How to Deploy PrimeAgent: A Complete Installation and Setup Guide

Answer: Deploy PrimeAgent by running the official installer script (curl -fsSL https://app.primeintellect.ai/prime-agent/install.sh | sh), which bootstraps Node.js ≥20.6, installs the CLI globally, and optionally configures the IPython kernel—then launch with prime-agent and authenticate via /login.

PrimeAgent from PrimeIntellect-ai/prime-agent is a self-contained Node.js command-line tool that launches a long-running daemon, worker process, and IPython kernel for autonomous coding tasks. Whether you need a quick production deployment or a development environment for customizing the runtime, this guide covers every path with exact commands and source file references.

Prerequisites for PrimeAgent Deployment

Before installing, ensure your system meets these requirements:

• Node.js ≥ 20.6 (the installer installs this automatically if missing)
• curl for downloading the installer
• npm (bundled with Node)

The install.sh script handles detection and bootstrapping. If you prefer manual control, install Node 20.6+ via your system's package manager first.

Install PrimeAgent from Release (Recommended)

The production deployment path uses the signed, versioned release tarball.

Stable Channel Installation

curl -fsSL https://app.primeintellect.ai/prime-agent/install.sh | sh

This command in install.sh performs the following:

• Resolves the latest stable version
• Downloads the tarball with SHA-256 checksum verification
• Runs npm install -g to install the CLI
• Prompts to bootstrap the IPython runtime (uv, Python 3.11, ipykernel)

Beta Channel Installation

For early access features:

curl -fsSL https://app.primeintellect.ai/prime-agent/install.sh | sh -s -- beta

The -s beta flag switches the version resolution logic in install.sh to fetch pre-release builds.

Launch and Configure PrimeAgent

After installation, start the agent in any project directory:

cd /path/to/your/project
prime-agent

By default, PrimeAgent launches in interactive TUI mode. The terminal interface renders an animated splash screen and interactive panels handled by packages/tui.

Authentication

Configure your LLM provider inside the TUI:

/login

Or set environment variables before launching:

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-..."
prime-agent

Source configuration is managed in packages/ai/src/providers/ with provider abstractions defined in the ai package.

Non-Interactive One-Shot Mode

Run a single prompt without the TUI:

prime-agent -p "Summarize this codebase"

This mode skips the animated interface and streams output directly to stdout.

Deploy PrimeAgent from Source (Development)

For modifying the runtime or adding custom providers, deploy from the Git repository:

git clone https://github.com/PrimeIntellect-ai/prime-agent
cd prime-agent
npm ci
./prime-agent.sh

The prime-agent.sh entry point:

• Sets up the workspace directory
• Resolves the package location via packages/agent
• Forwards CLI arguments to the core daemon

This path preserves the monorepo structure with three runtime packages:

Package	Role	Key Entry
packages/agent	Core daemon, session manager, RPC layer	src/agent.ts
packages/ai	LLM provider abstraction, streaming logic	Provider implementations in src/providers/
packages/tui	Terminal UI, splash screen, interactive panels	Vitest build config in vitest.config.ts

Configure PATH for Stand-Alone Node

If the installer used its bundled Node binary instead of a system installation, it prompts to update your shell profile. Accepting writes:

export PATH="$HOME/.local/share/prime-agent-node/current/bin:$PATH"

Apply the change:

source ~/.bashrc    # or ~/.zshrc, ~/.config/fish/config.fish

The install.sh script detects your shell and suggests the appropriate file.

IPython Kernel Setup

PrimeAgent executes code cells through an IPython kernel. You have two setup paths:

During Installation: Answer "yes" to the bootstrap prompt in install.sh

On-Demand: The first time you run a cell command (%%bash or !cmd), the agent automatically downloads uv and provisions Python 3.11 with ipykernel.

Manual preparation is never required—the runtime handles lazy initialization.

Execute Commands from Within PrimeAgent

Once running, prefix shell commands with !:

!npm run lint
!git status

These execute through the IPython kernel's bash cell magic, with output streamed back to the TUI.

Key Source Files for Deployment

Understanding these files helps troubleshoot or extend your deployment:

• install.sh — Full installer logic, platform detection, checksum verification, and Node bootstrap
• prime-agent.sh — CLI entry point that loads the workspace and forwards arguments
• packages/agent/src/agent.ts — Core daemon implementing session creation and RPC handling
• packages/ai/src/providers/ — LLM provider implementations including streaming abstractions
• packages/coding-agent/docs/quickstart.md — End-user quick-start documentation

Summary

• Production deployment: Run the install.sh one-liner for automated Node setup and global CLI installation
• Development deployment: Clone the repository, run npm ci, and launch via ./prime-agent.sh
• Authentication: Use /login in TUI mode or set provider API keys as environment variables
• IPython kernel: Bootstraps automatically during install or on first code execution
• Core packages: agent (daemon), ai (providers), and tui (interface) form the runtime architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

What Node.js version does PrimeAgent require?

PrimeAgent requires Node.js ≥ 20.6. The install.sh script automatically downloads and installs a compatible version if your system lacks it, or uses your existing installation if sufficient.

Can I use PrimeAgent without the interactive TUI?

Yes. Pass the -p flag with your prompt for one-shot mode: prime-agent -p "your question here". This executes without launching the animated interface and returns results directly to the terminal.

How do I add a custom LLM provider to PrimeAgent?

Create a new provider file in packages/ai/src/providers/ following the existing pattern. Implement the streaming interface yielding AssistantMessageEventStream, then rebuild with npm run build. See packages/ai/README.md and existing providers like the Anthropic implementation for the full pattern.

What happens if I skip IPython kernel setup during installation?

PrimeAgent lazy-initializes the kernel on first use. When you first execute a code cell or shell command, it automatically downloads uv, installs Python 3.11, and configures ipykernel without manual intervention.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}