MiniMax Code cookbook

Skip around. Install and the first conversation live in the tutorial. This page is "I need to do X".

1. Use Agent Team on a complex task

Source: Agent Team.

Official text: Agent Team "introduces multiple specialist Agents based on task complexity. You still only describe the goal"; MiniMax Code handles decomposition, assignment, progress, and the summary.

Use it when the work:

• Mixes code, design, docs, and tests
• Must run for a long time
• Needs split execution plus verification
• Needs parallel exploration

Write a clear goal, acceptance bar, and constraints. You can add instructions mid-flight; the official page says Agent Team folds them into later steps.

The M3 post describes a Producer + Verifier loop and multi-day unattended runs (minimax-m3). Treat that as product language, not an SLA. Queue limits stay on the team page and in the app.

Skip Team for a one-file edit.

2. Use your own MiniMax API key

Source: MiniMax API Key.

1. Open usage / model settings.
2. Choose MiniMax API, paste the key, save.
3. Run the connection test.

Official warning: do not put the key in chat, a repo, or a public doc. Use the in-product field only.

On the CLI, run mcode provider or mcode provider --help (CLI FAQ).

Custom providers (base URL, API format, model name) use BYOK. Do not merge that flow with the official MiniMax key.

3. Run one headless CLI task

Source: Features.

mcode exec does not start the TUI.

mcode exec "Fix the failing tests"

mcode exec \
  --cwd ./repo \
  --file error.log \
  --output-format json \
  "Analyze the error log, fix the issue, and run the related tests"

Official flags:

Flag	Purpose
--cwd	Workspace directory
--file	Attachment; repeatable
--model	Model for this run only
--session / --continue	Existing session
--permission	ask, smart, full, or off
--timeout	e.g. 30s, 2m
--max-steps	Cap assistant steps
--output-format	text, json, or stream-json
--output-schema	JSON Schema for the final JSON

Task output goes to stdout. Diagnostics go to stderr. stdin is read only with explicit --input -, so CI does not hang.

4. Attach mcode to Zed (ACP)

Source: Features.

mcode acp runs as an ACP v1 agent server over stdin/stdout NDJSON. Official text: no extra HTTP server, and the editor does not need a MiniMax-only plugin.

Zed External Agents example (official):

{
  "agent_servers": {
    "minimax-code": {
      "type": "custom",
      "command": "mcode",
      "args": ["acp"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

If the editor cannot find the binary, set command to the absolute path of mcode. Official constraint: stdout is protocol-only. Do not type natural language into that stream. Do not let a wrapper log to stdout.

Do not invent an official VS Code plugin.

5. Usage and check-in credits

Source: Token Plan and Credits.

The usage page shows plan status, Token Plan validity, credit balance, quotas, and the subscribe / top-up / invoice / check-in entries.

Official check-in numbers on that page:

• Daily check-in: 400 credits
• Day 4 and day 7 streaks: 1000 credits that day
• Full week: 4000 credits total
• Credits expire 30 days after they land

Same page: "Follow the in-product display for specific billing and quota rules." (CN twin: 「具体计费和额度规则以产品内展示为准。」)

Desktop Plus / Max / Ultra list prices and Open Platform Token Plan USD tiers are not one table. See the cheatsheet.

6. A scheduled task did not run

Source: desktop FAQ.

Confirm the machine is awake, MiniMax Code is running, and the task is enabled.

The CLI does not host the desktop scheduler. Official FAQ: Browser and Computer Use appear only when the current host actually provides them. Do not assume the CLI has every desktop capability.

7. Install failures

Symptom	Official fix
mcode: command not found	Reopen the terminal; check PATH; fully quit VS Code (CLI FAQ)
Installer fails	Reach the MiniMax file CDN, Node.js.org, and the npm registry; native deps may also hit GitHub. Set HTTP_PROXY / HTTPS_PROXY / ALL_PROXY / NO_PROXY first
Alpine / musl	Not supported
Windows desktop will not install	OS version, install-path permissions, corporate proxy (download)
Custom model will not connect	Base URL, API key, model name, network, API format (desktop FAQ)

Steps for pointing MiniMax-M3 at Claude Code / Cursor live on text-ai-coding-tools. They are not MiniMax Code recipes.