> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://podium.do/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Complete your first issue

> Create one issue, run an agent in an isolated worktree, review the result, and close the work.

This tutorial takes one small change through Podium's complete stable loop. You will create an issue, start an agent, inspect its evidence, and close the issue.

## Before you start

You need a configured Podium instance, a registered Git repository, and one installed and authenticated harness. Finish [installation and setup](/docs/getting-started/install) before continuing.

Run these checks from the repository you want the agent to change:

```bash theme={"system"}
podium status
podium machine list
```

The status output should show a running server and daemon. The machine output should show the repository and at least one logged-in harness.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create bounded work">
    Give the issue one result that you can verify. This example asks for a documentation-only change:

    ```bash theme={"system"}
    podium issue create \
      --title "README setup note" \
      --description "Add a setup note to the README and keep the existing style."
    ```

    Copy the issue reference from the output. The examples below use `your_issue_ref` as that value.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start an agent">
    Start the issue with an installed harness:

    ```bash theme={"system"}
    podium issue start your_issue_ref --agent codex
    ```

    Podium claims the issue, creates its branch and worktree, and starts the agent there. Open the issue in the web app to follow the session.

    <Frame caption="The Podium web issue board inside a decorative macOS-style frame.">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/podium-420ab911/2s5JLbtgPIHQF79c/images/issue-board.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=2s5JLbtgPIHQF79c&q=85&s=8a81d62dde64cfe9d28961be9dfc38f4" alt="Podium web inside a decorative macOS-style frame, showing an issue in the Backlog column of the issue board." width="1230" height="440" data-path="images/issue-board.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Follow the result">
    Read the issue and session state without scraping the full transcript:

    ```bash theme={"system"}
    podium issue show your_issue_ref
    podium session status your_issue_ref
    ```

    If the agent asks a question, answer in the session panel. A browser disconnect does not stop the underlying terminal process.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the evidence">
    Inspect the changed files, diff, checks, and issue artifacts. An artifact is a server-side copy, so it remains available after the source worktree changes.

    Do not accept work because the session is hibernated. Confirm the requested change exists and the relevant check passed. See [review agent work](/docs/guides/review-work) for the full review path.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Finish the issue">
    If you accept the result without using Podium's merge action, close the issue:

    ```bash theme={"system"}
    podium issue close your_issue_ref --reason done
    ```

    A successful `podium issue action your_issue_ref merge` closes the issue automatically. A failed merge leaves it open.

    The issue should now appear in the done stage with its session and review history intact.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  `podium issue start` creates an isolated worktree for issue-backed work. A direct session can use the repository's current checkout instead, so choose the issue path when concurrent work could overlap.
</Info>

## Continue from here

Use the same issue loop as you add more agents and machines:

* Learn the [issue, session, agent, and harness model](/docs/concepts/agents)
* Add progress and review context with [issue state, todos, and artifacts](/docs/guides/create-track-issues)
* Split independent work with [agent delegation](/docs/guides/delegate-agents)