Installer Internals

Installer internals

RemoteClaw ships three installer scripts, served from remoteclaw.org.

Script	Platform	What it does
install.sh	macOS / Linux / WSL	Installs Node if needed, installs RemoteClaw via npm (default) or git, and can run onboarding.
install-cli.sh	macOS / Linux / WSL	Installs Node + RemoteClaw into a local prefix (~/.remoteclaw). No root required.
install.ps1	Windows (PowerShell)	Installs Node if needed, installs RemoteClaw via npm (default) or git, and can run onboarding.

Quick commands

install.sh

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash -s -- --help

install-cli.sh

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install-cli.sh | bash

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --help

install.ps1

iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1 | iex

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1))) -Tag beta -NoOnboard -DryRun

If install succeeds but remoteclaw is not found in a new terminal, see Node.js troubleshooting.

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install.sh

Recommended for most interactive installs on macOS/Linux/WSL.

Flow (install.sh)

1. Detect OS

   Supports macOS and Linux (including WSL). If macOS is detected, installs Homebrew if missing.

2. Ensure Node.js 22+

   Checks Node version and installs Node 22 if needed (Homebrew on macOS, NodeSource setup scripts on Linux apt/dnf/yum).

3. Ensure Git

   Installs Git if missing.

4. Install RemoteClaw

   • npm method (default): global npm install
   • git method: clone/update repo, install deps with pnpm, build, then install wrapper at ~/.local/bin/remoteclaw

5. Post-install tasks

   • Runs remoteclaw doctor --non-interactive on upgrades and git installs (best effort)
   • Attempts onboarding when appropriate (TTY available, onboarding not disabled, and bootstrap/config checks pass)
   • Defaults SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1

Source checkout detection

If run inside an RemoteClaw checkout (package.json + pnpm-workspace.yaml), the script offers:

• use checkout (git), or
• use global install (npm)

If no TTY is available and no install method is set, it defaults to npm and warns.

The script exits with code 2 for invalid method selection or invalid --install-method values.

Examples (install.sh)

Default

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash

Skip onboarding

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard

Git install

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git

Dry run

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash -s -- --dry-run

Flags reference

Flag	Description
--install-method npm|git	Choose install method (default: npm). Alias: --method
--npm	Shortcut for npm method
--git	Shortcut for git method. Alias: --github
--version <version|dist-tag>	npm version or dist-tag (default: latest)
--beta	Use beta dist-tag if available, else fallback to latest
--git-dir <path>	Checkout directory (default: ~/remoteclaw). Alias: --dir
--no-git-update	Skip git pull for existing checkout
--no-prompt	Disable prompts
--no-onboard	Skip onboarding
--onboard	Enable onboarding
--dry-run	Print actions without applying changes
--verbose	Enable debug output (set -x, npm notice-level logs)
--help	Show usage (-h)

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
REMOTECLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm	Install method
REMOTECLAW_VERSION=latest|next|<semver>	npm version or dist-tag
REMOTECLAW_BETA=0|1	Use beta if available
REMOTECLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>	Checkout directory
REMOTECLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0|1	Toggle git updates
REMOTECLAW_NO_PROMPT=1	Disable prompts
REMOTECLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1	Skip onboarding
REMOTECLAW_DRY_RUN=1	Dry run mode
REMOTECLAW_VERBOSE=1	Debug mode
REMOTECLAW_NPM_LOGLEVEL=error|warn|notice	npm log level
SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0|1	Control sharp/libvips behavior (default: 1)

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install-cli.sh

Designed for environments where you want everything under a local prefix (default ~/.remoteclaw) and no system Node dependency.

Flow (install-cli.sh)

1. Install local Node runtime

   Downloads Node tarball (default 22.22.0) to <prefix>/tools/node-v<version> and verifies SHA-256.

2. Ensure Git

   If Git is missing, attempts install via apt/dnf/yum on Linux or Homebrew on macOS.

3. Install RemoteClaw under prefix

   Installs with npm using --prefix <prefix>, then writes wrapper to <prefix>/bin/remoteclaw.

Examples (install-cli.sh)

Default

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install-cli.sh | bash

Custom prefix + version

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --prefix /opt/remoteclaw --version latest

Automation JSON output

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --json --prefix /opt/remoteclaw

Run onboarding

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --onboard

Flags reference

Flag	Description
--prefix <path>	Install prefix (default: ~/.remoteclaw)
--version <ver>	RemoteClaw version or dist-tag (default: latest)
--node-version <ver>	Node version (default: 22.22.0)
--json	Emit NDJSON events
--onboard	Run remoteclaw onboard after install
--no-onboard	Skip onboarding (default)
--set-npm-prefix	On Linux, force npm prefix to ~/.npm-global if current prefix is not writable
--help	Show usage (-h)

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
REMOTECLAW_PREFIX=<path>	Install prefix
REMOTECLAW_VERSION=<ver>	RemoteClaw version or dist-tag
REMOTECLAW_NODE_VERSION=<ver>	Node version
REMOTECLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1	Skip onboarding
REMOTECLAW_NPM_LOGLEVEL=error|warn|notice	npm log level
REMOTECLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>	Legacy cleanup lookup path (used when removing old Peekaboo submodule checkout)
SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0|1	Control sharp/libvips behavior (default: 1)

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install.ps1

Flow (install.ps1)

1. Ensure PowerShell + Windows environment

   Requires PowerShell 5+.

2. Ensure Node.js 22+

   If missing, attempts install via winget, then Chocolatey, then Scoop.

3. Install RemoteClaw

   • npm method (default): global npm install using selected -Tag
   • git method: clone/update repo, install/build with pnpm, and install wrapper at %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\remoteclaw.cmd

4. Post-install tasks

   Adds needed bin directory to user PATH when possible, then runs remoteclaw doctor --non-interactive on upgrades and git installs (best effort).

Examples (install.ps1)

Default

iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1 | iex

Git install

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git

Custom git directory

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git -GitDir "C:\remoteclaw"

Dry run

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1))) -DryRun

Debug trace

# install.ps1 has no dedicated -Verbose flag yet.
Set-PSDebug -Trace 1
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard
Set-PSDebug -Trace 0

Flags reference

Flag	Description
-InstallMethod npm|git	Install method (default: npm)
-Tag <tag>	npm dist-tag (default: latest)
-GitDir <path>	Checkout directory (default: %USERPROFILE%\remoteclaw)
-NoOnboard	Skip onboarding
-NoGitUpdate	Skip git pull
-DryRun	Print actions only

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
REMOTECLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm	Install method
REMOTECLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>	Checkout directory
REMOTECLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1	Skip onboarding
REMOTECLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0	Disable git pull
REMOTECLAW_DRY_RUN=1	Dry run mode

If -InstallMethod git is used and Git is missing, the script exits and prints the Git for Windows link.

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CI and automation

Use non-interactive flags/env vars for predictable runs.

install.sh (non-interactive npm)

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-prompt --no-onboard

install.sh (non-interactive git)

REMOTECLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git REMOTECLAW_NO_PROMPT=1 \
  curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash

install-cli.sh (JSON)

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --json --prefix /opt/remoteclaw

install.ps1 (skip onboarding)

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard

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Troubleshooting

Why is Git required?

Git is required for git install method. For npm installs, Git is still checked/installed to avoid spawn git ENOENT failures when dependencies use git URLs.

Why does npm hit EACCES on Linux?

Some Linux setups point npm global prefix to root-owned paths. install.sh can switch prefix to ~/.npm-global and append PATH exports to shell rc files (when those files exist).

sharp/libvips issues

The scripts default SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1 to avoid sharp building against system libvips. To override:

SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0 curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://remoteclaw.org/install.sh | bash

Windows:

Install Git for Windows, reopen PowerShell, rerun installer.

Windows:

Run npm config get prefix, append \bin, add that directory to user PATH, then reopen PowerShell.

Windows: how to get verbose installer output

install.ps1 does not currently expose a -Verbose switch. Use PowerShell tracing for script-level diagnostics:

Set-PSDebug -Trace 1
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://remoteclaw.org/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard
Set-PSDebug -Trace 0

remoteclaw not found after install

Usually a PATH issue. See Node.js troubleshooting.