What are agent connections in Tallos?
Agent connections is the page in Tallos where you set up the coding agents you want to run. Each agent is a separate program from its maker, so Tallos does not bundle or proxy them. Instead, the Connections page shows which agent CLIs are on this computer and gives you one place to install them, sign in, add an API key and check their models.
Tallos works with the agent subscriptions and API keys you already have. It does not resell model access; it runs the vendor's own CLI with your own account. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see the guide to connect your agents.
Which agent CLIs can I connect?
Connections has a card for seven official agent CLIs. Every command below was checked against the vendor's own docs or repository; where a step is not documented, Tallos leaves it out rather than guess.
| Agent | Command | Install on macOS | Install on Windows | Sign in | API key from Tallos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | claude | brew install --cask claude-code or npm @anthropic-ai/claude-code | npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code | claude auth login | Saved, passed as ANTHROPIC_API_KEY |
| Codex | codex | npm install -g @openai/codex or brew install --cask codex | npm install -g @openai/codex | codex login | Passed once to codex login --with-api-key |
| Gemini CLI | gemini | brew install gemini-cli or npm @google/gemini-cli | npm install -g @google/gemini-cli | Google sign-in on first run of gemini | Saved, passed as GEMINI_API_KEY |
| MiMo Code | mimo | npm install -g @mimo-ai/cli or the official install script | npm install -g @mimo-ai/cli | mimo auth login | Not offered; sign in instead |
| Grok CLI | grok | npm install -g @xai-official/grok or the official install script | npm install -g @xai-official/grok | grok login | Saved, passed as XAI_API_KEY |
| Qwen Code | qwen | brew install qwen-code or npm @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest | npm install -g @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest | /auth inside qwen | Not offered; set up inside Qwen Code |
| OpenCode | opencode | brew install anomalyco/tap/opencode or npm opencode-ai@latest | npm install -g opencode-ai@latest | opencode auth login | Not offered; OpenCode stores keys per provider |
Each agent has its own page under integrations, for example Claude Code and Codex. Tallos also runs other agent CLIs from its agent picker, such as GitHub Copilot; they just don't have a Connections card.
How does one-click install work?
Click Install on a card and Tallos shows the exact official command it will run on this computer before anything happens. Confirm, and the output streams into the dialog; you can stop the install at any time.
- Tallos picks the first documented method your computer can run. On macOS that may be Homebrew or npm; on Windows it is npm.
- If a tool is missing, Tallos tells you which one. For example: "Needs Node.js first. Install Node.js from nodejs.org, then click Refresh."
- If there is no verified one-click install, the card shows Open install guide and sends you to the vendor's instructions.
- Tallos never invents a command. Install, sign-in and status steps come only from official vendor sources.
How do I sign in to an agent from Tallos?
Click Sign in and Tallos opens a terminal tab in your active local workspace running the vendor's documented sign-in command, such as claude auth login or codex login. The CLI then opens your browser to finish the sign-in with your account.
Sign-in happens on this computer on purpose: the Connections page reports this machine's CLIs, so signing in over SSH would sign in somewhere else. If no local project is open, Tallos tells you the command to run in any terminal instead.
| Card status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Not installed | The CLI is not on this computer yet |
| Installed, not signed in | The CLI is installed and reports no signed-in account |
| Connected | The CLI is installed and signed in |
| Installed, sign-in unknown | The vendor documents no reliable way to check sign-in, so Tallos does not guess |
Download Tallos and connect your agents in a few clicks.
How does Tallos store and use my API key?
Tallos seals a saved API key with your computer's secure storage (the system keychain) and never writes it in plain text. If secure storage is not available, Tallos refuses to save the key. After saving, the key is never shown again.
- Only that agent gets it. When Tallos starts Claude Code, it sets
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY; when it starts Gemini CLI,GEMINI_API_KEY; for Grok CLI,XAI_API_KEY. One vendor's key never reaches another CLI. - Only on this computer. The key is added to agents launched locally and is skipped for SSH sessions, so it never leaves this machine.
- Codex handles its own key. Tallos passes the key once to
codex login --with-api-key, Codex saves it in its own settings, and Tallos keeps no copy. - Some agents manage keys themselves. MiMo Code, Qwen Code and OpenCode don't take a key from Tallos; use their own sign-in.
- You can remove a saved key from the same dialog at any time.
Can I see which models each agent offers?
Yes. Click Models on a card. Where the CLI can list its own models, such as opencode models, Tallos asks it and labels the list "Listed by the tool itself". Otherwise it shows known models, labeled "the tool may offer more". If neither is possible, you pick the model inside the tool.
The same model lists feed the rest of the app: you choose a model per session, and per leader and member when you build a squad.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tallos include its own AI models or subscription?
No. Tallos runs the official agent CLIs with the subscriptions or API keys you already have. It does not resell model access.
How do I install Claude Code from Tallos?
Open Settings → Connections and click Install on the Claude Code card. Tallos shows the official command, such as brew install --cask claude-code on macOS or npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, and runs it after you confirm.
Where does Tallos store my API key?
In your computer's secure storage (the system keychain), sealed and never in plain text. Tallos refuses to save a key if secure storage is not available.
Can one agent see another agent's API key?
No. Tallos injects a saved key only into the launch environment of the agent it belongs to, under that vendor's documented variable name.
What if the install needs Node.js or Homebrew?
The card tells you which tool is missing and where to get it. Install it, click Refresh, and the one-click install becomes available.
Why does a card say "Installed, sign-in unknown"?
Some vendors document no reliable way to check sign-in from outside the tool. Tallos shows unknown instead of guessing; the agent still runs normally.
Does Connections work on Windows?
Yes. On Windows every supported agent installs with its official npm command, so you need Node.js first.
