Installation

This page covers everything you need to go from zero to a working local Context Engine: prerequisites, installation, first-time setup, supported harnesses, and how to verify the installation.

Prerequisites

Requirement	Details
Python	3.12 or newer
Package manager	`uv` (recommended) or `pip`
Operating system	macOS, Linux, or WSL2 on Windows
AI coding harness	Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, or OpenCode (at least one)

uv tool install is recommended for CLI installs. It isolates the Potpie tool environment from your project Python environments and prevents version conflicts.

Step 1: Install the CLI

Using uv (recommended)

uv tool install potpie

Using pip

python3 -m pip install --user potpie

After installation, confirm the CLI is available:

potpie --version

You should see output like:

potpie-context-engine 2.x.x  Python 3.12.x  /path/to/potpie

If potpie is not found after a pip install, ensure ~/.local/bin (or the equivalent pip --user scripts directory) is on your PATH.

Step 2: Run First-Time Setup

potpie setup

On a TTY, this launches an interactive wizard. You can also pass flags directly to skip prompts:

potpie setup --repo . --agent claude

What setup does:

Step	What happens
Daemon install	Installs and starts the local background daemon service
Config	Creates `~/.potpie/config.json` and sets defaults
Graph backend	Provisions the local graph/vector store (default: `falkordb_lite`)
Pot creation	Creates a local `default` pot and marks it active
Local auth	Initialises local identity (no cloud account needed)
Source registration	Registers the `--repo` path as a source for the default pot
Skills	Installs Potpie guidance into the configured `--agent` harness

potpie setup is idempotent. You can re-run it safely. Each step is ensure-shaped: it skips what is already done and only fixes what is missing.

Setup options

Option	Type	Default	Description
`--repo`	`PATH`	`.`	Repository path to register during setup.
`--pot`	`NAME`	`default`	Name for the initial pot.
`--agent`	`HARNESS`	`claude`	AI coding harness to configure. One of `claude`, `codex`, `cursor`, `opencode`.
`--backend`	`PROFILE`	`falkordb_lite`	Graph backend profile.
`--dry-run`	flag	off	Preview setup steps without executing them.
`--yes`, `-y`	flag	off	Assume yes for all prompts (non-interactive).
`--daemon` / `--in-process`	flag	`daemon`	Detached daemon mode (default) or in-process mode.

Preview before running

To see exactly what setup will do without executing anything:

potpie setup --dry-run

This returns a SetupPreview document listing each planned step, its owner, and whether it is a hard or soft dependency.

Step 3: Verify the Installation

Check integration auth status

potpie status

Check host readiness (daemon, pot, graph backend, skills)

potpie status --host

You should see a readiness report grouped by component: host, pot, graph_service, backend, ledger, and skills.

Run full local diagnostics

potpie doctor

doctor checks daemon health, CLI install paths, backend profile, and capability readiness. It also surfaces recommended follow-up commands.

Supported Agent Harnesses

Setup installs skills into your AI coding harness. Skills are CLI-managed recipes that teach your agent how to use the Context Engine before editing code.

Harness	`--agent` value	Skills path (global)
Claude Code	`claude`	`~/.claude/skills/<skill>/SKILL.md`
OpenAI Codex	`codex`	`~/.agents/skills/<skill>/SKILL.md`
Cursor	`cursor`	`~/.cursor/skills/<skill>/SKILL.md`
OpenCode	`opencode`	`~/.config/opencode/skills/<skill>/SKILL.md`

To install or refresh skills after setup:

potpie skills install --agent claude
potpie skills status --agent cursor

Use --scope project --path . to install project-scoped skills that travel with a repository:

potpie skills install --agent claude --scope project --path .

Graph Backend Profiles

Potpie uses a pluggable GraphBackend. The default profile for Python ≥3.12 is falkordb_lite — an embedded local graph with vector search that requires no external services.

Profile	When to use
`falkordb_lite`	Default. Embedded FalkorDB Lite with vector search. Requires Python ≥3.12.
`embedded`	JSON-persisted local fallback. No Docker or external dependencies.
`neo4j`	Optional. Requires a running Neo4j instance.
`postgres`	Optional. Requires a running Postgres instance with the `pgvector` extension.
`in_memory`	Tests and conformance only. State is not persisted.

To switch profiles after setup:

potpie config set backend.profile embedded
potpie backend doctor

Optional: Connect Integrations

Source integrations let agents query GitHub PRs, Linear issues, Jira tickets, and Confluence runbooks alongside code. These are opt-in and not required for local graph use.

potpie github login        # GitHub device flow
potpie linear login        # Linear OAuth (PKCE)
potpie jira login          # Jira Atlassian API token
potpie confluence login    # Confluence Atlassian API token

Verify integration status:

potpie status
potpie status --verify     # lightweight live API check

By default, Potpie runs entirely locally. If you have a Potpie account or a compatible self-hosted backend, you can log in to access managed pots:

potpie login

To point the CLI at a self-hosted or custom managed backend:

potpie config set cloud.backend_url https://potpie.example.com
potpie login

After login, managed pots appear in the same potpie pot list and potpie use flows as local pots.

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
`CONTEXT_ENGINE_HOST_MODE`	Override host mode: `daemon` (default) or `in_process`.
`POTPIE_HOME`	Override the default config and data directory (default: `~/.potpie`).
`NO_COLOR`	Disable ANSI colour output.

Local File Paths

Path	Description
`~/.potpie/config.json`	Main configuration file.
`~/.potpie/credentials/`	Stored integration tokens (GitHub, Linear, Jira, Confluence).
`~/.potpie/data/`	Local graph storage and ledger data.
`~/.potpie/skills/`	Installed agent skill bundles.
`.potpie.toml`	Repository-local pot routing config (repo root). Overrides the active pot when present.

Troubleshooting

`potpie` not found after install

With uv: run uv tool list to confirm it was installed, then check which -a potpie.
With pip --user: ensure ~/.local/bin is in your PATH.

Daemon not starting

potpie doctor
potpie daemon status
potpie daemon restart

Backend not ready

potpie backend doctor
potpie backend status

Skills missing or outdated

potpie skills status --agent claude
potpie skills install --agent claude

Next Steps

How to Use

Learn common workflows: onboarding a repo, resolving context for a task, debugging, and recording learnings.

Setup & Lifecycle

Full reference for setup, status, doctor, whoami, ui, and config.

Get Started

CLI Reference

Prerequisites

Step 1: Install the CLI

Using uv (recommended)

Using pip

Step 2: Run First-Time Setup

Setup options

Preview before running

Step 3: Verify the Installation

Check integration auth status

Check host readiness (daemon, pot, graph backend, skills)

Run full local diagnostics

Supported Agent Harnesses

Graph Backend Profiles

Optional: Connect Integrations

Environment Variables

Local File Paths

Troubleshooting

`potpie` not found after install

Daemon not starting

Backend not ready

Skills missing or outdated

Next Steps

How to Use

Setup & Lifecycle

​Prerequisites

​Step 1: Install the CLI

​Using uv (recommended)

​Using pip

​Step 2: Run First-Time Setup

​Setup options

​Preview before running

​Step 3: Verify the Installation

​Check integration auth status

​Check host readiness (daemon, pot, graph backend, skills)

​Run full local diagnostics

​Supported Agent Harnesses

​Graph Backend Profiles

​Optional: Connect Integrations

​Optional: Managed Backend Login

​Environment Variables

​Local File Paths

​Troubleshooting

​potpie not found after install

​Daemon not starting

​Backend not ready

​Skills missing or outdated

​Next Steps

How to Use

Setup & Lifecycle

Prerequisites

Step 1: Install the CLI

Using uv (recommended)

Using pip

Step 2: Run First-Time Setup

Setup options

Preview before running

Step 3: Verify the Installation

Check integration auth status

Check host readiness (daemon, pot, graph backend, skills)

Run full local diagnostics

Supported Agent Harnesses

Graph Backend Profiles

Optional: Connect Integrations

Optional: Managed Backend Login

Environment Variables

Local File Paths

Troubleshooting

`potpie` not found after install

Daemon not starting

Backend not ready

Skills missing or outdated

Next Steps