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Installation

System Requirements

  • Node.js: 18.0.0 or higher
  • npm: 7.0.0 or higher (comes with Node.js)
  • Git: 2.0.0 or higher (recommended for versioned docs)

Check your versions:

Terminal window
node --version # Should be v18.0.0 or higher
npm --version # Should be 7.0.0 or higher
git --version # Should be 2.0.0 or higher

Installation Methods

Option 1: Install Globally with npm

Install Cortex TMS globally to use it across all projects:

Terminal window
npm install -g cortex-tms@2.6.0

Verify installation:

Terminal window
cortex-tms --version
# Output: 2.6.0

Usage:

Terminal window
cd your-project
cortex-tms init

Pros: Use cortex-tms command anywhere, no need to prefix with npx, fastest execution (no download on each run)

Cons: Requires global install permissions, may conflict with other versions

Option 2: Run with npx (No Installation)

Use Cortex TMS without installing it globally:

Terminal window
npx cortex-tms@2.6.0 init

Verify (will download and run):

Terminal window
npx cortex-tms@2.6.0 --version
# Output: 2.6.0

Pros: No global installation required, always run specific version, no permission issues

Cons: Slower (downloads on first run per session), must specify version each time

Tip: Create an alias for convenience:

Terminal window
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
alias cortex="npx cortex-tms@2.6.0"
# Usage:
cortex init

Option 3: Install with pnpm

If you use pnpm as your package manager:

Terminal window
pnpm add -g cortex-tms@2.6.0

Usage:

Terminal window
cortex-tms init

Pros: Faster installs with pnpm’s symlink strategy, disk space efficient, monorepo-friendly

Option 4: Install with Yarn

If you use Yarn as your package manager:

Terminal window
yarn global add cortex-tms@2.6.0

Usage:

Terminal window
cortex-tms init

Note: Ensure Yarn’s global bin is in your PATH:

Terminal window
export PATH="$(yarn global bin):$PATH"

Verifying Installation

After installation, verify Cortex TMS is working:

Terminal window
# Check version
cortex-tms --version
# View help
cortex-tms --help
# Test initialization (in a test directory)
mkdir test-project && cd test-project
cortex-tms init

You should see:

🤖 Cortex TMS - AI-Powered Project Scaffolding
? Select project type: (Use arrow keys)
❯ Basic - Essential docs only
Full - Complete scaffolding
Custom - Choose features

Troubleshooting Installation

”Command not found: cortex-tms”

Cause: npm’s global bin directory is not in your PATH.

Solution:

  1. Find npm’s global bin path:

    Terminal window
    npm config get prefix
  2. Add it to your PATH (Linux/macOS):

    Terminal window
    echo 'export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
    source ~/.bashrc
  3. For Windows PowerShell:

    Terminal window
    $env:Path += ";$(npm config get prefix)"

“Permission denied” when installing globally

Cause: npm lacks permissions to install global packages.

Solution (Option 1): Use npx instead:

Terminal window
npx cortex-tms@2.6.0 init

Solution (Option 2): Configure npm to use a user directory:

Terminal window
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
# Now install globally
npm install -g cortex-tms@2.6.0

Version mismatch or outdated version

Cause: Cached old version or multiple installations.

Solution:

  1. Uninstall all versions:

    Terminal window
    npm uninstall -g cortex-tms
  2. Clear npm cache:

    Terminal window
    npm cache clean --force
  3. Reinstall specific version:

    Terminal window
    npm install -g cortex-tms@2.6.0

Windows-specific issues

Issue: Scripts disabled in PowerShell.

Solution: Enable script execution:

Terminal window
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Updating Cortex TMS

To update to the latest version:

Terminal window
# Check current version
cortex-tms --version
# Update to latest
npm update -g cortex-tms
# Or install specific version
npm install -g cortex-tms@2.6.0

Uninstalling

To remove Cortex TMS:

Terminal window
npm uninstall -g cortex-tms

Your project files created by Cortex TMS (like CLAUDE.md, NEXT-TASKS.md) will remain untouched.

Next Steps

Now that Cortex TMS is installed:

  1. Initialize a project: Follow the Quick Start guide
  2. Customize templates: (Coming soon)
  3. Integrate with CI/CD: (Coming soon)

Getting Help