Guides
How to build AI agents without code, automate the work you repeat across apps, and hand it off safely. Written by the people who build Ditto AI.
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How Ditto AI turns one recording into an agent
What happens between pressing Record and running your agent: how Ditto AI reads the recording, finds and checks a tool for each step, sets permissions, and runs it on your Mac.
How to build an AI agent without writing code
Three ways to build an AI agent without code: draw it in a workflow builder, describe it in plain language, or show it by doing the task once. What each needs, when each fits, and a step-by-step first agent.
How to automate a workflow that spans several apps
Map the workflow, then choose between an integration platform, a desktop macro and an AI agent with MCP tools. When each fits, what breaks, and how to build a cross-app agent from one recording.
How to automate repetitive tasks on your Mac
The five ways to automate repetitive work on a Mac, from Shortcuts and Automator to macro tools, folder rules and AI agents, with a table to match each tool to the task.
How to turn a screen recording into an AI agent
How programming by demonstration works in 2026: what a recording has to capture, how to record a task so the agent comes out right, and why an agent built from a recording isn’t a macro.
How to record a skill, and which recorder to use
Four ways to turn a task you do once into a reusable AI skill: Claude's Record a skill, OpenAI's Record & Replay, Microsoft's Skill Recorder and Ditto AI. What each needs and makes.
What is an MCP server?
MCP servers give AI models tools for one app each, through the Model Context Protocol. What they are, local vs hosted, read vs write tools, where to find them, and how to choose a good one.
Is it safe to let an AI agent use your accounts?
What can go wrong when an AI agent uses your email, files and apps, five rules for giving it access safely, and how Ditto AI applies each one.
How to give a Claude Code agent access to Slack and Google Drive safely
Give Claude Code Slack and Google Drive with the least access: MCP servers, OAuth scopes, allow, ask and deny rules, credentials and a read-only start.
How to stop doing the same copy-paste job every week
A ladder of fixes for weekly copy-paste work: text expansion, Shortcuts, Keyboard Maestro, spreadsheet import, integration tools and AI agents.
How to automate filing invoices from email into a spreadsheet
Four ways to file invoices from email into a spreadsheet: Gmail filters and Apps Script, Zapier or Make, invoice-capture tools, or recording it once.
How to automate the weekly report you build by hand
Formulas and connected sheets, BI tool schedules, Zapier or n8n, or an agent from one recording: how to automate a weekly report, and when each fits.
Install and set up Ditto AI
Requirements, download, the first open, choosing who reads your recordings, the macOS permissions Ditto AI asks for and why, recording your first task, and how to uninstall.
In your AI tools
Create a Claude Code skill from a screen recording
Record a task on your Mac and Ditto AI installs it into Claude Code as a skill, with an MCP config and an allowed-tools list. What gets written, what the allowlist does, and how to run it.
Create a Kiro CLI agent from a screen recording
Record a task on your Mac and Ditto AI installs it into Kiro CLI as a skill plus an agent file with its MCP servers and tool allowlist. What gets written, and the one sandbox caveat.
Worked examples
Automate the daily round-up you post to Slack
Record the round-up once: read the sources, write the short list, post it to the channel. Ditto AI uses a headless browser for the public pages and a Slack tool server for the post, and you can see it in the browser demo.
Turn notes into tickets automatically
Record the write-up once: read the notes, create the issue, put its link back in the note. Ditto AI handles the hosted and local tools in one agent, and this is one of the runs verified on real accounts.
Real agents, as exported
Check a price and send it on WhatsApp
A real agent Ditto AI built from one recording: open a price-comparison page, read today's price, and send it to a contact on WhatsApp. Its steps, tools and permissions, as exported.
Get the first paragraph of a city's Wikipedia article
The simplest real agent Ditto AI has built: read the first paragraph of a city's Wikipedia article. Every file it installed into Claude Code, as exported: the skill, the MCP config and the allowlist.
Compared with the alternatives
Ditto AI vs Shortcuts, Automator, Keyboard Maestro and Zapier
An honest comparison of Ditto AI with Shortcuts, Automator, Keyboard Maestro, Zapier and computer-use agents: how you build each, where it runs, what it handles, and when to choose which.
Ditto AI vs writing a Claude Code skill yourself
A Claude Code skill is a SKILL.md you write. Choosing MCP servers, credentials and permissions is still on you. What recording the task with Ditto AI does instead, with sources.
Claude's “Record a skill” vs Ditto AI
Claude's Record a skill turns a screen recording into a skill in Cowork on Claude for Mac. Ditto AI adds a checked tool per step and installs into Claude Code or Kiro. Sourced.
Ditto AI vs OpenAI Record & Replay
OpenAI's Record & Replay turns a workflow you show ChatGPT or Codex on your Mac into a skill. Ditto AI turns one recording into an agent with checked tools for Claude Code or Kiro. Sourced.
Ditto AI vs Screenpipe
Screenpipe records your work all the time; its Workflows beta turns that into skills. Ditto AI records one task on purpose and makes it an agent with checked tools. Sourced.
Ditto AI vs Minded
Minded and Ditto AI both learn a task from one recording. Minded works in Chrome for business teams; Ditto AI runs on your Mac and installs into Claude Code or Kiro. Sourced.
Ditto AI vs Scribe
Scribe turns a recording into a step-by-step guide for people and, on Enterprise, read-only context for AI tools. Ditto AI turns one recording into an agent that does the task. Sourced.
Ditto AI vs Guidde
Guidde turns recordings into narrated video guides and, on Enterprise Scale, Claude skills. Ditto AI turns one recording into an agent with checked tools. An honest comparison, sourced.
Ditto AI vs Zapier
Zapier runs triggers, AI steps and MCP across 9,000+ apps in the cloud. Ditto AI builds an agent from one recording of a task on your Mac. When each fits, with sources.
Ditto AI vs n8n
n8n builds workflows and agents you can self-host, with MCP and approval steps. Ditto AI turns one recording of a Mac task into an agent. When each fits, with sources.
Ditto AI vs Keyboard Maestro
Keyboard Maestro replays macros you build or record, exactly, for a one-time US$36. Ditto AI turns one recording into an agent that adapts. When each fits, with sources.