> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adenhq.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build Your First Agent

> Create your first goal-driven AI agent in minutes and start your path to developer success

> **First Success Path**: This guide walks you through the first step of Aden Hive's developer success journey: **create** → debug → maintain → deploy → iterate. By the end, you'll have a working agent ready to test and refine.

## Prerequisites

Before building your first agent, ensure you have:

* [Python 3.11+](https://www.python.org/downloads/) installed
* [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code), Cursor, or OpenAI Codex CLI
* At least one LLM API key configured

## 1. Install Hive

```bash theme={null}
git clone https://github.com/adenhq/hive.git
cd hive
./quickstart.sh
```

This sets up:

* `framework` runtime package
* `aden_tools` MCP tools package
* Workspace dependencies for local development

## 2. Create an Agent

Open Claude Code in the repo and run:

```bash theme={null}
claude> /hive
```

The guided flow will help you:

1. Define the goal and success criteria
2. Pick nodes and execution strategy
3. Add constraints and human checkpoints
4. Export the generated agent package under `exports/`

## 3. Validate and Test

Run the testing skill:

```bash theme={null}
claude> /hive-test
```

Or run CLI checks manually:

```bash theme={null}
PYTHONPATH=exports uv run python -m faq_agent validate
PYTHONPATH=exports uv run python -m faq_agent info
```

## 4. Run the Agent

```bash theme={null}
PYTHONPATH=exports uv run python -m faq_agent run --input '{
  "question": "How do I reset my password?"
}'
```

## Project Structure

Agents created through Hive are exported to `exports/`:

```text theme={null}
hive/
├── core/                 # Framework runtime
├── tools/                # MCP tools package
├── exports/              # Generated and custom agents
│   └── your_agent/
│       ├── __init__.py
│       ├── agent.json
│       ├── tools.py
│       └── tests/
└── quickstart.sh
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Goals" icon="bullseye" href="/building/goals">
    Define measurable outcomes and constraints
  </Card>

  <Card title="Node Types" icon="cube" href="/building/nodes">
    Learn when to use LLM, router, function, and human nodes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Edges" icon="arrow-right" href="/building/edges">
    Configure success, failure, and conditional routing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Testing" icon="vial" href="/building/testing">
    Build goal-based test coverage for your agent
  </Card>

  <Card title="Debugging" icon="bug" href="/building/debugging">
    Diagnose and fix issues before production
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deployment" icon="rocket" href="/building/deployment">
    Move your agent to production safely
  </Card>

  <Card title="Iteration" icon="arrows-rotate" href="/building/iteration">
    Evolve your agent based on production feedback
  </Card>
</CardGroup>