# AI use cases for ZCode (zai-org/ZCode) Repo: [zai-org/ZCode](https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode) | Use cases: 4 | Page: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/ ZCode is Z.ai's AI coding workbench, offering a desktop app, a browser interface and a terminal agent, all built from one TypeScript monorepo. This file holds every use case of this repo. Each one starts with a "## " heading and ends with its URL. - Run a browser coding workspace on a local project: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/run-browser-coding-workspace-locally/ - Run the terminal agent from source on a project: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/run-terminal-agent-from-source/ - Package the zcode command and test it locally: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/package-and-test-zcode-command/ - Build a UI plugin from the Excalidraw example: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/build-ui-plugin-from-excalidraw-example/ ## How to run a browser coding workspace on a local project with ZCode Repo: [zai-org/ZCode](https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode) | Difficulty: Intermediate | Time: 60 minutes | Basis: From the README Start the web client and backend against one project folder and open it in a browser. **Who it is for:** A developer who wants a browser-based AI coding workspace on a local repository. **The problem:** Setting up the web client and backend by hand is slow without the repo's dev command. **The outcome:** A running web workspace at localhost:5173 that works on the chosen project folder. ### Steps 1. Install Git, Node.js 24.14.0 and pnpm 10.33.2 as listed in mise.toml. 2. Clone the repository and run `pnpm bootstrap` from the repository root. 3. Run `ZCODE_SERVER_WORKSPACE=/path/to/project pnpm dev:web` on macOS or Linux. 4. Open `http://localhost:5173` in a browser. ### Prompt to paste into your agent ```text In the zai-org/ZCode repo, run `pnpm bootstrap`, then `ZCODE_SERVER_WORKSPACE= pnpm dev:web`. Report the web dev server URL and confirm that the backend at http://localhost:3030 responds. ``` ### Caveat The README gives the ZCODE_SERVER_WORKSPACE example only for macOS and Linux, and the browser must use port 5173 while the backend uses 3030. Disclaimer: Third-party repos we don't own or vouch for. AI-generated use cases can be wrong: review everything and run at your own risk. Full text: https://dedupedai.com/disclaimer/ URL: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/run-browser-coding-workspace-locally/ ## How to run the terminal agent from source on a project with ZCode Repo: [zai-org/ZCode](https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode) | Difficulty: Intermediate | Time: 45 minutes | Basis: From the README Build and launch the Agent CLI and TUI directly from the apps/zcode-cli source. **Who it is for:** A developer who wants the terminal coding agent without the desktop app or a packaged release. **The problem:** The packaged zcode command may point at an older install, so source runs are needed to test changes. **The outcome:** An interactive TUI session started from the current source, with the CLI help output confirmed first. ### Steps 1. Complete the setup in the repository root with `pnpm bootstrap`. 2. Check the entry point with `pnpm --filter @zcode/cli dev --help`. 3. Start the interactive terminal agent with `pnpm --filter @zcode/cli dev`. 4. Read the CLI usage guide at apps/zcode-cli/docs/usage/README.md for model setup, non-interactive calls and trajectory recording. ### Prompt to paste into your agent ```text In the zai-org/ZCode repo, run `pnpm bootstrap` and then `pnpm --filter @zcode/cli dev --help`. Report the available options and state whether the help text lists a non-interactive mode. ``` ### Caveat This entry point runs the Agent CLI directly and skips the --web routing that the packaged zcode command provides. Disclaimer: Third-party repos we don't own or vouch for. AI-generated use cases can be wrong: review everything and run at your own risk. Full text: https://dedupedai.com/disclaimer/ URL: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/run-terminal-agent-from-source/ ## How to package the zcode command and test it locally with ZCode Repo: [zai-org/ZCode](https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode) | Difficulty: Advanced | Time: 90 minutes | Basis: From the README Build the release bundle, unpack it to a debug folder and start Web mode from it. **Who it is for:** A maintainer who needs to check the packaged zcode command before publishing it. **The problem:** Source runs do not prove the full release bundle works, so the packaged output needs its own test. **The outcome:** A tested unpacked zcode runtime that serves the web interface on port 3030 from the built bundle. ### Steps 1. Set `ZCODE_DIST_BASE_URL` in `.env` or the environment, or pass `--base-url` to the build with your own hosting address. 2. Run `pnpm build:zcode --base-url https://downloads.example.com/zcode/`, replacing the placeholder with the real download address. 3. Read the version from dist/zcode/latest.json and extract `dist/zcode/releases//zcode-.tar.gz` into `dist/zcode/debug`. 4. Start the unpacked runtime with `node dist/zcode/debug/zcode/bin/zcode.mjs --web --workspace "$PWD" --port 3030 --no-open`. (inferred, check the README) 5. Open `http://127.0.0.1:3030` in a browser to confirm the web page and agent run from the same backend. ### Prompt to paste into your agent ```text In the zai-org/ZCode repo, run `pnpm build:zcode --base-url `, extract the tarball listed in dist/zcode/latest.json into dist/zcode/debug, and start it with --web on port 3030. Report the URL and confirm that http://127.0.0.1:3030 returns a page. ``` ### Caveat pnpm build:zcode only creates the release package and does not replace an existing zcode command already on PATH. Disclaimer: Third-party repos we don't own or vouch for. AI-generated use cases can be wrong: review everything and run at your own risk. Full text: https://dedupedai.com/disclaimer/ URL: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/package-and-test-zcode-command/ ## How to build a UI plugin from the Excalidraw example with ZCode Repo: [zai-org/ZCode](https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode) | Difficulty: Advanced | Time: 120 minutes | Basis: From the README Follow the UI Plugin guide to start a plugin from the Excalidraw canvas example. **Who it is for:** A developer who wants to add a custom page or panel to the ZCode interface. **The problem:** Plugin APIs and the install and update flow are documented separately from the code, so a guided start saves time. **The outcome:** A working UI plugin tested in the web dev server and prepared for a zcode-plugins pull request. ### Steps 1. Read UI_PLUGIN.md for plugin capabilities, the page API, install and update steps and host debugging entry points. 2. Start from the Excalidraw canvas collaboration example described in that guide. 3. Run `pnpm dev:web` and open `http://localhost:5173` to check the plugin page in the browser. 4. Before opening a PR to zcode-plugins, declare whether it is a UI Plugin and enter the plugin name in the PR template. ### Prompt to paste into your agent ```text In the zai-org/ZCode repo, read UI_PLUGIN.md and build a plugin named following the Excalidraw example. Report the files created and confirm that the plugin page loads at http://localhost:5173 under `pnpm dev:web`. ``` ### Caveat The README only links to UI_PLUGIN.md, so the exact plugin API details must be taken from that file rather than from this README. Disclaimer: Third-party repos we don't own or vouch for. AI-generated use cases can be wrong: review everything and run at your own risk. Full text: https://dedupedai.com/disclaimer/ URL: https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/zai-org-zcode/build-ui-plugin-from-excalidraw-example/