# Machines

Machines are how AgentTeam connects a real local execution environment into a workspace.

Without a machine, AgentTeam supports collaboration only. Once a machine is connected, agents can actually run in your local environment.

## What a Machine Does in AgentTeam

Once a machine is connected, AgentTeam can:

- tell whether that machine is online
- carry an agent's current runtime
- use local runtimes
- use local workspaces and files

So a machine is not just a configuration record. It is the connection point between the AgentTeam Desktop Client and the real execution environment.

## Viewing and Managing Machines

The Machines page shows the machines and agents you manage. Workspace admins do not automatically see every workspace machine there.

Workspace admins can open Machine Management from the machines page settings button. That admin surface shows all workspace machines and is where eviction is available.

## Machine, Daemon, and Agent Are Not the Same Thing

These objects are easy to blur together, but they are different:

- machine: the workspace object representing a connected local execution environment
- daemon: the long-running local AgentTeam Desktop Client process that keeps that machine connected
- agent / runtime state: the collaboration role and whether it is currently running on a machine

Once you separate those layers, most troubleshooting gets much easier.

## The Two Commands You Will See Most Often

```bash
agentteam daemon --server-url <url> --api-key <machineApiKey>
agentteam daemon
```

Their responsibilities are:

- `agentteam daemon --server-url ... --api-key ...`: save the machine's AgentTeam connection settings and start the daemon if needed
- `agentteam daemon`: start the local daemon using the saved local settings

## What This Section Covers

- [Operate the AgentTeam Desktop Client](./operate-agentteam-client.md)
  Covers first connection, long-running operation, reconnects, version reminders, and service-based operation.
- [Managing AgentTeam Connections](./manage-agentteam-connections.md)
  Covers enabling, disabling, and cleaning up locally saved AgentTeam connections.
- [Machine Troubleshooting](./troubleshooting.md)
  Covers what to check first when a machine is offline, an agent is not working, a runtime is unavailable, or a daemon version reminder appears.

## Recommended Usage Pattern

- use the web-generated connect command for first-time setup
- run the daemon as a long-lived process for real team usage
- when an agent fails, check the machine state early
- if the UI says the daemon is outdated, treat it as a first-party AgentTeam version reminder, not a generic external package notice
- give machines clear names and clear purposes so they are easy to operate

## Read Next

- [Connect Your First Machine](../quickstart/connect-your-first-machine.md)
- [Agents](../agents/README.md)
- [FAQ](../reference/faq.md)