A good agent starts with a repeatable environment
Packages, environment variables, and workspace defaults that let you spend less time setting up and more time building.
The first command you give an agent should be about the work. It shouldn’t have to be a reminder to install the same tools and set the same variables every time.
Agents Box brings that setup into the agent’s configuration. You can save a starting environment for a workspace, then adjust it for each agent you create.
Start with the tools
The Create Agent dialog includes Codex, Claude Code, and OpenCode. Select the tools your project needs. You can also use Add package to provide a name and an install script for another tool.
Install scripts run inside the guest VM during setup. Use sudo for system packages when needed. Keep scripts repeatable: check whether a tool is installed before installing it again, and make failures explicit.
Make credentials part of the environment
Provider credentials belong in environment variables. For example, Codex uses OPENAI_API_KEY, and Claude Code can use ANTHROPIC_API_KEY.
The interface conceals values by default. The eye control lets you reveal them when you need to check a value. Avoid putting credentials directly into install scripts or terminal commands, where they could become part of command history or output.
Provider usage and VM infrastructure are separate. Your model provider charges for the requests made with your credentials.
Use workspace defaults for the common parts
Open Settings → Workspace to choose default packages and environment variables. New agents inherit these settings. Changes made in the Create Agent dialog apply to that agent rather than changing the workspace defaults.
A useful split is:
- Workspace defaults for tools your team uses on every project.
- Agent overrides for the credentials and packages needed by one task.
- Custom install scripts for project-specific dependencies.
Give startup time to finish
A new host may need to install system packages and prepare a base VM. First-time setup can take several minutes. The agent page shows its status, and you can queue a command while it starts.
Once the agent is ready, open its terminal and verify the tools you selected:
command -v codex
command -v claude
command -v opencode
Run the checks for the tools you actually installed. From there, your next command can be about the project.