Who this is for
Anyone who saw “Claude Code” or “Codex” next to the chat and wondered if they should try it. This page installs nothing. Install steps live only in the terminal track, where they're checked against each company's own instructions.
The emergency brake
- A video or post says “paste this command to get free AI”? Don't. Commands only come from the terminal track or the company's own page.
- Someone offers to install a code agent for you remotely? Say no. Book a human you already know.
Answer one question
About 1 min
Do I write or edit code — or plan to — most weeks?
- No → you're done. Code agents aren't for you right now, and that's fine. Back to plain chat.
- Yes → follow the path below, in order. Don't skip ahead.
The path, if yes
About 2 min
- Pass the Computer Basics gate.
- Project folders PF-01 → PF-05 — open a terminal in one project folder, not your home folder.
- Terminal agents TA-01, then one agent. TA-02 Claude Code is the recommended first.
The names you'll meet there
About 2 min
Checked September 26, 2026. The word in code is what you'd type in the terminal after installing.
| Name | From | What it is |
|---|---|---|
Claude Code · claude | Anthropic | Code agent in the terminal, the Claude Desktop “Code” tab, and code editors |
Codex · codex | OpenAI | Code agent in the terminal, and a separate view in the ChatGPT desktop app |
Grok Build CLI · grok | SpaceXAI (was xAI) | Code agent in the terminal (not the in-chat Grok Build app maker) |
Antigravity CLI · agy | Replaced Gemini CLI for personal Google accounts in June 2026 | |
| Jules | A cloud code agent that works on GitHub projects | |
Hermes Agent · hermes | Nous Research | Open code agent that works with many providers |
Install anything from this page, or install several “to compare.” One working agent beats five half-installed ones.
Success check
- I answered “do I write code most weeks?” honestly
- I know my next step — PF-01, or back to plain chat
Don't buy / get help
Don't buy a “become an AI developer” course or a new laptop for this. If you write code for a shop and aren't sure a code agent is worth it, book the free consult first.
If you have to ask, plain chat is probably enough. Book a free 15-minute consult and we'll sort it out together.