# How to Install Understand Anything: Multi-Platform Installation Guide for Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code

> Install Understand Anything on Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code easily. Follow our multi-platform guide to configure symlinks and plugin manifests using the install.sh script for seamless integration.

- Repository: [Egonex/Understand-Anything](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-06-18

---

**You can install Understand Anything across Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code using the repository's [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/install.sh) script, which configures platform-specific symlinks and plugin manifests for each environment.**

*Understand Anything* is an open-source code intelligence tool from **Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything** that provides unified LLM-driven code understanding across multiple development environments. The repository includes a unified installer that handles platform-specific configurations for Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code (via Codex), allowing you to use the same `/understand` slash commands across all three editors.

## Installing on Claude Code

For Claude Code, the installation process creates symlinks in your home directory that point to the plugin's skills and agents directories.

Run the installer with the `claude` argument:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything.git
cd Understand-Anything
./install.sh claude

```

This script creates symlinks under `~/.agents/skills/` that reference the plugin's `skills/` and `agents/` directories located in the repository. The installer reads the manifest from [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) to determine the correct configuration.

After installation, launch Claude Code and execute any of the slash commands such as `/understand` or `/understand-dashboard`. The skill runs inside your active Claude session without requiring additional API keys.

## Installing on Cursor

Cursor requires **no manual installation steps**. The IDE automatically discovers the plugin when you open the repository.

Clone the repository and open it in Cursor:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything.git
cd Understand-Anything

```

Cursor automatically detects the presence of [`.cursor-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json) and loads the plugin immediately. Unlike Claude Code, this platform does not require running [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/install.sh) or creating symlinks, as the IDE reads the descriptor directly from the repository root.

Once opened, you can start a new Claude Code session from the side-panel to access LLM-driven analysis with the same `/understand-*` commands available in other environments.

## Installing on VS Code (Codex)

For VS Code, the plugin integrates via the **Codex** extension and requires running the installer to create the expected directory layout.

Execute the installer with the `codex` argument:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything.git
cd Understand-Anything
./install.sh codex

```

This command creates the folder layout expected by the Codex extension, typically under `~/.codex/plugins/`, and generates a [`.codex-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.codex-plugin/plugin.json) file that mirrors the Claude manifest but uses the `codex` namespace.

After running the script, install the **Codex** extension in VS Code if you haven't already, then open the repository. The extension reads the generated manifest and enables the same `/understand` slash commands available in Claude Code and Cursor.

## How the Installation Script Works

The root-level [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/install.sh) script contains platform-selection logic that detects or accepts a target environment argument and creates the appropriate symlinks or configuration files.

Key behaviors include:

- **Argument handling**: Run [`./install.sh`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/./install.sh) without arguments to receive an interactive prompt, or specify `claude`, `cursor`, or `codex` to force a specific platform.
- **Symlink creation**: For Claude Code, the script creates symlinks under `~/.agents/skills/` pointing to the local `skills/` and `agents/` directories.
- **Codex preparation**: For VS Code, the script generates a [`.codex-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.codex-plugin/plugin.json) file in the appropriate user directory.
- **Update capability**: Running `./install.sh --update` pulls the latest repository changes and refreshes all symlinks and plugin descriptors.

Source file references:

- [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/install.sh) – Contains the platform-selection logic and symlink creation routines.
- [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) – The Claude Code manifest used when `./install.sh claude` executes.
- [`.cursor-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json) – The Cursor manifest that enables automatic discovery without installation.
- [`.codex-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.codex-plugin/plugin.json) – Generated by the installer for VS Code compatibility.

## Updating Your Installation

To update the plugin across any platform, run the update flag from the repository root:

```bash
./install.sh --update

```

This command pulls the latest changes from the remote repository and refreshes the symlinks for Claude Code and the plugin descriptors for VS Code. Cursor installations require no manual update, as the IDE always reads the descriptor from the current checkout.

## Summary

- **Clone once**: Use `git clone https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything.git` to obtain the repository containing all platform manifests.
- **Claude Code**: Run `./install.sh claude` to create symlinks under `~/.agents/skills/` and enable `/understand` commands.
- **Cursor**: Simply open the repository; auto-discovery via [`.cursor-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json) requires no installation script.
- **VS Code**: Run `./install.sh codex` to generate the Codex-compatible plugin layout in `~/.codex/plugins/`.
- **Unified commands**: All three platforms expose identical `/understand` and `/understand-dashboard` slash commands after setup.
- **Maintenance**: Use `./install.sh --update` to refresh Claude Code and VS Code installations; Cursor updates automatically.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does Cursor require running the install.sh script?

No. Cursor automatically discovers the plugin by reading [`.cursor-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/.cursor-plugin/plugin.json) when you open the repository. Unlike Claude Code and VS Code, Cursor does not require symlink creation or manual manifest generation, making it the simplest platform to configure.

### Where does the installer place Claude Code configuration files?

The [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/install.sh) script creates symlinks under `~/.agents/skills/` that point to the `skills/` and `agents/` directories within your local clone of the repository. This allows Claude Code to locate the plugin assets while keeping the actual files in your git-managed directory.

### Can I use the same repository clone for multiple IDEs simultaneously?

Yes. You can run `./install.sh claude` and `./install.sh codex` from the same repository clone without conflicts. The script configures each platform independently, allowing you to use Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code interchangeably with the same underlying plugin code.

### What is the difference between the .cursor-plugin and .claude-plugin directories?

The `.cursor-plugin` directory contains [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/plugin.json), which Cursor reads automatically for zero-configuration setup. The `.claude-plugin` directory contains a similar manifest that [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Egonex-AI/Understand-Anything/blob/main/install.sh) uses to create symlinks in your home directory, as Claude Code requires files to be present in specific agent paths rather than reading directly from the repository.