Quick Start

April 11, 2026 · View on GitHub

This guide provides a quick introduction to using Agent Zero. We'll cover the recommended install path and running your first Skill.

Run one command; the script handles Docker, image pull, and container setup.

macOS / Linux:

curl -fsSL https://bash.agent-zero.ai | bash

Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://ps.agent-zero.ai | iex

Follow the CLI prompts for port and authentication, complete onboarding, then open the Web UI URL from the terminal.

Tip

To update later, open Settings UI → Update tab → Open Self Update (see How to Update). Backups are automatically managed internally.

Note

For manual Docker Desktop setup, volume mapping, and platform-specific detail, see the Installation Guide.

Use Agent Zero on your real local files

If you want Agent Zero to work on the actual files on your computer, this is the important part.

Agent Zero stays in Docker for safety. The A0 CLI installs and runs on your host machine. That host-side CLI is what lets Agent Zero work on the real files on your real computer.

macOS / Linux:

curl -LsSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/agent0ai/a0-connector/main/install.sh | sh

Windows (PowerShell):

irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/agent0ai/a0-connector/main/install.ps1 | iex

Run those on the host machine, not inside the Agent Zero container.

Then launch:

a0

Once a0 connects, open or create a chat there. That is the path that lets Agent Zero stay in Docker while still working on real local files on your machine.

For the full setup flow, manual fallback install paths, remote-host tips, and a copy-ready brief for another agent, see the A0 CLI Connector guide.

Open the Web UI and configure your API key

Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:<PORT>. The Web UI will show the onboarding banner. Click Start Onboarding to set your AI models and API key.

Agent Zero Web UI

Click Add your API key to open Settings and configure:

  • Default Provider: OpenRouter (supports most models with a single API key)
  • Alternative Providers: Anthropic, OpenAI, Ollama/LM Studio (local models), and many others
  • Model Selection: Choose your chat model (e.g., anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6 for OpenRouter)

Note

Agent Zero supports any LLM provider, including local models via Ollama. For detailed provider configuration and local model setup, see the Installation Guide.

Start your first chat

Once configured, you'll see the Agent Zero dashboard with access to:

  • Projects - organize your work into projects
  • Memory - open the memory dashboard
  • Scheduler - create and manage planned tasks
  • Files - open the File Browser
  • Settings - configure models and preferences
  • System Stats - monitor resource usage

Click New Chat to start creating with Agent Zero!

Agent Zero Dashboard

Tip

The Web UI provides a comprehensive chat actions dropdown with options for managing conversations, including creating new chats, resetting, saving/loading, and many more advanced features. Chats are saved in JSON format in the /usr/chats directory.

Chat Actions Dropdown

Example Interaction

Let's ask Agent Zero to use one of the built-in skills. Here's how:

  1. Type "Activate your brainstorming skill" in the chat input field and press Enter or click the send button.
  2. Agent Zero will process your request. You'll see its thoughts and tool calls in the UI.
  3. The agent will acknowledge the skill activation and ask you for a follow-up on the brainstorming request.

Here's an example of what you might see in the Web UI at step 3:

1

Next Steps

Now that you've run a simple task, you can experiment with more complex requests. Try asking Agent Zero to:

  • Connect to your email
  • Execute shell commands
  • Develop skills
  • Explore web development tasks
  • Develop A0 itself

Open A0 Usage Guide

Provides more in-depth information on tools, projects, tasks, and backup/restore.

🎓 Video Tutorials