---
title: First Setup
summary: Add an LLM provider and create your first agent: the two steps between installing HeartBeatAgents and having something running.
date: 2026-09-03
---

# First Setup

Add an LLM provider and create your first agent: the two steps between installing HeartBeatAgents and having something running.

With HeartBeatAgents installed (see [Installation](/en/docs/getting-started/installation)), there are two things to do before you have a working agent: connect a language model provider, and create the agent itself.

## 1. Add an LLM Provider

Agents need a language model to think. Navigate to **Settings → Providers** and add at least one. HeartBeatAgents supports Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, DeepSeek, Mistral, Groq, xAI, OpenRouter, Qwen, Moonshot AI, Ollama (local), and custom endpoints.

To add a provider, you need an API key from that provider's platform. For example, to add OpenAI:

```
1. Go to platform.openai.com/api-keys
2. Create a new API key
3. Copy the key
4. In HeartBeatAgents, click "Add Provider"
5. Select "OpenAI" and paste your key
6. Click "Verify & Save"
```

The system validates your key with a test call. Once verified, the provider is available to any agent. You can add multiple providers. See [Configuration](/en/docs/getting-started/configuration) for managing more than one.

## 2. Create Your First Agent

Navigate to **Agents → Create Agent**. You'll provide:

- **Name:** A display name (e.g., "Support Agent" or "Aria").
- **Description:** A brief summary of what this agent does.
- **Primary Provider:** The LLM provider this agent uses by default.
- **Model:** A specific model from that provider (e.g., "claude-sonnet-5" or "gpt-4o").
- **Standing Orders:** The system prompt defining the agent's role, personality, and boundaries.

A minimal standing order to start with:

```
You are a helpful assistant for [Your Company].
You are friendly, concise, and professional.
If you don't know the answer to a question, say so honestly.
Never make up information.
```

Click **"Create Agent"** and it's live.

## Next

Head to [Quick Start](/en/docs/getting-started/quick-start) to actually talk to it.