| name | apm-environment-setup |
| description | Installs the real Agent Package Manager (APM) CLI and scaffolds a sample repo so agents can introspect the tool, run commands, and validate manifests. Use before any CLI exploration or example verification. |
APM Environment Setup
Provides a reproducible environment in which the book's agents can install, introspect, and run
the real apm CLI. Used by apm-cli-explorer and code-verifier.
Requirements
- A shell with network access to fetch the CLI installer and sample packages.
- Git (APM resolves dependencies from git servers).
- A scratch directory kept out of version control for sample projects.
Install the CLI (Windows / PowerShell)
# from the repo root
irm https://aka.ms/apm-windows | iex
# Unix equivalent:
# curl -sSL https://aka.ms/apm-unix | sh
Each PowerShell tool call runs in a fresh process. If apm is not yet on PATH in a new shell,
re-open the shell or reference the installed binary directly.
Record the version you study
apm --version
Always note the inspected version in research/verification artifacts โ APM moves fast.
Introspection starting points
apm --help
apm install --help
apm run --help
apm audit --help
Read the top-level help and each subcommand's help to document real commands and flags. Study the
apm.yml, apm.lock.yaml, and apm-policy.yml schemas from the docs and from a generated project.
Scaffold a sample project (for hands-on introspection)
# in a scratch dir (NOT the repo)
apm init # creates apm.yml
apm install microsoft/apm-sample-package # add and resolve a real dependency
apm install # restore from apm.lock.yaml
Inspect the generated apm.yml and apm.lock.yaml to see version pinning and content hashes.
Credentials
Public packages need no tokens. For private git sources, provide host tokens via a .env
(gitignored), never in code or committed files:
GITHUB_TOKEN=...
# GITLAB_TOKEN, AZURE_DEVOPS_PAT, etc. as needed for private sources
For examples that would push or require private access, prefer public sample packages or mark
them SKIPPED-needs-network so verification stays deterministic and secret-free.
Reproducibility
Commit the apm.lock.yaml from any committed sample project so others reproduce the same setup
byte-for-byte, and record the apm --version you used.
References
