# Create a bot

Make a new bot from a ready-made role or from scratch, decide between a new bot and a new thread, and copy an existing bot.

Canonical page: https://themachine.myapps.ai/docs/desktop/bots/create-a-bot

A **bot** is an AI helper with a job. Each bot has its own instructions,
skills, memory, connected apps, and secrets. Bots are listed under **Bots**
in the sidebar. On Machine every bot is a **project**, which is why the
button to make one says **New Project**.

## New bot or new thread?

Before you make a bot, check whether you need a new *bot* or just a new
*thread* with a bot you already have.

| Make a **new thread** when… | Make a **new bot** when… |
|---|---|
| It's the same kind of work, just a new task. | You need a different kind of helper with different instructions. |
| The current conversation is getting long. | You want different apps, secrets, or skills kept separate. |
| You want a fresh start on a clean computer. | Different clients or projects shouldn't share a bot's memory. |

**A good setup for most people:** a few bots, each with a clear job
(*Researcher*, *Writer*, *Inbox*), and a new thread for each task.

## Create a bot

### Open New Project

Do any one of these:

- Click **+** at the top of the sidebar and choose **New Project**.
- Press **Ctrl+N** (**⌘N** on Mac).
- If you have no bots yet, use the button in the middle of the screen.
### Pick a starting point

The window says *"Start from a job, or from nothing. You can change
everything afterwards."* Pick a card (see the table below).
### Wait for setup

Machine creates the bot's project. This can take a minute or two, and a
spinner shows while it works. When it's done, the bot appears in the sidebar
and its chat opens.
### Say hello

Send a first message. For a **Blank bot**, send `/setup`: the bot will
interview you about what it should do, then set itself up.

## Starting points

![The New Project window with Blank bot and six ready-made roles](/images/docs/desktop/new-project-dialog.webp)

| Card | Bot's name | What it's set up for | Works well with |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Blank bot** | *New project* | Nothing yet. You shape it, or send `/setup`. | Anything |
| **General assistant** | *Assistant* | Everyday questions, writing, and tasks. | — |
| **Email triage** | *Inbox* | Sorting, summarizing, and drafting replies to email. | Gmail |
| **Researcher** | *Scout* | Finding, comparing, and summarizing information, with sources. | — |
| **Coding partner** | *Dev* | Writing, fixing, explaining, and reviewing code. | GitHub |
| **Community monitor** | *Watch* | Keeping an eye on community channels and flagging what matters. | Discord, Slack |
| **Operations** | *Ops* | Planning and admin across your work tools. | Calendar, Notion, Linear |

A starting role fills in the bot's **name**, **title**, **description**, and
**Soul** (its standing instructions). Everything can be changed afterwards in
[bot settings](/docs/desktop/bots/bot-settings).

The app icons on a card show which apps that role is good with. They are
**not** connected automatically. To connect them, see [Connected
apps](/docs/desktop/integrations/connected-apps).

If you see *"Your bot was created, but its preset could not be fully
applied"*, the bot exists but some of its instructions didn't save. Settings
opens on the **Soul** section so you can check and fix them.

## After you create a bot

Make it yours. In about five minutes you can:

1. **Write its Soul.** Who it is, how it should work, what you like and
   dislike. See [Write a bot's Soul](/docs/desktop/bots/soul).
2. **Give it a face.** Upload a picture or style the mascot in
   **Identity**. See [Bot settings](/docs/desktop/bots/bot-settings).
3. **Connect the apps it needs.** See [Connected
   apps](/docs/desktop/integrations/connected-apps).
4. **Add any keys it needs** as secrets. See [Secrets and
   webhooks](/docs/desktop/integrations/secrets-and-webhooks).
5. **Put it in a team** to keep the sidebar tidy. See [The
   sidebar](/docs/desktop/bots/sidebar).

## Duplicate a bot

To make a new bot based on one you already have:

1. Right-click the bot in the sidebar.
2. Choose **Duplicate**.

The new bot is called *"… copy"*. It gets the original's:

- instructions (Soul),
- title and description,
- model, and
- avatar.

It does **not** get the original's threads, files, memory, or secrets. It
starts fresh. This is useful when you want a similar bot for a different
client, or want to experiment with instructions without touching the
original.

## Other ways to get bots

- **[Bot recipes](/docs/desktop/bots/recipes):** add a whole ready-made team
  of bots in one click.
- **[Marketplace](/docs/desktop/bots/marketplace):** start a new bot from a
  project template.
- **The web app:** bots you create on the Machine web app appear here too. If
  you don't see one, click **Refresh threads** at the top of the sidebar.

## Common questions

**How many bots can I have?**
As many as you like.

**Does an unused bot cost money?**
You pay for the work bots do and for their computers while they're awake.
See [Usage and billing](/docs/desktop/settings/usage-and-billing).

**Can I rename a bot later?**
Yes. Double-click its name in the sidebar, or change it in **Bot settings →
Identity**.