Developer Setup Guide for no-mistakes: Binary Install and Source Build Instructions

The no-mistakes repository provides comprehensive setup guides for developers covering binary installation via install scripts, building from source using Make targets, and verifying environments with the doctor command.

If you are contributing to no-mistakes or integrating it into your workflow, several official resources outline the complete developer onboarding experience. These setup guides for developers live in the repository's documentation site and README, detailing everything from one-line installers to the full test suite and skill regeneration pipeline.

Installing the Binary

The fastest way to start developing with no-mistakes is to install a pre-built binary. According to the source code in docs/src/content/docs/start-here/installation.md, you have three cross-platform options.

curl Installer (macOS and Linux)

Run the official installer script to place the binary in ~/.no-mistakes/bin and create a symlink in your user-wide bin directory:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/main/docs/install.sh | sh

PowerShell Installer (Windows)

Windows developers can use the PowerShell equivalent to install the binary and configure the background service.

Go Install

If you have Go installed, fetch the latest version directly:

go install github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/cmd/no-mistakes@latest

Building from Source

For developers modifying the core logic or adding new agent skills, building from source is required. The Makefile at the repository root defines the relevant targets.

Clone the repository and use the build pipeline:

git clone git@github.com:kunchenguid/no-mistakes.git
cd no-mistakes
make build     # produces ./bin/no-mistakes

make install   # installs binary and configures daemon

The make install target automatically restarts the background daemon using the platform-native service manager—launchd on macOS, systemd user service on Linux, or Task Scheduler on Windows.

Verifying Your Environment

Before writing code, confirm that supported agent runners (Claude, Codex, Rovo Dev, etc.) and provider CLIs (gh, glab, az) are accessible:

no-mistakes doctor

This command, documented in the installation prerequisites section, validates that your local environment meets all runtime dependencies.

Development Workflow and Testing

The Development section of README.md outlines the standard commands for maintaining code quality and running tests.

Code Quality and Formatting

• make fmt – Auto-format the entire codebase.
• make lint – Run static analysis and skill-drift checks.

Running the Test Suite

• make test – Execute unit and integration tests via go test -race ./....
• make e2e – Run the end-to-end suite located in internal/e2e/. This requires the e2e build tag and functioning agent runners.

Regenerating Skills

When modifying agent capabilities in internal/skill/skill.go, regenerate the generated skill files:

make skill

Documentation

Rebuild the Astro documentation site locally with:

make docs

Initialization and Gate Setup

To set up the no-mistakes gate for a repository you own (or a fork), initialize the configuration:

no-mistakes init --fork-url git@github.com:yourname/no-mistakes.git

Refer to CONTRIBUTING.md for the workflow required when submitting changes through the gate.

Updating and Uninstalling

Maintain your development installation using the CLI's built-in update mechanism:

• no-mistakes update – Upgrade to the latest stable release.
• no-mistakes update --beta – Install the latest beta version.
• no-mistakes eject – Remove the gate from a repository and delete associated state files.

Uninstallation scripts are also documented in docs/src/content/docs/start-here/installation.md under the "Uninstall" section.

Summary

• Quick start: Use the curl script or go install for immediate binary access; use make build and make install for source builds.
• Environment check: Run no-mistakes doctor to validate agent runners and provider CLI dependencies.
• Development cycle: Use make fmt, make lint, make test, and make e2e to maintain code quality.
• Skill development: Edit internal/skill/skill.go and run make skill to regenerate agent capabilities.
• Service management: The installer configures platform-native daemons (launchd, systemd, or Task Scheduler) automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install no-mistakes for local development?

You can install a binary quickly using the curl installer script or go install github.com/kunchenguid/no-mistakes/cmd/no-mistakes@latest. For development work, clone the repository and run make build followed by make install to compile from source and configure the background daemon.

What Make targets are available for testing?

The Makefile provides make test for unit and integration tests with race detection enabled, and make e2e for end-to-end tests that require the e2e build tag. Additionally, make lint performs static analysis and skill-drift validation.

How do I verify that my development environment is configured correctly?

Execute no-mistakes doctor to check for supported agent runners (Claude, Codex, Rovo Dev) and required provider CLIs such as gh, glab, and az. This command confirms prerequisites before you begin development.

How do I contribute to no-mistakes?

Contributions must flow through the no-mistakes gate as outlined in CONTRIBUTING.md. Initialize the gate in your fork using no-mistakes init --fork-url <your-fork>, then follow the skill-based workflow defined in the contributing guide.

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