The sequential framework Nate Herk uses to build and teach a personal AI Operating System (AIOS) in Claude Code. The four layers are Context, Connections, Capabilities, and Cadence — and they must be built in order.
Key points
- Context — what the AI knows about you, your business, your goals, and your constraints. Captured in CLAUDE.md, context files, and the onboarding interview [src-013]
- Connections — what data sources the AIOS can reach: calendar, email, task manager, meetings, revenue dashboards. Wired via APIs or MCPs [src-013]
- Capabilities — what the AIOS can produce: skills (reusable markdown SOPs), reference files, and task-specific sub-agents [src-013]
- Cadence — when it acts autonomously: cloud routines, /loop cron jobs, and daily planning habits [src-013]
The order is non-negotiable: “You can’t have cadence without connections. You can’t have capability without context” [src-013].
Related entities
- Claude Code — the primary harness for building an AIOS
- Nate Herk — coined this framework
Related concepts
- Three M’s of AI — the mindset layer that precedes the Four C’s
- AIOS Tier-One Domains — the seven data domains to connect in the C2 phase
- Six-Step Skill Building Framework — how to build capabilities in C3
- Claude Code Cloud Routines — the primary cadence mechanism
- Claude Code Memory — where context lives
Source references
- [src-013] Nate Herk — “Build & Sell Claude Code Operating Systems (2+ Hour Course)” (2026-05-01)