Prerequisites

Everything you need before getting started with Hydra.

System Requirements

Requirement	Minimum	Recommended
Operating System	macOS 10.15+, Windows 10+, Ubuntu 20.04+	Latest version
Browser	Chrome 90+, Firefox 90+, Safari 14+, Edge 90+	Chrome or Firefox
Internet	Stable connection required	Broadband recommended
Memory	4GB RAM	8GB+ RAM

Hydra is a web platform - most features work in your browser with no local installation. IDE integrations require additional setup described below.

Accounts Needed

Hydra Account (Required)

Create a free account at hydra.opiusai.com (opens in a new tab):

Click "Get Started"
Sign up with GitHub (recommended) or email
Verify your email if using email sign-up

GitHub sign-up is recommended because it enables direct repository access for workflow development and simplifies authentication.

GitHub Account (Recommended)

If you don't have one, create a free account at github.com (opens in a new tab):

Used for Hydra sign-in (OAuth)
Enables importing repositories into workflows
Required for some advanced integrations

Understanding the Tools

Before diving in, here's what each tool does:

What is Hydra?

Hydra is a platform for creating, sharing, and running AI-assisted development workflows. Think of it as "recipes" for AI coding assistants - you define the steps once, and any compatible IDE can execute them.

Key features:

Create reusable workflows with a visual builder
Share workflows in a public marketplace
Run workflows in any supported IDE

What is MCP?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that allows AI assistants to connect to external tools and data sources. Hydra uses MCP to serve your workflows to your IDE.

How it works:

You configure your IDE to connect to Hydra's MCP server
Hydra serves your workflow definitions via MCP
Your IDE's AI can read and execute the workflows

Think of MCP as a "plugin system" for AI assistants - it lets Claude Code, Cursor, and other AI tools access capabilities beyond their built-in features.

What is HMS?

HMS (Hydra Manifest Specification) is the JSON format for defining workflows. It's human-readable and includes:

Intent - What the workflow should accomplish
Steps - The sequence of actions to perform
Dependencies - Which steps depend on others

See Core Concepts for more details.

IDE Requirements

You need one of the following AI-enabled IDEs to execute Hydra workflows:

Claude Code

What is it? Claude Code is Anthropic's AI-powered coding assistant that runs in your terminal. It can read, write, and execute code with your permission.

Installation:

# Install via npm (requires Node.js 18+)
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Requirements:

Node.js 18 or higher
npm or yarn
An Anthropic API key (or Claude Max subscription)

Verify installation:

claude --version

Learn more: claude.ai/code (opens in a new tab) | Documentation (opens in a new tab)

Claude Code is the recommended IDE for Hydra because it supports the full sub-agent spawning pattern, enabling complex multi-step workflows.

Quick Checklist

Before starting the Tutorial, verify:

Hydra account created at hydra.opiusai.com (opens in a new tab)
One IDE installed (Claude Code, Cursor, or Codex CLI)
IDE working - Can open and use the AI features
Internet connection - Required for Hydra and MCP
A test project - Any codebase to try workflows on

Glossary of Terms

Term	Definition
Workflow	A reusable sequence of AI-assisted development tasks
Manifest	The JSON file that defines a workflow (uses HMS format)
HMS	Hydra Manifest Specification - the JSON schema for workflows
MCP	Model Context Protocol - how IDEs connect to Hydra
Step	A single action within a workflow
Adapter	Translates HMS into IDE-specific instructions
Fork	Create your own copy of a workflow to customize
Subscribe	Follow a workflow to get automatic updates
Marketplace	Public catalog of community-shared workflows
Deployment	A packaged workflow ready for IDE consumption

Next Steps

Ready to start? Choose your path:

15-Minute Tutorial Quick Start

Troubleshooting Setup

Node.js not installed

Check: node --version

Install:

macOS: brew install node or download from nodejs.org (opens in a new tab)
Windows: Download from nodejs.org (opens in a new tab)
Linux: sudo apt install nodejs npm or use nvm (opens in a new tab)

npm command not found

npm comes with Node.js. If missing, reinstall Node.js from nodejs.org (opens in a new tab).

Permission errors during installation

# Option 1: Use sudo (not recommended)
sudo npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
 
# Option 2: Fix npm permissions (recommended)
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:
export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

IDE won't connect to Hydra

See the Troubleshooting Guide for connection issues.

Need Help?

If you're stuck during setup, contact us at support@opiusai.com. Include:

Which IDE you're using
Your operating system
Any error messages you see

Introduction 15-Minute Tutorial