# How to install GSD Core on your runtime Install GSD Core (`@opengsd/gsd-core`) into the AI coding runtime you use every day. This guide gives you the standard installer path for each supported runtime, then covers the manual path for machines without Node.js. **What you need:** Node.js 18+ and npm (or npx). If you do not have Node.js, jump to [Installing without Node.js](#installing-without-nodejs). --- ## Why the installer is required GSD Core ships agent and command files in Claude Code's native frontmatter format. Each supported runtime expects a different schema, directory layout, and command-invocation syntax. The installer performs the necessary transformations — for example, converting tool lists and colour values for OpenCode, writing TOML agent entries for Codex, and rewriting every command body from hyphen form (`/gsd-update`) to colon form (`/gsd:update`) for Gemini CLI. **Do not copy files from `agents/` or `commands/` directly.** Doing so bypasses the transformations and produces schema-validation errors or missing commands. --- ## Standard install Run the installer from any directory. It prompts for your runtime and whether to install globally (all projects) or locally (this project only). ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest ``` That is the only command you need for a fresh install or to re-run the installer after switching runtimes. --- ## Per-runtime instructions ### Claude Code ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --claude --global ``` Skills land in `~/.claude/`. Commands appear as `/gsd-*` slash commands in your next Claude Code session. Restart Claude Code to pick them up. **Override the install directory:** ```bash CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=~/.claude-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --claude --global ``` --- ### Gemini CLI ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --gemini --global ``` Skills land in `~/.gemini/`. The installer rewrites all command bodies to Gemini's colon namespace (`/gsd:update`, `/gsd:config`, etc.). Restart Gemini CLI after install. **Override the install directory:** ```bash GEMINI_CONFIG_DIR=~/.gemini-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --gemini --global ``` --- ### OpenCode ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --opencode --global ``` Skills land in `~/.config/opencode/` (XDG) or `~/.opencode/`. The installer converts agent frontmatter to OpenCode's schema — removing the `tools:` field and converting colour values to hex. See [Installing without Node.js — OpenCode transformations](#opencode--required-transformations) if you need to understand what changes. **Override the install directory:** ```bash OPENCODE_CONFIG_DIR=~/.config/opencode-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --opencode --global ``` --- ### Kilo ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --kilo --global ``` Skills land in `~/.config/kilo/` (XDG) or `~/.kilo/`. Uses the same OpenCode-style flat markdown command format. **Override the install directory:** ```bash KILO_CONFIG_DIR=~/.config/kilo-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --kilo --global ``` --- ### Codex ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --codex --global ``` Skills land in `~/.codex/skills/gsd-*/SKILL.md`. Agents are written with per-agent TOML entries in `config.toml`. Restart Codex (or run `codex --reload`) after install. **Minimum supported version:** Codex CLI 0.130.0. Earlier versions had additional skill-root scanning that can produce duplicate listings. --- ### GitHub Copilot ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --copilot --global ``` Skills land in `~/.copilot/`. GSD installs as agent `.md` files and repository instruction files. **Override the install directory:** ```bash COPILOT_CONFIG_DIR=~/.copilot-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --copilot --global ``` --- ### Cursor ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --cursor --global ``` Skills land in `~/.cursor/`. GSD installs skills, agents, and rule references. **Override the install directory:** ```bash CURSOR_CONFIG_DIR=~/.cursor-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --cursor --global ``` --- ### Windsurf ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --windsurf --global ``` Skills land in `~/.codeium/windsurf/`. GSD installs skills, agents, and workspace rules. **Override the install directory:** ```bash WINDSURF_CONFIG_DIR=~/.codeium/windsurf-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --windsurf --global ``` --- ### Cline Cline uses a rules-based integration — GSD installs as `.clinerules` rather than slash commands. ```bash # Global install (all projects) npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --cline --global # Local install (this project only) npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --cline --local ``` Global installs write to `~/.cline/`. Local installs write to `./.cline/`. Rules are loaded automatically by Cline — no custom slash commands are registered. --- ### CodeBuddy ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --codebuddy --global ``` Skills land in `~/.codebuddy/skills/gsd-*/SKILL.md`. --- ### Qwen Code Qwen Code uses the same open skills standard as Claude Code 2.1.88+. ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --qwen --global ``` Skills land in `~/.qwen/skills/gsd-*/SKILL.md`. **Override the install directory:** ```bash QWEN_CONFIG_DIR=~/.qwen-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --qwen --global ``` --- ### Augment Code ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --augment --global ``` Skills land in `~/.augment/`. GSD installs skills and agents. No hook or statusline ownership. --- ### Antigravity ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --antigravity --global ``` The installer auto-detects the Antigravity config directory (`~/.gemini/antigravity`, `~/.gemini/antigravity-ide`, or `~/.gemini/antigravity-cli`). Uses Gemini-compatible settings policy. **Override the install directory:** ```bash ANTIGRAVITY_CONFIG_DIR=~/.gemini/antigravity-alt npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --antigravity --global ``` --- ### Trae ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --trae --global ``` Skills land in `~/.trae/`. GSD installs skills, agents, and rule references. --- ## Local vs global install All examples above use `--global`, which installs GSD once for your user account. To scope an install to a single project, replace `--global` with `--local`: ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --claude --local ``` A local install writes into the `.claude/` directory at your project root. Local install settings take precedence over global ones when both exist. --- ## Installing prerelease editions (Next / Nightly / Insiders / Preview) Prerelease editions of runtimes (Windsurf Next, Cursor Nightly, VS Code Insiders, Codex preview channels, etc.) read from a sibling config directory. Set the matching `*_CONFIG_DIR` env var before running the installer: ```bash WINDSURF_CONFIG_DIR=~/.codeium/windsurf-next npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --windsurf --global ``` Select the corresponding stable runtime in the installer prompt. GSD does not enumerate prerelease editions as separate named runtimes — they are best-effort via this env-var mechanism and are not separately tested in release CI. --- ## Installing without Node.js If you cannot run `npx` (for example, on a Windows machine without Node.js), you have two options. **Option A — Use a machine that has Node.js.** Any machine with Node.js will do: WSL, a Linux VM, a CI runner, or a Docker container. Run the installer there, then copy the output directory to your target machine. For OpenCode: ```bash npx @opengsd/gsd-core@latest --opencode --global # Then copy ~/.config/opencode/agents/ to the Windows machine ``` **Option B — Manually transform the source files.** The agent source files live in `agents/` in the GSD Core repository and are in Claude Code's native frontmatter format. Each runtime expects a different shape. For the exact field transformations per runtime, see [Manual install / no-Node.js setup](../USER-GUIDE.md#manual-install--no-nodejs-setup) in the User Guide, which covers the OpenCode transformations in full detail and points to the installer's `convert*Frontmatter` functions for other runtimes. --- ## After install Restart your runtime to pick up new commands and agents. Then start your first project: ```bash /gsd-new-project ``` If the command is not found after restart, verify the install directory matches the runtime's expected config path. The prerelease-editions section above covers the most common mismatch. --- ## Related - [Your first project](../tutorials/your-first-project.md) - [Update GSD Core](update-gsd.md) - [Configuration](../CONFIGURATION.md) - [Docs index](../README.md)