Starter Guide
You don't need to code to run AI agents
From picking the right computer to setting up your terminal, this is the exact order we walk students through.
PART 1
What makes a computer different in the agent era
An agent is like an employee who works alone for hours. It runs multiple sessions, spins up dev servers, and reads and writes files nonstop. Unlike chat-only AI use, memory capacity and OS fit strongly shape your throughput.
Memory equals parallel capacity
Running several agent sessions eats memory first. Apple Silicon Macs share one memory pool between CPU and GPU, which leaves more headroom for local AI work at the same capacity.
Sandboxed execution support
Claude Code's sandboxing works on macOS and Linux (WSL2). It's not yet supported on native Windows, so a Mac is easier if your workflow needs isolated runs.
Agent tools ship on Mac first
iTerm2 and cmux are Mac-only, and Ghostty supports macOS and Linux first. Most new agent-focused tools install with a single Homebrew command.
That said, Macs don't win everywhere. If you train models on NVIDIA GPUs, Linux is the better fit. This guide is written for agent operation and inference workloads.
Mac vs Windows at a glance
| Item | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Running Claude Code | Native support | Native support (PowerShell install) |
| Sandboxed execution | Supported | WSL2 only |
| Agent-focused terminals | iTerm2, cmux, Ghostty, and Orca all available | Mostly Orca and Windows Terminal |
| Tool installation | Unified via Homebrew | Install paths vary per tool |
Good builds to buy now
A lineup picked for agent work. 16GB of memory is the starting line; go 24GB or more if you run many sessions in parallel.
MacBook Pro M4 Pro
Recommended24GB+ memory recommended
Multiple agent sessions plus local servers: the safest choice as a main machine.
View on CoupangWindows laptop
32GB+ RAM with WSL2
If you must stay on Windows, get generous memory and pair it with WSL2.
View on CoupangReal footage
Curious what an agent actually doing company work looks like? Start with this video.
PART 2
The terminal: your agent's office
What is a terminal?
A window where you talk to your computer in text. Instead of clicking icons, you type commands and the computer runs them as written. It looks foreign, but you only use a handful of rules daily.
Why does it matter now?
Because agents like Claude Code live and work inside the terminal. Once you're comfortable there, you gain a control room for running several agents at once.
iTerm2
macOSThe Mac terminal standard
A long-refined Mac-only terminal. Strong split panes and shortcuts make it great for keeping agent sessions side by side.
brew install --cask iterm2Official siteGhostty
macOS · LinuxFast, with minimal setup
Renders with the GPU, so it stays smooth even with heavy agent output. Sensible defaults let you use it right after install.
brew install --cask ghosttyOfficial sitecmux
macOSBuilt for agent notifications
A terminal made for AI coding agents. When an agent waits for input, an indicator lights up, so you miss less while running many sessions.
brew tap manaflow-ai/cmux && brew install --cask cmuxOfficial siteOrca
macOS · Windows · LinuxFleet control for agents
An orchestrator that runs multiple agents side by side, each isolated in its own working folder. A companion app lets you check progress from your phone.
brew install --cask stablyai/orca/orcaOfficial siteIf you're on Windows
Claude Code installs natively on Windows too. Some features like sandboxing need WSL2, so check the setup criteria in Part 3.
Locked content preview
- iTerm2 setup recipe
- Ghostty setup recipe
- cmux setup recipe
- Orca setup recipe
- Shared rules for running agents in parallel
This part is open to our students
The small, annoying problems every terminal throws at you, we've already worked through them for you.
- Setup recipes for all 4 terminals, click by click
- Rules for running multiple agents in parallel
- Content that keeps updating as the tools change
Already a student? Log in to continue
You've made it this far. Next comes the real thing.
Singularity Builders is an AI agent bootcamp we run both in person and online. We'll go from setup to real work together.
Learn about Singularity Builders