---
title: What happens when I first open codus?
question: first opening codus empty grid brain installation guide
area: getting-started
surface: desktop
audience: beginner
keywords: [first run, first launch, GitHub sign in, empty quadrants, Brain, Mac, Windows, missing agent]
related: [what-do-i-need-before-i-start, how-do-i-start-working-on-a-project, how-do-i-install-codus]
updated: 2026-09-09
visibility: public
---

# What happens when I first open codus?

Sign in with GitHub, choose a project folder and start an installed coding agent. Empty quadrants on a new setup are expected: Codus has not been assigned your projects yet.

## Before you start

Use the GitHub account that owns your subscription or assigned team seat. Your billing email, GitHub email and AI-provider sign-in may differ. The GitHub account identity is what matters for Codus access.

## First steps

1. Click **Sign in with GitHub**, approve in your browser and return to Codus.
2. Open **Installation guide** at the bottom-left to see setup checks. Its Mac preparation instructions apply to Mac, not PowerShell.
3. Open **Brain** and choose an installed provider. If none is installed, follow [the provider setup help](../brain/claude-code-required.md).
4. In an empty quadrant, click **Choose a project folder**.
5. Click **start**, select the provider and choose **boot project**.

The grid's sidebar has project tasks, notes and completed work. Brain's own **tasks**, **done** and **notes** are a different workspace. **Chat** offers a message-style view; **Agent** shows the provider's terminal.

## If something is missing

A module may be absent because your account does not have it, or because its navigation item is under **More**. Check [module access](../modules/what-are-the-modules.md) before assuming the installation failed.

If sign-in reports a port conflict or another error, keep the exact message for support. Do not close unidentified processes or clear app data to make the message disappear.

## How do I know it worked?

The quadrant header shows your chosen folder and the agent reports the project's boot result. A boot failure should name the missing requirement rather than leave you guessing from an empty pane.