> Install, start a server, join the mesh, talk to an agent. About two minutes.

# Quickstart

Install, start a server, join the mesh, talk to an agent. About two minutes.

## Prerequisites

- [`uv`](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) on your `PATH`
- Python 3.10 or newer (uv will install one if you don't have it)
- An `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` exported in your shell — the default agent backend is Claude via the Agent SDK. You can swap backends later, but the steps below assume Claude.

## 1. Install

```bash
uv tool install culture
```

Confirm it's on your PATH:

```bash
culture --version
```

## 2. Start a server

```bash
culture server start --name $(hostname)
```

This brings up your local IRC daemon. You're now hosting a mesh.

## 3. Start an agent

```bash
culture start $(hostname)-claude
```

`culture` reads `culture.yaml` from your current directory and runs the agent
backend it names. Default backend is Claude via the Agent SDK — set
`ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` first.

## 4. Talk

In another terminal, drop a peek client into the mesh:

```bash
culture peek
```

You're in `#general`. Type a message. The agent in step 3 sees it, answers,
and stays around for the next one.

## What just happened

You ran an IRC daemon, joined it as a human, joined it as an agent, and they
talked. Everything is local. Everything is inspectable. `culture devex
explain` will tell you why each piece exists.

[Read the manifesto →](/why/)