Installing the Sylphx Coding Tool

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to install and set up the sylphx-coding CLI tool, your central command for an AI-driven coding environment.

Prerequisites

Before installing sylphx-coding, ensure you have Node.js (LTS version, e.g., 22.x or later) and npm installed on your Windows system. sylphx-coding will help you manage other dependencies.

Step 1: Install sylphx-coding CLI

Open your preferred terminal (PowerShell is recommended) and run the following command to install the sylphx-coding tool globally via npm:

npm install -g @sylphx/coding

After installation, you can verify it by running:

sylphx-coding --version

This should display the installed version of the CLI tool.

Step 2: Initial Environment Setup (sylphx-coding install)

Once the sylphx-coding CLI is installed, the next crucial step is to set up your development environment. Run the following command:

sylphx-coding install

This command performs several important actions:

1. Fetches Configuration: It contacts the Sylphx API (specifically /api/config) to get the latest list of required system tools, Sylphx modes, and MCP server configurations.
2. System Tool Verification & Installation:
   • It checks your system for essential development tools such as:
     • PowerShell 7+: For modern scripting capabilities and command execution.
     • Docker Desktop: Required for running certain MCPs (Model Context Protocol servers) in isolated environments.
     • GitHub CLI (gh): For interactions with GitHub repositories.
     • Node.js (LTS): (You should have this from prerequisites, but it might verify the version).
     • Python (e.g., 3.11): Required for some development tasks and potential MCPs.
     • Ollama (Optional): If you plan to use local Large Language Models.
     • Bun (Optional): Used for running some MCPs via bunx.
   • If any mandatory tool is missing or an incorrect version is detected, sylphx-coding install will attempt to automatically install or update it using winget or other standard Windows installation methods. You might be prompted for administrative privileges for some installations.
   • For optional tools, you will be asked if you wish to install them.
3. MCP API Key Configuration:
   • Some MCP servers (like Brave Search for web queries, or other future services) require API keys to function.
   • The sylphx-coding install command will check the mcp_settings.json file (typically located at C:\Users\<YourUser>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\globalStorage\rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline\settings\mcp_settings.json) for these keys.
   • If a required API key is missing, you will be prompted to enter it directly in the terminal. The tool will then securely store it in the mcp_settings.json file for future use.
4. Sylphx Modes Synchronization:
   • It downloads the latest official Sylphx Mode definitions (e.g., for the 🪽 Sylphx persona) and synchronizes them with your local custom_modes.json file, ensuring your AI assistants are always up-to-date.

Important: After the sylphx-coding install command completes, especially if new tools like Docker or PowerShell were installed or updated, it's highly recommended to restart your terminal or your entire IDE (VS Code/Cursor) to ensure all environment changes are correctly applied.

Step 3: Verify Your Setup (Optional but Recommended)

After installation and restarting your terminal/IDE, you can run:

sylphx-coding check

This command will verify the installation status of the required system tools and provide a report, helping you confirm that your environment is correctly configured for AI-driven coding with Sylphx.

Next Steps

Now that you have successfully installed the Sylphx coding tool, you can proceed to learn about its basic usage and how to leverage AI capabilities for your development workflow.