Getting Started
Learn about AI agents and how agentic coding lets you build them step by step.
What are AI Agents?
An AI agent is a smart computer program that can do things for you. Just like a real assistant, but digital.
Imagine this: you have a robot assistant that can read your emails, schedule appointments, and even order groceries. That’s basically what an AI agent does, but inside your computer.
A simple example: You tell your AI agent: “Make sure I have a meeting with John tomorrow at 10 AM about the project.”
The agent:
1. Checks your calendar
2. Checks John’s calendar
3. Sends an invitation
4. Puts it in both calendars
5. Sends you a confirmation
All without you having to look at it again!
What makes AI agents special?
They work independently
Just like a good assistant doesn’t come to you for every small decision, an AI agent can figure out and solve many things on its own.
They adapt
If something changes (for example: John can’t make it at 10 AM), the agent automatically arranges a new time.
They have a goal
Every AI agent has a job. For example: “Keep my inbox empty” or “Track inventory levels.”
They get smarter
The more they do, the better they become. They remember what works and what doesn’t.
What is Agentic Coding?
Agentic coding is a way of programming where you don’t write a step-by-step plan, but rather “hire” a smart person who figures out how things should be done.
Traditional programming:IF someone asks a question ABOUT prices THEN search the price list AND send back the answer
Agentic coding:GOAL: Help customers with their questions USE: Our website, price list, and previous conversations GO AHEAD: Make sure customers are happy
Simple example: Chatbot
Old way: You have to think ahead about what people will ask and program all the answers.
Agentic way: You give the chatbot access to your website and say: “Help visitors with questions about our products.”
The chatbot reads the website itself, understands what people are asking, and gives appropriate answers even to questions you never thought of.
Why would you build AI agents?
They do the boring work Instead of doing the same tasks every day, let the agent take over. You can focus on the fun stuff.
They work all the time While you sleep, your agent keeps working. Customers get 24/7 help.
They make fewer mistakes Computers don’t forget things or type wrong numbers.
Real examples:
• An e-commerce agent that automatically processes orders
• A social media agent that finds interesting posts for you
• A scheduling agent that organizes your calendar
• A customer service agent that answers questions
How do you start?
Step 1: Start small
Don’t begin with a super complicated agent right away. Choose one simple task.
Good first projects:
• “Send me the weather every morning”
• “Alert me when someone mentions my name on Twitter”
• “Track how many visitors my website has”
Step 2: Choose your tools
Just like you need a hammer to build things, you need software to make agents.
Popular choices:
• Python: Easy to learn, lots of examples
• JavaScript: Good for websites
• No-code tools: No programming needed at all
Step 3: Build your first agent
Let’s make a simple example:
Goal: An agent that warns you when it’s going to rain
What the agent does:
1. Checks the weather forecast every morning
2. If rain is expected, sends you a message
3. Does this automatically every day
What the code would look like:
< python >
# Every morning
weather = get_weather_forecast()
if “rain” in weather:
send_message(“Grab your umbrella! It’s going to rain.”)
Step 4: Make it smarter gradually
Once your first agent works, you can expand it:
• Also check the temperature
• Send different messages for different weather types
• Learn from your preferences (only send messages when you’re going outside)
Simple patterns that always work
The “Look-Think-Do” pattern:
1. Look: What’s happening? (New email? Change in inventory?)
2. Think: What should I do? (Important enough to forward?)
3. Do: Take action (Send notification, place order)
Example with an inventory agent:
1. Look: Only 5 phones left in stock
2. Think: That’s too few, we sell 10 per day
3. Do: Automatically order 50 new phones
What can you expect?
In the beginning:
• Your agent does simple things
• Sometimes it goes wrong (that’s normal!)
• You still need to make adjustments
After a while:
• Your agent gets smarter
• It better understands what you want
• You save a lot of time
Eventually:
• You have multiple agents working together
• They do most of the work for you
• You focus on important decisions
Ready to start?
The great thing about AI agents is that you can start small. Pick one simple task today that you want to automate. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. Every expert once started with a simple “Hello World” agent.
Remember: The goal isn’t to build the smartest agent, but to make your life easier. Start simple, keep practicing, and before you know it, you’ll have your own team of digital assistants!