T3 Code explained: the client controls work on another machine
T3 Code quickstart: choose one host and one provider
Install the client or CLI without confusing a running UI with a ready agent
What you will learn
- Choose the host path
- Authenticate where work will run
- Set permissions deliberately
Before you start
- A disposable project on an environment host
- One authenticated supported provider
Turn a disposable trial into evidence before connecting important repositories
Key takeaways
- The phone is not the execution host.
- Opening the UI does not prove an agent can run.
- The initial new-thread default is Full access.
Choose the host path
The pinned install guide offers a desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux, and a `t3` CLI installer for a local server. A phone is a remote client and must connect to a server on another machine.
Read the installer before piping it to a shell and pin a release when repeatability matters. `T3CODE_VERSION` selects an exact CLI version; a nightly channel has separate compatibility constraints for mobile clients.
Authenticate where work will run
Install and sign in to one supported provider on the environment host. For Codex the README names `codex login`; for Claude it names `claude auth login`. WSL projects require provider CLIs inside the selected distro.
Start `t3` for a local web UI or use the desktop app. The first thread should target a disposable repository and a known small change; simply opening the UI has not verified provider launch.
Set permissions deliberately
The permission guide says new threads initially default to Full access. Supervised asks for command and file-change approval; Auto-accept edits, Auto and Full access have different provider behavior.
Choose the desired mode before the first message and check project overrides. Existing threads and draft modes retain their choices, so changing the default will not retroactively narrow an already-running thread.
Decision guide
| Criterion | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Best when | You need predictable behavior and easy auditing | You need adaptive optimization and have reliable telemetry |
| Main risk | May leave performance on the table | Can become difficult to explain or debug |
Implementation steps
- 1
Pick a host and fixed CLI or desktop release.
- 2
Authenticate one provider on that host.
- 3
Use a disposable thread with an explicit permission mode.
Copy-ready example
codex --version
codex login
t3 --help
# Review the installer and select a fixed release before installing.Frequently asked questions
Will changing the default tighten existing threads?
No. Existing threads and chosen draft modes keep their settings.
Does Windows desktop require WSL?
No for the desktop app; a WSL environment is an optional separate place to run providers and projects.
Sources
- T3 Code / docs/user/install.mdSource checked 2026-10-04
- T3 Code / README.mdSource checked 2026-10-04
- T3 Code / docs/user/permission-modes.mdSource checked 2026-10-04
- T3 Code / docs/user/providers-codex.mdSource checked 2026-10-04
- T3 Code / docs/user/providers-claude.mdSource checked 2026-10-04