What is LensDev?
LensDev is a local AI research agent that takes a query, gathers information from supported public and academic sources, and saves the result as a structured research workspace.
Last reviewed June 20, 2026
FAQ
Accuracy-focused answers for installing, running, troubleshooting, and maintaining LensDev documentation.
Quick verification commands
Use these commands before changing examples or version-specific claims.
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Project basics
What is the current documented version?
These docs are currently checked against lensdev v0.1.5, the latest PyPI release verified for this update.
Is LensDev the same thing as this website?
No. LensDev is the Python package and CLI. This repository is the Astro documentation website that explains how to install and use it.
Is LensDev free?
Yes. The public package is free to install from PyPI, and the project links point to the GitHub repository for source and issue tracking.
Who is LensDev for?
It is intended for developers, researchers, students, analysts, and technical writers who need repeatable research runs instead of one-off terminal output.
Installation and requirements
What Python version do I need?
The PyPI package metadata requires Python 3.10 or newer.
How do I install LensDev?
Install it with pip using the published package name: `pip install lensdev`.
What runtime dependencies are published for the package?
The package metadata lists click, requests, beautifulsoup4, and rich as runtime dependencies.
Do I need an API key?
The core install does not document a required API key. Individual sources may still throttle, block, or require credentials depending on their public API rules.
Can I install from source?
Yes. Clone the GitHub repository when you want to inspect, modify, or contribute to the engine rather than only using the published package.
CLI usage
What is the safest first command to try?
Use `lens research -q "how do vector databases work"` or another small, specific query.
Does the research command require `-q`?
The current PyPI README documents the form `lens research -q "query"`. Some older examples may omit `-q`; prefer the documented flag form until you verify your installed CLI help.
How do I list previous sessions?
Run `lens list` to show saved workspace session IDs.
How do I resume a previous session?
Run `lens resume <session_id>` with a session ID from `lens list` to regenerate reports from an existing workspace.
Where should I run commands from?
Run commands from the directory where you want LensDev to create or read its `workspace/` folder.
Outputs and workspace behavior
What does LensDev save after a run?
A completed run creates a timestamped workspace containing a main report, combined source data, metadata, and raw collector output.
What files should I expect in a workspace?
The package README documents `report.md`, `sources.json`, `meta.json`, and a `raw/` directory inside each session workspace.
Does LensDev always create HTML output?
Do not assume HTML output unless your installed version confirms it. The current PyPI README emphasizes the Markdown report and JSON workspace files.
Can I commit generated workspaces?
Usually no. Treat generated workspaces as run artifacts unless your project intentionally tracks a report for review or reproducibility.
Why are persistent workspaces useful?
They make research runs inspectable, repeatable, and easier to compare because raw inputs, metadata, and final reports are kept together.
Privacy, networking, and reliability
Is my research private?
Processing and workspace storage are local, but your queries and requests may be sent to external source APIs or websites used by collectors.
Does LensDev work offline?
No for collection. It needs network access to fetch public and academic sources, though existing workspace files can be inspected locally.
Why did a collector fail?
Common causes include no matching results, changed source pages, network failures, rate limits, downtime, or blocked automated requests.
Are results guaranteed to be complete?
No. LensDev can only summarize what its collectors retrieved, so treat output as a research starting point and verify important claims against primary sources.
How should I handle sensitive topics?
Avoid sending confidential prompts to third-party sources and review saved workspace files before sharing them.
Documentation accuracy
How were these answers updated?
This page was expanded to cross-check package name, version, Python requirement, dependencies, CLI examples, and output files against current PyPI metadata.
What should contributors verify before changing docs?
Check PyPI metadata, the package README, CLI help for your installed version, and any source-specific API requirements before editing examples.
What if the website and package disagree?
Trust the installed package and PyPI metadata first, then open a documentation issue or pull request to fix stale website content.
How can I report an inaccurate answer?
Open a GitHub issue with the page URL, the incorrect text, your installed `lensdev` version, and the command or source that proves the correction.
How often should this FAQ be reviewed?
Review it whenever a new PyPI release is published, when CLI behavior changes, or when a collector source changes authentication, limits, or response shape.