Start with Cetas JS from npm (recommended), or choose the Native terminal via Homebrew/Scoop if you prefer no Node.js. Both use the same agent core but have different host-specific features. The guide takes you to your first message.
New to coding agents?
You do not need any programming experience from here. Cetas is an assistant that runs on your own machine: you state what you want, it reads and edits files and runs commands, showing you every step. You need four things:
- A macOS, Linux, or Windows computer;
- A terminal — the typing window where Cetas lives;
- Node.js 24+ for the recommended JS version; not needed for Native;
- An account with a model provider (say DeepSeek or OpenAI); first-time users create an API key on their site.
If you are still deciding, read Is Cetas for me?. Ready? Head straight to Installation & First Run — it starts from zero and every term links to an explanation.
Already familiar with these?
Installation & First Run
JS via npm, Native via Homebrew/Scoop or direct download, then your first message.
Glossary
Terminal, npm, provider, API key — one short paragraph per term.
Deploying inside a company with private infrastructure? Read Custom and self-hosted models first and skip a detour. For how Cetas compares with other coding agents, see this page.