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Requirements

Before installing the Tessa SDK, ensure you have:
  • Python 3.8 or higher installed on your system
  • pip package manager (comes with Python)
  • A Tessa API key from app.heytessa.ai/settings
You can verify your Python version by running:
python --version
# or
python3 --version

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Installation Methods

The simplest way to install the Tessa SDK is via pip: 
pip install tessa_sdk
For Python 3 specifically: 
pip3 install tessa_sdk

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Method 2: Install with Optional Dependencies

If you plan to use async features extensively: 
pip install tessa_sdk[async]

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Method 3: Install from Source

For the latest development version: 
git clone https://github.com/GeneralAgencyAI/tessa_sdk.git
cd tessa_sdk
pip install -e .
Create an isolated environment for your project: 
# Create virtual environment
python -m venv tessa-env

# Activate it
# On Windows:
tessa-env\Scripts\activate
# On macOS/Linux:
source tessa-env/bin/activate

# Install the SDK
pip install tessa_sdk

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Configuration

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Setting Your API Key

There are three ways to provide your API key to the SDK:
  • Environment Variable
  • Direct Parameter
  • Configuration File
Set the TESSA_API_KEY environment variable:On macOS/Linux:
export TESSA_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
On Windows (Command Prompt):
set TESSA_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
On Windows (PowerShell):
$env:TESSA_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
In .env file:
TESSA_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
Then use the SDK without specifying the key:
from tessa_sdk import BrowserAgent

agent = BrowserAgent()  # Uses env var automatically

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Verify Installation

After installation, verify everything is working:
verify.py
from tessa_sdk import BrowserAgent, __version__

print(f"Tessa SDK version: {__version__}")

# Test with a simple task
try:
    agent = BrowserAgent("YOUR_API_KEY")
    result = agent.run("Go to example.com and extract the title")
    print(f"✅ SDK is working! Result: {result.output}")
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Error: {e}")

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Dependencies

The Tessa SDK has minimal dependencies:
  • httpx: Modern HTTP client with async support
  • pydantic: Data validation using Python type annotations
  • python-dotenv: Load environment variables from .env file (optional)
These are automatically installed with the SDK.

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Upgrading

To upgrade to the latest version: 
pip install --upgrade tessa_sdk
To upgrade to a specific version: 
pip install tessa_sdk==0.2.0

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Troubleshooting

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Common Installation Issues

Solution: Ensure the SDK is installed in the correct Python environment:
# Check installed packages
pip list | grep tessa_sdk

# If not found, install it
pip install tessa_sdk
Solution: Update certificates or use a different network:
# Update certificates
pip install --upgrade certifi

# Or install with trusted host
pip install --trusted-host pypi.org tessa_sdk
Solution: Install in user space or use virtual environment:
# Install for current user only
pip install --user tessa_sdk

# Or use virtual environment (recommended)
python -m venv myenv
source myenv/bin/activate  # On Windows: myenv\Scripts\activate
pip install tessa_sdk
Solution: Use a virtual environment to isolate dependencies:
# Create clean environment
python -m venv tessa-clean
source tessa-clean/bin/activate
pip install tessa_sdk

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Platform-Specific Notes

  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux
On macOS, you might need to use python3 and pip3:
pip3 install tessa_sdk
python3 your_script.py
If using Homebrew Python:
brew install python
pip3 install tessa_sdk

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Docker Installation

For containerized deployments:
Dockerfile
FROM python:3.8-slim

WORKDIR /app

# Install the SDK
RUN pip install tessa_sdk

# Copy your application
COPY . .

# Set environment variable
ENV TESSA_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

CMD ["python", "app.py"]
Build and run: 
docker build -t tessa-app .
docker run -e TESSA_API_KEY=$TESSA_API_KEY tessa-app

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Next Steps

Now that you have the SDK installed:

Quickstart Guide

Run your first automation

API Reference

Explore the full API

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Support

If you encounter any issues during installation:
⌘I