Docs

Quickstart

Start with a workbook: create it, run one thing, and confirm the result is still there after compute stops. Connecting an agent and capturing sessions are separate, optional steps you can add once the workbook exists.

Step 1: Create a workbook and keep a result#

This walkthrough uses the Work with video starter on CPU. It leaves a concrete set of saved files in a workbook you can reopen later.

  1. Open Workbooks, select New workbook, then choose Work with video.
  2. Give the workbook a name and select Create workbook.
  3. Select Start to start its CPU runtime. Creating the workbook alone does not start paid compute.
  4. In FFmpeg media tools, leave Workbook media file empty, choose test-pattern under Encode clip demo source, then select Encode clip.
  5. Wait for the run to finish, then inspect the saved MP4, poster image, and metadata in the result or Files.
  6. Select Stop when you are done. Reopen the workbook later from Workbooks and inspect or download the saved results without starting compute again.

The explicitly selected demo generates a test pattern and a tone without uploading a file. To work with real media, select imported-file instead and choose an uploaded workbook file. Encoding preserves its audio when present. The same controls also offer Resize video, Extract 8 frames, and Extract audio as WAV; see Recipes for their outputs and limits.

Choose Blank workbook instead when you already have a project structure or want to begin with documents, files, and your own code. A blank workbook starts lightweight, and you can attach CPU or GPU compute later. For a GPU render rather than a video encode, start from Render with Blender in Recipes.

Step 2: Connect an agent (optional)#

Give an agent scoped access to this workbook over MCP:

  1. In the workbook, select Connect agent in the header, or open Workbook settings → Agents → Connect agent.
  2. Choose This workbook unless the agent needs to manage workbooks across your account.
  3. Copy the server URL and setup commands into your agent, then approve only the access it needs.

Read access permits inspection, write access permits files and cells, and execution access permits runs and starting or stopping compute. Starting CPU or GPU compute may incur charges. The full procedure and the current Codex commands are in Connect an agent.

Step 3: Capture sessions (optional)#

If you also want a record of the local work around this project, open Sessions, select Connect agent, and follow the setup for Codex or Claude Code. Capture uploads only the events those agents emit; it does not create a workbook, rerun local commands, or start compute. See Connect an agent for setup and Sessions for what a session contains.

Keep a useful handoff#

Add a Markdown or MDX file with the goal, relevant inputs, and next decision before you leave. The workbook keeps its files, code, execution history, and retained results after compute stops. It does not preserve live processes or memory, so save the files and setup information needed to reproduce the work.

Next steps#

  • Workbooks explains what a workbook holds and how runs are retained.
  • Files & compute covers storage limits, retention, and the start and stop sequence.
  • Recipes lists the other starters, including Blender and ComfyUI on GPU.
  • Troubleshooting covers missing results, packages, and capture problems.