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Install Babel from source

Babel is not published as an npm package. Windows users can choose the checksummed Desktop assets on Get Babel; the bundle includes the CLI and its Node runtime. See Desktop for provider setup and distribution limits. For a source install, follow the steps below. Install commands that fetch a babel/babel-harness package from the npm registry are not Babel Harness.

1. Clone and build

Section titled “1. Clone and build”

PowerShell:

Terminal window
git clone https://github.com/gthgomez/Babel.git
cd Babel
npm --prefix .\babel-cli ci
npm --prefix .\babel-cli run build

macOS / Linux:

Terminal window
git clone https://github.com/gthgomez/Babel.git
cd Babel
npm --prefix ./babel-cli ci && npm --prefix ./babel-cli run build

The authoritative package root is babel-cli/ — the repository has no root package.json. After the build, commands run as node .\babel-cli\dist\index.js (or node ./babel-cli/dist/index.js) from the repository root. babel is not assumed to be on PATH.

2. Verify the build

Section titled “2. Verify the build”

Run the no-key diagnostic — it intentionally reports missing prerequisites and does not need a provider key:

Terminal window
node .\babel-cli\dist\index.js doctor

Expected state: the command runs and prints environment findings. Missing provider keys or Docker are legitimate findings at this stage, not failures of the install. Exit zero is not the only legitimate documented outcome.

3. What about Desktop?

Section titled “3. What about Desktop?”

The Windows x64 bundle includes Desktop and the authoritative CLI. Use the currently available Setup.exe or portable ZIP listed on Get Babel and verify its SHA256 before running it. Setup installs for the current user and adds a Start Menu shortcut and uninstall entry. Packages remain unsigned, and automatic in-place updates are unavailable. See Desktop for setup and qualification limits.

Requirements recap

Section titled “Requirements recap”
Requirement Needed for
Node.js 22.19+ (22.x) or 24.13.1+ (24.x) Building and running the CLI
Git Cloning the source
A provider API key Model-backed sessions (not for inspecting the harness)
Docker + sandbox image, or an isolation decision Mutating work under the default safe_repo profile