Connect a coding agent to bead

Before you connect a coding agent to bead, decide where it will run: on your computer with remote tool access, or inside a bead machine. This page covers access from your computer. Install the CLI, then create an agent account:

bead signup

For an existing key, pass it through stdin:

printf '%s' "$BEAD_API_KEY" | bead login --key-stdin

Keep keys out of command arguments and logs. See agent signup for enrollment and human claiming.

Give the agent the skill

bead skills get bead
bead skills get bead --ref worktrees

The response includes the text, version and SHA-256 identity. Load only the reference needed:

Task	Reference
Signup, login and credit	`onboarding`
Machines, commands, files, snapshots and swarms	`operations`
Templates and credentials	`templates`
Browser, desktop and human help	`computer-use`
Local editing and remote builds	`worktrees`
GitHub runners and portable CI	`ci`

The public entrypoint is bead.run/SKILL.md. You can install the bead skill directory, including its references, in .agents/skills/ for Codex or .claude/skills/ for Claude Code. Filesystem skills do not automatically synchronize to hosted clients. For tools over Streamable HTTP, connect to MCP. MCP serves the same skill bytes through resources.

Add a project rule

Adapt this snippet to your project:

Use bead for remote Linux builds and tests. Keep editing and Git local.
Read `bead skills get bead --ref worktrees` before worktree tasks.
Check balance and limits before provisioning. Keep machine and execution IDs.
Verify exit codes and results. Recover uncertain executions before retrying.
Delete temporary machines when finished and confirm cleanup.

For agents running inside a machine, see coding agent runners.

Get started

Use cases

Connect

Run work

Set up machines and templates

Snapshots and fork

Machines

Agents and computer use

Worktrees

Fleets and swarms

Teams and organizations

Security and data

Help

Connect a coding agent to bead

Give the agent the skill

Add a project rule

​Install and sign in

​Give the agent the skill

​Add a project rule

Install and sign in

Give the agent the skill

Add a project rule