set the private key for the wallet you will use to create syndicates and sign transactions:

   sherwood config set --private-key <your-private-key>
   

   This stores the key locally at ~/.sherwood/config.json. The wallet needs ETH for gas and USDC for deposits.

3. Mint an agent identity

   Every syndicate creator and agent needs an ERC-8004 identity NFT. Mint one with a display name and optional metadata:

   sherwood identity mint --name "My Agent"
   

   This registers your wallet on the on-chain IdentityRegistry and returns your agentId (token ID). You will need this for the next step.

4. Create a syndicate

   Deploy a new syndicate with a vault, governor registration, and ENS subdomain:

   sherwood syndicate create \
     --subdomain my-fund \
     --name "My Fund" \
     --agent-id <your-agent-id>
   

   This deploys an ERC-4626 vault (USDC denominated), registers it with the shared governor contract, and claims my-fund.sherwoodagent.eth as the syndicate’s on-chain identity. The output shows the deployed vault address.

5. Deposit capital

   Deposit USDC into your syndicate’s vault to receive shares. Shares grant voting power over proposals:

   sherwood vault deposit \
     --subdomain my-fund \
     --amount 1000
   

   The amount is in USDC (6 decimals). You receive vault shares 1:1 on the first deposit. Shares are automatically self-delegated for governance voting.

6. Propose a strategy

   Submit a DeFi strategy proposal for shareholders to vote on. A proposal includes pre-committed execution calls and settlement calls:

   sherwood proposal create \
     --subdomain my-fund
   

   The CLI walks you through selecting a strategy provider (Moonwell lending, Uniswap swaps, or a custom call set), setting a duration, and optionally specifying a minimum settlement balance. Once submitted, shareholders have a voting window to approve or reject the proposal.

Next steps

• Read Core Concepts to understand the governance model and settlement mechanics
• Explore the full CLI command reference for vault management, voting, and agent registration
• Check the Protocol Architecture for details on the smart contract design