--- title: Installation and Setup | CodeWeaver Docs description: CodeWeaver is a code search engine for AI agents, designed to provide precise results that give agents exactly what they need for their tasks -- no more, no less. url: "https://docs.knitli.com/guides/installation" type: static generatedAt: "2026-04-17T17:21:09.966Z" --- # Installation and Setup [Open in ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/?q=Read%20https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F.%20I%20want%20to%20ask%20questions%20about%20it.)[Open in Claude](https://claude.ai/new?q=Read%20https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F.%20I%20want%20to%20ask%20questions%20about%20it.)[View in Markdown](/codeweaver/guides/installation.md) [Share on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F)[Share on X](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F&text=Installation%20and%20Setup)[Share on Threads](https://threads.net/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F&text=Installation%20and%20Setup)[Share on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Installation%20and%20Setup%20https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F)[Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F)[Share on Reddit](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F&title=Installation%20and%20Setup)[Share on Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com/submitlink?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F&t=Installation%20and%20Setup)[Share on Email](mailto:?subject=Installation%20and%20Setup&body=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F)[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Installation%20and%20Setup%20https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F)[Share on Telegram](https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.knitli.com%2Fcodeweaver%2Fguides%2Finstallation%2F&text=Installation%20and%20Setup) # Installation & Setup [Section titled “Installation & Setup”](#installation--setup) > **TL;DR:** This guide handles the initial installation and configuration of CodeWeaver. Use it to set up your environment and prepare your codebase for AI agent interaction. It saves time by providing a streamlined path from empty directory to “Exquisite Context.” CodeWeaver transforms your codebase into a structured, semantic search engine for AI agents. This guide walks you through the 5-minute setup process to get CodeWeaver running on your machine. --- ## 1. Prerequisites [Section titled “1. Prerequisites”](#1-prerequisites) Before installing CodeWeaver, ensure you have the following: - **Python 3.12 or 3.13:** CodeWeaver leverages modern Python features. - **`uv` Package Manager:** We recommend [uv ↗](https://astral.sh/uv) for fast, reliable dependency management. - **A Codebase:** Any local directory containing source code or documentation. --- ## 2. Install CodeWeaver [Section titled “2. Install CodeWeaver”](#2-install-codeweaver) Add CodeWeaver to your project using `uv`. This ensures that CodeWeaver and its dependencies are isolated and manageable. *Terminal window* ``` # Add CodeWeaver as a development dependencyuv add --dev code-weaver ``` --- ## 3. Initialize Your Project [Section titled “3. Initialize Your Project”](#3-initialize-your-project) The `cw init` command sets up your configuration and prepares your repository for indexing. You must choose a **Profile** during initialization. ### Option A: The Recommended Setup (Cloud + Local) [Section titled “Option A: The Recommended Setup (Cloud + Local)”](#option-a-the-recommended-setup-cloud--local) Best for production use and high-precision search. It requires a [Voyage AI API Key ↗](https://voyage.ai). *Terminal window* ``` cw init --profile recommended ``` ### Option B: The Quickstart Setup (100% Local) [Section titled “Option B: The Quickstart Setup (100% Local)”](#option-b-the-quickstart-setup-100-local) Best for privacy and offline development. It requires no API keys and runs entirely on your machine. *Terminal window* ``` cw init --profile quickstart ``` --- ## 4. Configure Your Environment [Section titled “4. Configure Your Environment”](#4-configure-your-environment) If you chose the `recommended` profile, you must provide your API keys. CodeWeaver reads these from your environment or a `.env` file in your project root. *Terminal window* ``` # Example .env fileVOYAGE_API_KEY="your-voyage-key-here"ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-anthropic-key-here" # Required for the Context Agent ``` --- ## 5. Start the Services [Section titled “5. Start the Services”](#5-start-the-services) CodeWeaver runs as a background daemon that manages indexing and serves the MCP (Model Context Protocol) interface. ### Start the Daemon [Section titled “Start the Daemon”](#start-the-daemon) This command starts the background indexer and the management server. *Terminal window* ``` cw start ``` ### Verify the Installation [Section titled “Verify the Installation”](#verify-the-installation) Run the diagnostic tool to ensure everything is configured correctly. *Terminal window* ``` cw doctor ``` --- ## 6. Next Steps [Section titled “6. Next Steps”](#6-next-steps) Now that CodeWeaver is running, you can: - **Index your code:** Run `cw index` to build your first search index. - **Search manually:** Use `cw search "your query"` to test the results. - **Connect an Agent:** Add CodeWeaver to your `.mcp.json` to give Claude or other agents exquisite context. For a deeper dive into how to customize your setup, see the [Configuration Architecture](./configuration/) guide.