# How to Install the text-to-cad Library: A Complete Setup Guide

> Easily install the text-to-cad library with the Skills CLI. Follow our complete setup guide to quickly register all CAD agent skills for your runtime and start creating.

- Repository: [earthtojake/text-to-cad](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad)
- Tags: getting-started
- Published: 2026-09-11

---

**Install the text-to-cad library using the Skills CLI by running `npx skills add earthtojake/text-to-cad`, which registers all CAD agent skills with your runtime.**

The text-to-cad repository by earthtojake is not a traditional Python package but a collection of **agent skills** that expose CAD generation, robot-description, and fabrication functionality. Instead of `pip install`, you add these skills to your agent runtime—whether that's Skills CLI, Codex, Claude Code, or Grok Build—to enable natural-language CAD generation directly within your development environment.

## Installation Methods

The text-to-cad library supports multiple installation paths depending on your agent runtime. All methods pull from the same source repository but register the skills through different plugin systems.

### Option 1: Skills CLI (Recommended)

The Skills command-line tool is the preferred installation method. It fetches the repository, creates the appropriate skill directories under `skills/`, and registers them with any agent that supports the Skills system.

```bash
npx skills add earthtojake/text-to-cad

```

This command installs all current skills from the repository. To update existing skills or add newly introduced ones, simply re-run the same command. The alias `npx skills install earthtojake/text-to-cad` also works. According to the source code in [`README.md`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/README.md) (lines 92-99), this is the primary installation mechanism documented for general use.

### Option 2: Codex Plugin

For OpenAI Codex agent users (version 0.142.0 or later), install via the native plugin marketplace:

```bash
codex plugin marketplace add earthtojake/text-to-cad
codex plugin add cad@text-to-cad

```

### Option 3: Claude Code Plugin

If you are using Claude Code, register the repository through its plugin system:

```bash
claude plugin marketplace add earthtojake/text-to-cad
claude plugin install cad@text-to-cad

```

### Option 4: Grok Build Plugin

For Grok Build environments, install with trust verification:

```bash
grok plugin install earthtojake/text-to-cad --trust
grok plugin enable cad

```

These plugin-based installations are documented in [`README.md`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/README.md) lines 117-141, which detail how each agent runtime registers the same underlying skill set.

## What Gets Installed

Understanding the installation footprint helps troubleshoot issues and extend functionality.

### Skill Directory Structure

Each skill resides under the `skills/` directory in the repository. The primary components include:

- [`skills/cad/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/skills/cad/SKILL.md) – Defines the core CAD generation skill and its capabilities
- [`skills/cad-viewer/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/skills/cad-viewer/SKILL.md) – Provides the CAD Viewer for previewing generated geometry
- Individual skill implementations that depend on the **cadgen** distribution

### Python Dependencies

The installation automatically pulls the **cadgen** package from PyPI, which serves as the core CAD kernel. Each skill's [`requirements.txt`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/requirements.txt) pins a specific compatible version of `cadgen`, ensuring that the Python runtime has access to the underlying geometry engine required for STEP file generation and mesh operations.

### JavaScript Runtime

The CAD Viewer component relies on `cadgen-js`, documented in [`packages/cadgen-js/README.md`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/packages/cadgen-js/README.md). This JavaScript runtime installs automatically when you add the viewer skill, enabling web-based preview of generated models without manual configuration.

## Verifying Your Installation

After installation, confirm that the skills are properly registered and functional.

First, list installed skills to verify registration:

```bash
npx skills list

```

You should see entries for `cad`, `cad-viewer`, and other text-to-cad skills.

Next, test the CAD generation capability:

```bash
cadgen cad --help
cadgen cad "a simple box 100mm wide"

```

The second command generates a STEP file and, if the viewer skill is active, launches the CAD Viewer for visual validation. Successful execution confirms that both the skill registration and the `cadgen` Python backend referenced in [`skills/cad/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/skills/cad/SKILL.md) are operational.

## Updating the Library

Since text-to-cad is distributed as living agent skills rather than a version-locked package, updates are applied by re-running your original installation command:

```bash
npx skills add earthtojake/text-to-cad

```

This fetches the latest skill definitions from the main branch and updates the `cadgen` dependency if the [`requirements.txt`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/requirements.txt) has changed. For plugin-based installations, use your agent's native update command (typically `plugin update` or `plugin add` with the same identifier).

## Summary

- Install the text-to-cad library via `npx skills add earthtojake/text-to-cad` for universal compatibility with Skills-compliant agents
- Alternative installations use native plugin commands for Codex (≥0.142.0), Claude Code, and Grok Build
- The installation creates skill directories under `skills/` and automatically installs the `cadgen` Python package and `cadgen-js` runtime
- Verify functionality by running `npx skills list` and generating a test STEP file with `cadgen cad`
- Update existing installations by re-running the installation command to pull the latest skill definitions

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is text-to-cad available on PyPI?

No. The text-to-cad library is not distributed as a standalone Python package on PyPI. Instead, it is a collection of agent skills that automatically manage their Python dependencies (including the `cadgen` kernel) through the skill installation process defined in the repository's [`README.md`](https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad/blob/main/README.md).

### Can I use text-to-cad without an AI agent like Codex or Claude Code?

Yes. The Skills CLI (`npx skills`) functions independently of specific AI agents. You can install the skills using the CLI and then invoke them via the `cadgen` command-line interface directly, making the CAD generation capabilities available in standard shell environments without requiring an AI coding assistant.

### Which version of Codex supports the text-to-cad plugin?

Codex version 0.142.0 or later is required to support the plugin marketplace commands needed to install text-to-cad. Earlier versions of Codex lack the `plugin marketplace` subcommand interface necessary to register external skill repositories.

### How do I uninstall the text-to-cad library?

To remove the skills, use the reverse of your installation method: run `npx skills remove earthtojake/text-to-cad` for CLI installations, or use `codex plugin remove cad@text-to-cad`, `claude plugin uninstall cad@text-to-cad`, or `grok plugin disable cad` depending on your agent runtime configuration.