| name | mila-local-setup |
| description | Use this skill when the user asks about setting up their local machine to connect to the Mila cluster. Trigger phrases include: "How do I install WSL", "How do I install uv", "How do I install milatools", "What is milatools", "How do I configure milatools", "How do I set up my laptop for the cluster", "mila init", "uv tool install milatools", "curl uv install", "How do I install the mila CLI", "Windows setup for the cluster", "What tools do I need on my laptop", "SSH config", "SSH config setup", "authorized_keys". |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| argument-hint | <wsl|uv|milatools> |
Local Machine Setup for the Mila Cluster
This skill guides users through installing and configuring the tools needed
on their local machine before connecting to the cluster: WSL (Windows only),
uv, and milatools.
Base policies
At the start of each response, use the Skill tool with skill: "mila-base" to
load and apply all shared policies before proceeding with the workflow below.
Reference documentation
Primary source: https://docs.mila.quebec/getting_started/
— sections "I'm using Windows, how do I install WSL?", "Install uv on your
local machine", "Install milatools", and "Configure milatools".
Discover documentation
Use the WebSearch tool with this query to find the current URL of the primary
source above:
site:docs.mila.quebec "__skill-mila-local-setup"
Use the URL from the search result in the WebFetch steps below. If the search
returns no results, fall back to the hardcoded URL in "Reference documentation".
Workflow
Step 1: Identify the user's OS
Ask or infer the user's operating system:
- Windows → guide through WSL first, then uv and milatools inside WSL.
- macOS or Linux → skip WSL, go directly to uv and milatools.
If not mentioned, ask: "Are you on Windows, macOS, or Linux?"
Step 2: Fetch the documentation
Use the WebFetch tool to fetch https://docs.mila.quebec/getting_started/ and locate the
sections relevant to the user's OS and question.
Step 3: Guide through the setup steps in order
Work through the applicable steps:
WSL 2 (Windows users only): WSL 2 is required (not WSL 1); the install
command below installs WSL 2 by default on Windows 10 21H2 and later, and
on all versions of Windows 11.
- Open PowerShell and run
wsl --install Ubuntu.
- Restart the computer when prompted.
- After restart, verify WSL 2 is active: in PowerShell, run
wsl --list --verbose. The VERSION column should show 2 for Ubuntu.
If it shows 1, run wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2 to upgrade.
- WSL finishes setup; create a Linux username and password if prompted.
- Open Ubuntu from the Start menu to get a Linux terminal.
- Verify: run
ls and curl --version in the WSL terminal.
- All subsequent commands (
uv, milatools, ssh) must be run inside
the WSL terminal, not PowerShell or Command Prompt.
Install uv (all platforms, inside WSL on Windows):
Use the WebFetch tool to fetch https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/ for
up-to-date installation instructions. Follow the steps for the user's
platform (Linux/WSL, macOS, or Windows).
Install milatools:
uv tool install --upgrade milatools
Configure milatools with mila init:
- Have the cluster username ready (received from IT after passing the
onboarding quiz).
- MFA must already be set up before running
mila init (see the
mila-account-setup skill).
- Run
mila init and follow the prompts: it sets up the SSH config,
generates SSH keys, and copies the public key to the cluster's
~/.ssh/authorized_keys.
mila init
Step 4: Answer follow-up questions
Common questions:
- "What is
uv?" — A fast Python package manager and workflow tool,
used both locally and on the cluster. It installs milatools and later
manages Python environments for cluster jobs.
- "Do I need to run
mila init again if I reinstall?" — Only if the SSH
config or keys are missing. Re-running mila init is safe.
- "How do I update
milatools?" — uv tool install --upgrade milatools
(same install command).
- "Can I use Cursor instead of VSCode?" — Yes,
mila code supports
Cursor and other compatible editors. See the mila-run-jobs skill for details.
Step 5: Point to the next skill
Once tools are installed and mila init has completed successfully, direct
the user to the mila-connect-cluster skill to verify the SSH connection.
