# Requirements for Running awesome-claude-code: Complete Setup Guide

> Running awesome-claude-code requires Python 3.11+, PyGithub, PyYAML. Execute commands from the repository root for a seamless setup. Get started today!

- Repository: [Really Him/awesome-claude-code](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-03-24

---

**To run awesome-claude-code, you need Python 3.11 or higher, the PyGithub and PyYAML packages, and must execute all commands from the repository root where [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml) is located.**

The **awesome-claude-code** repository by hesreallyhim is a pure-Python project that generates richly-styled, multi-format README files for Claude Code resources. Understanding the **requirements for running awesome-claude-code** ensures you can successfully generate documentation, validate resource links, and render animated ticker assets without encountering dependency or path resolution errors.

## Python Version and Core Dependencies

The project enforces a strict Python version requirement to maintain compatibility with modern type hinting and async features. According to the source configuration in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml) at line 12, the interpreter must satisfy:

```toml
requires-python = ">=3.11"

```

Two core Python packages are mandatory for basic operation, as declared in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml) lines 13-14:

- **PyGithub>=2.1.1** — Enables communication with the GitHub API for repository ticker data and link validation tasks
- **PyYAML>=6.0.0** — Parses configuration files including [`acc-config.yaml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/acc-config.yaml) and the various YAML definitions in `templates/`

Install these dependencies using pip after cloning the repository:

```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Or install the package directly:

pip install .

```

## Required Repository Structure and Assets

Unlike standalone Python packages, awesome-claude-code expects to be executed from within the Git repository itself. The path resolution logic in [`scripts/readme/helpers/readme_paths.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/readme/helpers/readme_paths.py) discovers the repository root by locating [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml), so running scripts from outside the project tree will fail.

The following files and directories must remain present and unmodified at runtime:

- **`THE_RESOURCES_TABLE.csv`** — The master data source containing every listed Claude Code resource; parsed by [`scripts/resources/resource_utils.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/resources/resource_utils.py) and [`scripts/resources/sort_resources.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/resources/sort_resources.py)
- **`templates/`** — Contains Markdown templates (`README_*.template.md`), category definitions ([`categories.yaml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/categories.yaml)), and announcement configurations ([`announcements.yaml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/announcements.yaml))
- **`assets/`** — Stores SVG badges, headers, dividers, and ticker graphics generated on demand by `scripts/readme/svg_templates/`
- **[`acc-config.yaml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/acc-config.yaml)** — Defines root README style, badge metadata, and asset path rules consumed by [`scripts/readme/generate_readme.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/readme/generate_readme.py)

## Optional Development Dependencies and Tools

While not required for basic README generation, the project includes a comprehensive development toolchain defined in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml) lines 24-33. These packages support testing, linting, and code quality enforcement:

- `pytest` — Test runner for validation logic
- `ruff` — Fast Python linter and formatter
- `pre-commit` — Git hook framework for enforcing style checks
- `mypy` — Static type checker
- `requests` — HTTP library used by some utility scripts
- `python-dotenv` — Loads environment variables from `.env` files

The repository also ships a `Makefile` that wraps common commands such as `make generate`, `make add-category`, and `make validate`. While **GNU Make** is optional—you can invoke Python scripts directly—the Makefile simplifies the workflow by handling path variables and virtual environment activation automatically.

## Environment Variables for GitHub API Integration

Several scripts interact with the GitHub API to fetch repository statistics and validate external links. While the generator runs without authentication, providing a **`GITHUB_TOKEN`** environment variable prevents rate limiting and enables full functionality.

Set the token before running API-dependent scripts:

```bash
export GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
python3 scripts/ticker/fetch_repo_ticker_data.py
python3 scripts/resources/validate_links.py

```

Without this token, `make validate` and ticker generation may encounter API throttling errors, though the core README generation will still complete using cached or limited data.

## Quick Start Installation and Verification

Once Python 3.11+ is installed and the repository is cloned, verify your setup by generating the README files:

```bash

# Navigate to repository root

cd awesome-claude-code

# Install core dependencies

pip install PyGithub>=2.1.1 PyYAML>=6.0.0

# Generate all README variants (includes root README.md)

make generate

# Or invoke the Python script directly without Make:

python3 scripts/readme/generate_readme.py

```

The [`scripts/readme/generate_readme.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/readme/generate_readme.py) orchestrator loads [`acc-config.yaml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/acc-config.yaml), sorts the CSV data via [`scripts/resources/sort_resources.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/resources/sort_resources.py), creates missing SVG assets, and iterates over `STYLE_GENERATORS` to produce outputs in `README_ALTERNATIVES/` and the root [`README.md`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/README.md).

To validate that all resource links in `THE_RESOURCES_TABLE.csv` are active:

```bash
make validate

# Direct invocation:

python3 scripts/resources/validate_links.py

```

## Summary

- **Python 3.11+** is strictly required as defined in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml)
- **PyGithub** and **PyYAML** are the only mandatory runtime dependencies
- The generator must run from the repository root to locate [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml), `THE_RESOURCES_TABLE.csv`, and template files
- **Make** is optional but simplifies command execution; underlying Python scripts in `scripts/` can be called directly
- A **`GITHUB_TOKEN`** environment variable enables full GitHub API access for ticker updates and link validation, though README generation functions without it

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What Python version is required for awesome-claude-code?

Python 3.11 or higher is mandatory. The [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/pyproject.toml) file explicitly declares `requires-python = ">=3.11"` at line 12, and the code utilizes type hinting syntax and standard library features introduced in this version.

### Is GitHub API access mandatory to run the generator?

No. The core README generation functionality in [`scripts/readme/generate_readme.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/readme/generate_readme.py) operates without API credentials. However, scripts like [`scripts/ticker/fetch_repo_ticker_data.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/ticker/fetch_repo_ticker_data.py) and the validation target `make validate` require a `GITHUB_TOKEN` environment variable to avoid rate limiting and fetch fresh repository statistics.

### Can I run the scripts without using Make?

Yes. While the `Makefile` provides convenient shortcuts, you can invoke the underlying Python scripts directly from the repository root. For example, `python3 scripts/readme/generate_readme.py` performs the same generation task as `make generate`, and `python3 scripts/categories/add_category.py` handles category creation without the Make wrapper.

### Where does the resource data come from?

The master list resides in `THE_RESOURCES_TABLE.csv` at the repository root. This CSV file serves as the single source of truth for all listed resources, parsed by modules in `scripts/resources/` during the generation process. The file must be present and properly formatted with the expected header row that matches [`scripts/resources/resource_utils.py`](https://github.com/hesreallyhim/awesome-claude-code/blob/main/scripts/resources/resource_utils.py) parsing logic.