A Deep Dive into MANUS AI
We at Truth on Tech recently received early access to MANUS AI, a new multimodal, agentic AI SaaS platform developed by a Chinese startup called Monica. Rather than marveling at its flashy interface or the tools it generates, we chose to dive headfirst into its technical capabilities. And what we discovered was beyond anything we expected.
The Mission: Pushing Boundaries
We tasked Manus with creating a full-stack web application from scratch. The app would allow users to upload their company profiles, select a layout, and submit content. Manus would then generate a complete, functional website based on that input. This wasn’t just about building websites — we were testing Manus’s ability to handle a multi-tenant environment and autonomous infrastructure deployment.
Spoiler alert: we got more than we bargained for.
First Impressions
At a glance, Manus’s interface feels like ChatGPT — familiar, with a prompt box and a canvas. But that’s where the similarities end. Once a prompt is submitted, things start happening fast. The system kicks into gear with what can only be described as a turbocharged version of ChatGPT-4o.
To our surprise (and slight frustration), Manus disables copy-paste functionality on embedded code snippets and terminal outputs — a bold move by the developers to protect generated intellectual property or perhaps a hint at deeper reasoning features.
Surprising Capabilities Unveiled
🧠 Autonomous DNS and Hosting
Manus AI has the ability to autonomously create subdomains and deploy web servers with public access. These aren’t theoretical features — we saw it live in action.
Example deployments found on the dashboard:
This level of autonomy, especially from a new player, is both impressive and slightly surreal.
Capabilities, Permissions, and Deployment
Screenshots captured during testing revealed a comprehensive list of what Manus AI is capable of. Let’s break it down:
⚙️ 1. Capabilities Demonstrated
- File Editing: Manus edits files like
server.js,.env, and creates new ones such asInMemoryProfile.js. - Deployment Logs: Tracks step-by-step execution, from MongoDB setup to final deployment.
- Backend Setup:
- Node.js + Express server
- MongoDB with in-memory fallback
- API routes and EJS templating
- Website Generator Engine:
- Supports uploads and layout templates
- Responsive design and dynamic content rendering
- Communication Tracking:
- Shows progress updates and task summaries
Command Execution: It runs shell commands like:
sudo apt-get install -y mongodb
cd /home/ubuntu/... && node server.js
npm install ejs --save
🔐 2. Required Permissions
To do all this autonomously, the AI agent needs:
- System Access:
sudoprivileges for installations and process control- Read/write access to project directories
- Network Access:
- Opens ports and configures CORS
- Starts backend services
- Application Access:
- Full control over backend/frontend code, controllers, models, routes
- Package manager access (npm, apt)
🏗️ 3. Infrastructure Assumptions
The system assumes a Linux-based environment with:
- OS: Ubuntu
- Runtime: Node.js (≥v14)
- Database: MongoDB
- Templating: EJS
- Frontend: Likely Next.js
- Hosting: Local VM or cloud server with terminal access
🧠 4. Agent AI Capabilities Needed
To achieve all this, an agent like Manus must have:
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| 🧠 Context Awareness | Understands file purpose and order of execution |
| 🛠️ File System Agent | Reads/writes files, structured into modules |
| 💻 Shell Executor | Installs software, starts services |
| 📦 Package Control | Manages npm, apt packages |
| 🧩 Code Generator | Builds routes, services, and templates |
| 🌐 Network Validator | Tests connectivity between backend/frontend |
| 🔍 Progress Tracker | Logs success/failure of steps |
| 🧰 Error Handler | Detects and fixes common development issues |
| 🧪 Test Runner (optional) | Runs unit/integration tests |
| 🛡️ Credential Manager (optional) | Handles secrets in .env securely |
Bonus Observations
- Manus is essentially a low-code DevOps + Developer assistant. It blends software generation with infrastructure automation.
- It shows signs of stateful reasoning, tracking tasks across multiple phases.
- The mobile interface hints at remote control capabilities via APIs or scheduled microtasks.
Final Thoughts
We witnessed something game-changing: an agent with root access spinning up a virtual machine, installing Ubuntu, configuring Docker and Docker Compose, managing environment variables, building a containerized application, and deploying both frontend and backend — all autonomously.
This is not just another AI tool — Manus is a full-stack deployment powerhouse.
And we’re only scratching the surface.