Update tasks how-to

coder · david-fraley · Sep 12, 2025 · Sep 9, 2025 · Sep 9, 2025 · Sep 9, 2025
commit c349ac017169175dc2eb11f3e338f246023e7800
diff --git a/docs/tutorials/quickstart.md b/docs/tutorials/quickstart.md
@@ -244,67 +244,44 @@ advanced capabilities that Coder offers.
 ### Get Coder Tasks Running
 
 Coder Tasks is an interface that allows you to run and manage coding agents like
-Claude Code. Tasks become available when a template has the `coder_ai_task`
-resource and `coder_parameter` named `AI Prompt` defined in its source code.
-Subsequently, any existing template can become a Task template by adding in that
-resource and parameter.
-
-Let's try turning the **Docker Containers** template into a Task template
-running Claude Code:
-
-1. Head to **Templates**
-1. Click into the template, and then click **Source Code** -> **Edit**
-1. Add the following code snippit to the bottom of the terraform. This defines
-   the `coder_ai_task` resource and `coder_parameter`
-
-```hcl
-# Claude API Key variable (filled in during template build)
-variable "claude_api_key" {
-  type        = string
-  description = "Your Anthropic API key for Claude AI"
-  sensitive   = true
-}
-
-# AI Prompt parameter
-data "coder_parameter" "ai_prompt" {
-  name         = "AI Prompt"
-  display_name = "AI Prompt"
-  description  = "Optional AI prompt to customize behavior"
-  type         = "string"
-  default      = ""
-}
-
-# Claude app
-resource "coder_app" "claude-code" {
-  agent_id     = coder_agent.main.id
-  slug         = "claude"
-  display_name = "Claude"
-  url          = "https://claude.ai"
-  icon         = "https://claude.ai/favicon.ico"
-  external     = true
-}
-
-# Claude AI task
-resource "coder_ai_task" "claude-code" {
-  count = data.coder_parameter.ai_prompt.value != "" ? 1 : 0
-
-  sidebar_app {
-    id = coder_app.claude-code.id
-  }
-}
-
-```
-
-1. **Build the Template**: Click "Build version". This will process your
-   template updates. After it finishes building successfully:
-1. **Activate the Template**: Click "Promote Version" on the new version to make
-   it the active template version.
-1. **Create a Task**: Click "Create Task".
-1. Once your workspace is running, navigate to the **Tasks** tab in the upper
-   left hand corner. Type in a message or coding request like "Help me write a
-   HelloWorld application in Python". Click **Run Task** to start the task
-1. The task will open VS Code with Claude Code running in the left sidebar. You
-   are now successfully using Coder Tasks with Claude Code!
+Claude Code within a given Workspace. Tasks become available when the Template for a Workspace has the `coder_ai_task` resource and `coder_parameter` named `AI Prompt` defined in its source code.
+In other words, any existing template can become a Task template by adding in that
+resource and parameter. 
+
+Coder maintains the [Tasks on Docker](https://registry.coder.com/templates/coder-labs/tasks-docker?_gl=1*19yewmn*_gcl_au*MTc0MzUwMTQ2NC4xNzU2MzA3MDkxLjk3NTM3MjgyNy4xNzU3Njg2NDY2LjE3NTc2ODc0Mzc.*_ga*NzUxMDI1NjIxLjE3NTYzMDcwOTE.*_ga_FTQQJCDWDM*czE3NTc3MDg4MDkkbzQ1JGcxJHQxNzU3NzA4ODE4JGo1MSRsMCRoMA..) template which has Anthropic's Claude Code agent built in with a sample application. Let's try using this template by pulling it from Coder's Registry of public templates, and pushing it to your local server:  
+
+1. **Push the Template to your Coder Deployment**: 
+   1. In the upper right hand corner, click **Use this template**
+   1. Open a terminal on your machine
+   1. Ensure your CLI is authenticated with your Coder deployment by [logging in](https://coder.com/docs/reference/cli/login)
+   1. Create an [API Key with Anthropic](https://console.anthropic.com/)
+   1. Head to the [Tasks on Docker](https://registry.coder.com/templates/coder-labs/tasks-docker?_gl=1*19yewmn*_gcl_au*MTc0MzUwMTQ2NC4xNzU2MzA3MDkxLjk3NTM3MjgyNy4xNzU3Njg2NDY2LjE3NTc2ODc0Mzc.*_ga*NzUxMDI1NjIxLjE3NTYzMDcwOTE.*_ga_FTQQJCDWDM*czE3NTc3MDg4MDkkbzQ1JGcxJHQxNzU3NzA4ODE4JGo1MSRsMCRoMA..) template 
+   1. Clone the Coder Registry repo to your local machine 
+   ```hcl
+   git clone https://github.com/coder/registry.git
+   ```
+   1. Switch to the template directory
+   ```hcl
+   cd registry/registry/coder-labs/templates/tasks-docker
+   ```
+   1. Push the template to your Coder deployment. Note: this command differs from the registry since we're defining the Anthropic API Key as an environment variable
+   ```hcl
+   coder template push tasks-docker -d . --variable anthropic_api_key="your-api-key"
+   ```
+1. **Create the new Workspace**
+   1. In your Coder Deployment, click **Workspaces** in the upper left hand corner
+   1. Click **New workspace** and choose **tasks-docker**
+   1. Fill in the Workspace name. Add in an AI Prompt for Claude Code like "Make the background yellow". Click **Create workspace**
+1. **See Tasks in action**
+   1. Once your workspace is running, click **View tasks** with your workspace. This will bring you to the Tasks view where you can see Claude Code (left panel), preview the sample application, and interact with the code in code-server. You might need to wait for Claude Code to finish changing the background color of the application. 
+   ![Tasks changing background color of demo application](../images/screenshots/quickstart-tasks-background-change.png)
+   navigate to the **Tasks** tab in the upper
+   left hand corner
+   1. Try typing in a new request to Claude Code: "make the background red"
+   1. Let's exit out of this specific Task view, so we can see all the running tasks
+   1. You can start a new task by prompting in the "Prompt your AI agent to start a task" box. You can select which template to run this from, so tasks-docker here, and that will spin up a new Workspace
+
+Congratulation! You now have a Coder Task running. This demo has shown you how to spin up a task, and prompt Claude Code to change parts of your application. Learn more specifics about Coder Tasks [here](https://coder.com/docs/ai-coder/tasks).
 
 ## Troubleshooting