Installation
Install mecha from crates.io with cargo, switch on what you want with mecha setup, know which parts are Linux-only, and add the optional dependencies for the sandbox and the eval fixtures.
Choosing hardware
What memory actually buys you, recommended configurations by unified-memory or VRAM tier, and what a dedicated box for this looks like.
Setting up
Point mecha at a model, let it read the settings back off the server rather than typing them, and wire in the personal context you want it to have.
First run
Start mecha four ways — one-shot, as a REPL, full-screen, and in a browser — and know where it writes things and what to do when a run goes wrong.
Configuration
The layered TOML config — where the files live, how layers merge, and the four settings worth getting right early.