Chapter 2 — First Launch: Desktop, Model, Workspace

4 min read · 830 words · 12 sections

What You Will Learn

• Open DSH Desktop;
• Connect a model;
• Choose a safe workspace;
• Complete a read-only first conversation;
• Read tool cards and approval prompts.

2.1 Open Desktop

After installation, open DeepSeek Harness.

The first screen may show:

• A welcome page;
• Model or account setup;
• Workspace selection;
• A new-task input.

The exact order varies by version, but the flow is usually:

Open app → connect a model → choose a workspace → create a task → start talking

If you do not have a model service yet, read the next section.

2.2 Connect a Model

DSH needs a model to think. There are usually two options:[1][2]

1. DeepSeek official account/API: sign in or enter an API key;
2. An OpenAI-compatible provider: enter a Base URL, API key, and model name.

The usual path is:

Settings → Models → add or select a provider

Prepare:

• Provider;
• API key;
• Model name (for example deepseek-chat or deepseek-flash, depending on the provider);
• Optional Base URL.

How to know it worked

• The settings page shows the model as connected;
• A new task gets a reply;
• There is no 401 or Invalid API key error.

Common error: 401

A 401 almost always means the key is wrong or not active.

Check:

• The key was copied completely;
• There are no extra spaces;
• The provider and Base URL match;
• The account has credit and permission;
• You did not paste a key from another service.

Never paste an API key into the chat for the Agent to inspect. Change it in Settings.

2.3 Choose a Workspace

A workspace is the folder where the Agent works.

For your first session:

1. Create an empty folder such as dsh-test;
2. Put one or two unimportant text files inside;
3. Select that folder as the workspace.

Why not use your whole home directory?

• The Agent can see too much and may touch the wrong thing;
• Context becomes noisy;
• Rolling back is harder.

Once selected, the workspace is usually the Agent's current directory. Relative paths resolve from there.

2.4 Choose Standard Mode

When creating a task, DSH usually asks you to choose an Agent Preset.

For your first session, choose Standard.

Standard mode includes the everyday tools: file read/write, terminal, web search, subagents, planning, todos, and file delivery.

Do not start with Creator mode. Creator is for extending DSH itself. It adds plugin management and runtime inspection, along with more risk. Chapter 7 covers the difference.

2.5 A Map of the Interface

You do not need to know every button, but you should know where four kinds of information appear:

The most important habit:

Do not read only the final paragraph. Read what the Agent did in between.

Tool cards show which files it read, which commands it ran, and what it changed.

2.6 Your First Conversation: Read-Only

Do not change files on the first try. Start with two read-only exercises.

Exercise 1: Introduce itself

Hello. In three sentences, tell me what you can and cannot do.
Do not read or modify any files yet.

Check whether it:

• Describes itself as an Agent;
• Mentions workspace and permissions;
• Does not call tools without being asked.

Exercise 2: Read-only inventory

Read the current workspace and list its files grouped by type.
Do not modify anything, and do not run commands that change files.
At the end, tell me which tools you used.

You should see tool cards such as:

list directory
read file

If it tries to write, deny it and say:

This step is read-only. Do not write anything.

2.7 The Goal of the First Conversation

It is not to finish a big task. It is to learn three things:

1. Where it works: the workspace;
2. How it works: tool calls;
3. How you control it: approvals, denials, and follow-up instructions.

Sidebar: Web and Headless

• Web: usually started with dsh --profile web; open the printed URL in a browser. The interface is similar; useful on a remote server.
• Headless: run dsh --profile headless "your task" for one-shot execution. No GUI; useful for automation.
• Desktop: the desktop app owns the desktop profile. Do not hand-edit that profile.

This book stays Desktop-first.

Common Pitfalls

• Starting without a model: you will only get errors.
• Choosing too large a workspace: start small.
• Choosing Creator for everyday work: use Standard.
• Pasting keys into chat: use Settings.
• Reading only the final answer: tool calls tell the real story.

Summary

• Flow: open app → connect model → choose workspace → choose Standard → start.
• A 401 usually means a key problem.
• Keep the workspace small and reversible.
• Start read-only; watch tool cards.
• Standard is the daily default; Creator is a different job.

References

1. DeepSeek Harness quickstart
2. Configure models

All links are public sources; product behavior may change between versions.