CARGO-AI

Get started

Build your first agent.

Start with a conversation. Your coding assistant can help you set up Cargo-AI and turn one useful task into an agent.

  1. Open a project in Codex or Claude Code.

    Choose the folder where you want to build.

  2. Give your assistant the starter prompt.

    It checks your setup and guides installation.

    “Make this a Cargo-AI project, following the best practices at Cargo-AI.org.”

    View the full prompt for your assistant
    Make this a Cargo-AI project, following the best practices at https://cargo-ai.org.

First, read the installation and project guidance at https://cargo-ai.org/AGENTS.md.

Identify my operating system, architecture, shell, and existing project setup. Follow the appropriate installation instructions, reuse existing configuration where suitable, and apply the documented project best practices. Use the installed version's guidance and available commands. Verify the resulting setup and explain anything that still requires my input.

  3. Describe one thing your agent should do.

    For example: “Read these project notes and return a structured list of open questions.” Start with a small input, run the agent, and inspect the result.

Follow along when your assistant asks you to install a tool, sign in, or approve a step.

Terminal setup Optional · macOS example

This walkthrough is for people who prefer to run the setup commands themselves. It illustrates the macOS Codex path. For Linux, Windows, or another provider, see the GitHub documentation.

Before you start, install Rust and Cargo, Codex CLI, and the Codex app. This example then installs Cargo-AI, connects your ChatGPT account through Codex CLI, and opens your first project in the Codex app.

First local setup

For the best authoring experience, use the Codex app. Codex CLI handles sign-in and remains available when you want a terminal workflow.

Setup commands

  1. Install Cargo-AIcargo install cargo-ai --locked
  2. Use Codex CLI as the auth bridgecodex login
  3. Add the default OpenAI profilecargo ai profile add openai-account --server openai --model gpt-5.4 --auth openai_account --default
  4. Authenticate that profilecargo ai auth login openai --profile openai-account
  5. Verify the profilecargo ai run adder_test --profile openai-account
  6. Create your first projectcargo ai new my-agent
  7. Enter the projectcd my-agent
  8. Add Codex guidancecargo ai add guidance --style codex
  9. Open the project in Codex (macOS)open -a Codex .

Start building

Now ask Codex what to build

Describe the workflow, inputs, outputs, and any files or APIs the agent should use.

Hey Codex, build me a Cargo-AI agent with any supporting Cargo-AI tools that can ...

Execution runs on your machine. This example retrieves a public sample and sends inputs to OpenAI. Codex/OpenAI sign-in is separate from a Cargo-AI account; account-backed publishing and sharing come later.