Learn the terminal-agent workflow without piecing it together alone.

If you're new to terminal agents, we recommend starting with Claude Code for its conversational abilities, or GitHub Copilot CLI for its deep integration with your existing workflow.

Yes, most terminal agents require their respective API keys (Anthropic, Google, or OpenAI) to function. Our setup guides walk you through exactly how to generate and securely store these keys.

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that allows AI agents to connect to your data and tools. CmdBrief explains MCP setup, tradeoffs, and safety checks in its guides.

Claude Code is a terminal-first AI agent that runs commands, edits files, and manages git workflows autonomously from your terminal. Cursor is an AI-powered IDE (VS Code fork) focused on inline code suggestions and editor-speed editing. Claude Code excels at autonomous multi-file tasks; Cursor excels at rapid inline changes. Most solo builders benefit from using one as their primary tool. See our comparison page for a detailed breakdown.

They serve different roles. Claude Code is a terminal agent for autonomous coding tasks — it can run commands, manage git, and edit multiple files. GitHub Copilot focuses on inline code completion within your IDE. Claude Code is better for complex multi-step tasks; Copilot is better for fast autocomplete. Many developers use both.