# Prerequisites for kimi-cli: Complete Installation Guide

> Install kimi-cli with ease! Learn the essential prerequisites including Python 3.12, uv, Git, and Make needed for a smooth setup. Get started with our complete guide.

- Repository: [Moonshot AI/kimi-cli](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-07-26

---

**To install and run kimi-cli, you need Python 3.12 or newer, the uv package manager, Git, and Make installed on your system.**

The kimi-cli repository from MoonshotAI is a modern Python-based AI terminal agent that requires specific tooling to build from source or run in development mode. Understanding the prerequisites for kimi-cli ensures you can execute the `make prepare` and `uv run` commands documented in the README. This guide covers every required and optional dependency based on the project's [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/pyproject.toml) and build configuration.

## Core Prerequisites

These four components are mandatory for cloning, building, and running kimi-cli from the GitHub repository.

### Python 3.12 or Newer

The codebase requires **Python 3.12+** to run, with the project tooling currently configured for Python 3.14 as specified in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/pyproject.toml). The core logic uses modern Python features that are not available in earlier versions.

Install Python via the official installer or use a version manager like `pyenv`. Verify your version before proceeding:

```bash
python --version  # Must output 3.12.x or higher

```

### uv Package Manager

**uv** handles all dependency management for this project. According to the source code, the `make prepare` command executes `uv sync` to install dependencies, and the README instructs users to run `uv run …` for executing CLI commands.

Install uv via pip or follow the official Astral documentation:

```bash
pip install uv

```

### Git and Make

**Git** is required to clone the repository (`git clone https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli.git`), while **Make** provides the build automation targets defined in the project's `Makefile`. The README references `make prepare`, `make test`, and `make format` commands for development workflows.

On macOS and Linux, Make is usually pre-installed. Windows users should use WSL or install GNU Make.

## Optional Prerequisites

These components are only necessary for specific features or development tasks.

### Node.js and npm

You only need **Node.js** and **npm** if you intend to rebuild the web UI. The `make build-web` target requires a Node-based build step to compile the frontend assets. This is not required for standard CLI usage.

Install Node.js from the official website or via your package manager.

### Zsh Shell

If you want shell-mode integration, install the `zsh-kimi-cli` plugin. This requires the **Zsh** shell and a plugin manager like Oh My Zsh. This integration is optional and only affects the interactive shell experience.

## Installation Workflow

Once you have the core prerequisites for kimi-cli installed, follow these steps to set up the development environment:

1. **Clone the repository**:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli.git
cd kimi-cli

```

2. **Prepare the environment**:

```bash
make prepare

```

This command executes `uv sync` to install all Python dependencies defined in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/pyproject.toml).

3. **Run the CLI**:

```bash
uv run kimi

```

Alternatively, if you added the entry point to your PATH, you can run `kimi` directly.

### PyPI Installation (No Development)

If you only need the binary without cloning the repository:

```bash
pip install uv
uv pip install kimi-cli
kimi --help

```

## Key Source Files

Understanding these files helps verify that your environment meets the prerequisites for kimi-cli:

- **[`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/pyproject.toml)**: Declares the Python version requirement (3.12+) and defines the CLI entry point as `[tool.poetry.scripts] kimi = "kimi_cli.__main__:main"`.
- **[`src/kimi_cli/cli/__init__.py`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/cli/__init__.py)**: Contains the Typer-based CLI entry point that parses flags and dispatches to the `KimiCLI` class.
- **[`src/kimi_cli/app.py`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/src/kimi_cli/app.py)**: Handles core application bootstrap logic, loading configuration and selecting the LLM provider.
- **`Makefile`**: Defines build targets including `prepare`, `format`, `test`, and `build-web`.

## Verifying Your Setup

Confirm all components are correctly installed:

```bash
python --version    # Check for 3.12+

uv --version        # Verify uv installation

git --version       # Confirm Git availability

make --version      # Check Make installation

```

If all commands return version numbers, your system satisfies the prerequisites for running kimi-cli.

## Summary

- **Python 3.12 or newer** is mandatory, with tooling configured for Python 3.14 in the repository.
- The **uv** package manager is required for dependency synchronization via `uv sync` and execution via `uv run`.
- **Git** and **Make** are necessary for cloning the repository and running build commands like `make prepare`.
- **Node.js** is only required if rebuilding the web UI via `make build-web`.
- Entry point configuration in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/pyproject.toml) maps the `kimi` command to `kimi_cli.__main__:main`.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do I need Python 3.12 specifically, or will older versions work?

You need **Python 3.12 or newer**. The source code in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/MoonshotAI/kimi-cli/blob/main/pyproject.toml) explicitly requires Python 3.12+, and the project tooling is configured for Python 3.14. Earlier versions will fail to run the CLI due to dependencies on modern Python features.

### Can I use pip instead of uv to install kimi-cli?

While you can install the pre-built package from PyPI using `pip install kimi-cli`, the **development workflow requires uv**. The `make prepare` command specifically calls `uv sync` to manage dependencies, and the README recommends `uv run …` for executing the CLI in development mode.

### Is Node.js required to use the basic CLI functionality?

**No**. Node.js and npm are only required if you want to rebuild the web UI using the `make build-web` command. The core `kimi` CLI functionality works without any Node.js installation.

### How do I check if all prerequisites for kimi-cli are installed correctly?

Run `python --version`, `uv --version`, `git --version`, and `make --version` in your terminal. All commands should return version numbers indicating 3.12+ for Python. If these succeed, you can run `make prepare` in the repository directory to verify the full toolchain works together.