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Your First Task

Chat answers questions. Agent mode gets things done. This walkthrough runs a real multi-step task end to end so you can see how the agent plans, asks permission, and acts.

Before you start

  • A provider is connected and enabled (Configuring Providers).
  • The Web tool is on (it's enabled by default) and the File System tool is enabled in Settings → Tools and Plugins if you want the agent to write files.

Step 1: Open the launcher in agent mode

Press ⌘ Return to open the launcher. Enter agent mode by typing /agent at the start of your prompt, or press ⌘1. You'll see the mode indicator switch to Agent.

Step 2: Give it a goal, not a step list

Describe the outcome you want and let the agent figure out the steps:

/agent Research the top 3 note-taking apps for macOS in 2026,
compare pricing and key features, and write the summary to
~/Desktop/notes-apps.md as a markdown table.

Step 3: Watch it plan

The agent breaks the goal into steps: search the web, read a few pages, synthesize, write a file. It streams its reasoning as it goes.

Step 4: Approve tool actions

When the agent wants to take an action that touches your system or the network, it pauses and shows you exactly what it will do:

  • Web search / fetch: the query or URL
  • Write file: the path and a preview of the content
  • Run shell / code: the exact command

Click Approve to let a step run, or Deny to stop it. You can let safe, read-only actions through and scrutinize the writes.

Tip: If you trust a task, you can approve steps quickly. If you're exploring, deny anything you didn't expect and rephrase your request.

Step 5: Review the result

When the agent finishes, it summarizes what it did and where the output went. Open ~/Desktop/notes-apps.md to see the file it created. If something's off, just reply in the same conversation. The agent keeps the full context and can revise.

Make it repeatable

Once a task works, you can:

  • Save it as a schedule so it runs every morning or on a cron (see Task Scheduler).
  • Turn the know-how into a skill so the agent handles similar requests automatically (see Skills).
  • Hand it to a specialized agent with its own model and pinned skills (see Agents).

What's next

Your First Task - Agentastic Docs | Agentastic