AFTERHOURS

What is an AI agent file?

An AI agent file is a plain-text file (.md) that contains everything needed to turn your AI tool into a personal agent: an identity, a memory, safety rails and a 24/7 work rhythm. You paste it into your tool — it installs itself, without a single line of code.

How it works in practice

The file is written for your AI, not for you. When you paste it into a tool like Claude Code, Codex or Cowork, the tool reads the instructions and runs the installation itself: it creates the files, sets up the memory and starts the agent. You answer two or three questions (your agent's name, its working language) and click “Authorize” when your browser asks. That's it.

Agent file vs prompt vs custom-built agent

  • A prompt = a one-off instruction. You type it, the AI answers, done. Nothing is installed, nothing keeps running.
  • A custom-built agent = a program coded from scratch (frameworks like LangChain). Powerful, but you need to be a developer or hire one.
  • An agent file = the bridge: the power of a 24/7 agent, with the installation effort of a copy-paste. Your AI tool does the developer work.

What's inside the file

  • The agent's identity: its role, personality and how it talks to you.
  • Its memory: how it writes down what it learns so it remembers across sessions.
  • Its guardrails: what it is never allowed to do without your approval.
  • Its rhythm: the tasks it runs continuously, even while you sleep.
  • The full install manual for your AI tool, which executes every step for you.

How to install one

Three moves: download the file, open it and copy everything, paste it into your AI tool and press Enter. The guided install takes about two minutes — the step-by-step detail is in our install guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know how to code to use an AI agent file?

No. The file is designed so your AI tool runs every command itself. You never touch the terminal: copy, paste, answer three questions.

Which AI tools do agent files work with?

Tools with terminal access: Claude Code, Codex or Cowork. If you already use one of them, you have everything you need.

Is an agent file safe for my computer?

The file is plain text: everything it does is readable before installing, and a guardrail blocks destructive commands. The agent never does anything irreversible without your approval.

How much does an AI agent file cost?

At AfterHours: €1.99 to €3.99, one-time payment. No subscription — the file is yours.

How is this different from ChatGPT?

ChatGPT answers when you talk to it. An installed agent also works when you don't: it has persistent memory, scheduled tasks, and runs 24/7 on your computer.

See the 3 ready-to-install agents