# Prerequisites to Use the AI Berkshire Project: Complete Setup Guide

> Discover the prerequisites for the AI Berkshire project. Learn what you need including compatible AI clients, Node.js, Python, and Git to get started.

- Repository: [Xbt Lin/ai-berkshire](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire)
- Tags: getting-started
- Published: 2026-07-08

---

**To run AI Berkshire, you need a compatible AI client (Claude Code or Codex), Node.js with npm, Python 3, and Git.**

AI Berkshire is an open-source investment research framework that integrates with AI coding assistants to provide financial analysis capabilities. Before executing commands like `/investment-research` or `/news-pulse`, your environment must satisfy four core dependencies documented in the repository's [`README.md`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/README.md) and installation scripts.

## Required AI Client

AI Berkshire requires either **Claude Code** (Anthropic) or **Codex** (OpenAI) to function as the execution environment for its skills.

### Claude Code (Anthropic)

Install the Claude Code global binary using npm:

```bash
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

```

Once installed, the [`scripts/install-claude-commands.sh`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/install-claude-commands.sh) script copies the skill definitions from `skills/*.md` into Claude's command directory.

### Codex (OpenAI)

For Codex users, install the client via the official install script:

```bash

# macOS / Linux

curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh

# Windows PowerShell

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -c "irm https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.ps1 | iex"

```

The [`scripts/install-codex-skills.sh`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/install-codex-skills.sh) script then generates Codex skill packages from the canonical sources, while [`scripts/install-codex-prompts.sh`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/install-codex-prompts.sh) optionally installs the slash-prompt compatibility layer.

## Node.js and npm Requirements

**Node.js ≥ 14** is mandatory because the installation workflow relies on npm to install client binaries and execute shell scripts that sync skill definitions. The [`scripts/install-claude-commands.sh`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/install-claude-commands.sh) and [`scripts/install-codex-skills.sh`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/install-codex-skills.sh) utilities both depend on Node.js being present in your PATH.

Install Node via your package manager:

```bash

# macOS

brew install node

# Ubuntu/Debian

sudo apt-get install nodejs npm

```

## Python 3 Environment

The **tool layer** (e.g., [`tools/financial_rigor.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/tools/financial_rigor.py)) is written in pure Python 3 and relies exclusively on the standard library—specifically `decimal.Decimal` for precise financial calculations. No external pip packages are required.

However, Python 3 is essential for running the utility scripts in the `scripts/` directory:

- [`scripts/sync-codex-skills.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/sync-codex-skills.py) – Regenerates Codex skill packages from markdown sources
- [`scripts/sync-claude-commands.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/sync-claude-commands.py) – Updates Claude Code command definitions

Any recent Python 3.x interpreter satisfies this requirement.

## Git and Shell Environment

You need **Git** to clone the repository and a POSIX-compatible shell (Bash on macOS/Linux or PowerShell on Windows) to run the installation scripts.

Clone the repository:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire.git
cd ai-berkshire

```

## Complete Installation Workflow

Execute these steps in order after installing the prerequisites:

```bash

# 1. Install the AI client (choose one)

# Option A: Claude Code

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

# Option B: Codex

curl -fsSL https://chatgpt.com/codex/install.sh | sh

# 2. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire.git
cd ai-berkshire

# 3. Install skill definitions

# For Claude Code users:

./scripts/install-claude-commands.sh

# For Codex users:

./scripts/install-codex-skills.sh
./scripts/install-codex-prompts.sh  # Optional: slash-prompt compatibility

# 4. Verify tool layer functionality

python3 tools/financial_rigor.py verify-market-cap \
    --price 510 --shares 9.11e9 --reported 4.65e12 --currency HKD

```

## Running Your First Skill

With all prerequisites satisfied, invoke a research command:

```bash

# Claude Code example

claude /investment-research 腾讯

# Codex example

codex investment-research 腾讯

```

## Summary

- **AI Client**: Install either Claude Code via npm or Codex via the official install script
- **Node.js**: Required version 14+ for running installation scripts and client binaries
- **Python 3**: Needed for the tool layer ([`tools/financial_rigor.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/tools/financial_rigor.py)) and sync utilities ([`scripts/sync-codex-skills.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/sync-codex-skills.py))
- **Git**: Essential for cloning the repository and updating skill definitions
- **Shell**: Bash (macOS/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows) to execute the install scripts

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Do I need to install both Claude Code and Codex?

No. You only need one compatible AI client. Choose either **Claude Code** (Anthropic) or **Codex** (OpenAI) based on your subscription. The `skills/*.md` files in the repository contain canonical definitions that work with either client through the respective installation scripts.

### Can I run AI Berkshire without Python 3?

No. While the AI client handles the conversational interface, the **tool layer** requires Python 3 to execute financial calculations. The [`tools/financial_rigor.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/tools/financial_rigor.py) script and the [`scripts/sync-codex-skills.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/scripts/sync-codex-skills.py) utility both invoke Python interpreters. However, you do not need to install any pip packages—only the standard library is used.

### What Python version is specifically required?

Any recent **Python 3.x** release works. The project uses standard library modules like `decimal.Decimal` and `argparse`, which have been stable across Python 3 versions for years. The sync scripts do not depend on external frameworks like NumPy or Pandas.

### Is Windows supported?

Yes. While the installation scripts use Bash ([`install-claude-commands.sh`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/install-claude-commands.sh)) by default, Codex users can run the PowerShell alternatives. The Python tools ([`tools/financial_rigor.py`](https://github.com/xbtlin/ai-berkshire/blob/main/tools/financial_rigor.py)) are cross-platform, and Node.js installers are available for Windows. Ensure you have Git for Windows or WSL installed to clone the repository.