MoonshotAI / MoonshotAI/kimi-cli
[Docs] README "Development" section is missing a prerequisite list
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Description
Summary
The README's ## Development section opens with make prepare, but neither the README nor CONTRIBUTING.md lists the prerequisites a contributor needs to have installed first. New contributors hit one of:
make: command not found(Windows users without WSL or a build-tools install)uv: command not found(no link in the dev section to the install instructions used in the user-install section)make build-webfailing because Node.js / npm aren't installed (mentioned only inline in thebuild-webbullet)- on Windows, the agent's Shell tool refuses to start because Git Bash isn't installed (
src/kimi_cli/utils/environment.py'sGitBashNotFoundError— easy to hit while testing your changes) - general confusion about whether you
pip installsomething or rely on uv to manage the venv
Proposed fix
Add a "Prerequisites" subsection at the top of ## Development (and ideally mirror it in CONTRIBUTING.md):
### Prerequisites
- **uv** ≥ 0.8 — package + venv manager. Install: https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/
- **Python 3.14** — pinned by `.python-version`; uv will install it for you on first `uv sync` if missing. (`pyproject.toml` accepts `>=3.12`, but 3.14 matches the lockfile / CI environment.)
- **make** — runs the build/test targets in `Makefile`. Most Linux/macOS already have it; Windows users need WSL or a `make` from MSYS2 / chocolatey.
- **Node.js ≥ 20 + npm** — only required if you'll run `make build-web` or `make build` (the latter embeds the web UI).
- **Git Bash (Windows only)** — kimi-cli's agent requires `bash.exe` from Git for Windows; without it, the Shell tool will not start. Install via https://git-scm.com/download/win.
- **Nix (optional)** — a `flake.nix` is provided. `nix develop` drops you into a shell with all of the above.
Then make the existing make prepare line the second step.
Why
Lowers contributor friction. Today, new contributors have to read the Makefile, pyproject.toml, .python-version, and src/kimi_cli/utils/environment.py to figure out what they need — and the Windows + Git Bash requirement is genuinely surprising the first time you hit it.
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the README's ## Development section and compare its setup steps with CONTRIBUTING.md. Check the Makefile, pyproject.toml, .python-version, and src/kimi_cli/utils/environment.py references named in the issue. Done means both contributor guides clearly list the prerequisites, platform-specific Git Bash note, and the existing make prepare step in the right order.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- git, nodejs, python
- Domain
- cli, documentation
- Issue type
- Documentation
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Estimated time
- 1-3 hours
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Clearly specified
- Newbie friendliness
- 84/100