The recommended install path is the npm CLI package. It vendors Python 3.12 and the Voss wheel, so you do not need to manage a Python environment just to run the harness.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18 or newer for the npm package
- Python 3.11 or newer if you install with pip or from source
- Git
- A terminal environment where Voss can run inside a repository
Recommended: npm
Alternative: pip
If you already manage Python 3.11+ yourself:
Semantic memory/search dependencies are optional because they pull heavier vector-search packages:
Source checkout
Use an editable checkout for Voss development:
Verify the CLI
voss doctor checks local harness prerequisites such as config directories, provider setup, compiler availability, and tool readiness.
Use npm i -g @vosslang/cli for normal CLI use. Use pip install -e ".[dev]" when you are changing Voss itself.
Next steps
