| name | cgg-install |
| description | Install the `cgg` call-graph CLI on the user's machine. Trigger when the user says "install cgg", "set up cgg", "I don't have cgg", "how do I get cgg", or when another skill (like the `cgg` skill) reports `cgg` is not on PATH and the user wants it installed. Handles bootstrapping Rust via rustup if missing, the C toolchain check that tree-sitter grammars need, choosing between `cargo install --git` (end-user) and a clone-based dev install, PATH setup for `~/.cargo/bin`, and a post-install verification. Walks the user through each step rather than running long-running installs without confirmation. |
cgg-install — install cgg from source
cgg is distributed as a Rust crate (no prebuilt binaries today), so
installing it means compiling it. This skill is the procedure for
doing that on a machine that may not have Rust set up.
Total build time on a clean machine: ~3–8 minutes depending on CPU.
Most of that is one-time tree-sitter grammar compilation.
Prerequisites — check before installing
Run these checks first. Do not start the install until every
prerequisite is green or the user has confirmed the bootstrap step.
command -v cargo && cargo --version
command -v rustc && rustc --version
command -v git && git --version
command -v cc || command -v gcc || command -v clang
The Rust check is the one most often missing. The C toolchain check
is the one most often missed until the build fails 4 minutes in
with a linker 'cc' not found error — check it up front.
Step 1 — Install Rust if missing
If cargo is not on PATH, propose installing via rustup:
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y
. "$HOME/.cargo/env"
Stop and ask the user before running this if they didn't already
explicitly opt in. It writes to ~/.cargo and ~/.rustup, modifies
shell rc files, and pulls down ~300 MB. Not something to do silently.
After installation:
- The user needs to either restart their shell or
source $HOME/.cargo/env so cargo is on PATH for the current session.
- Verify:
rustc --version should report 1.85 or newer. If older,
run rustup update stable.
Windows: rustup has its own installer (rustup-init.exe) — point
the user to https://rustup.rs and pause.
Step 2 — Install the C toolchain if missing
tree-sitter grammars are shipped as C source and compiled at install
time. If no C compiler is found:
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install build-essential
- Fedora/RHEL:
sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"
- Arch:
sudo pacman -S base-devel
- macOS:
xcode-select --install (CLT only; full Xcode not needed)
- Windows: install the "C++ build tools" workload of Visual Studio
Build Tools, or use the
gnu Rust toolchain plus MSYS2's gcc.
Again, stop and ask before invoking sudo. The user may want to
run the package manager command themselves.
Step 3 — Install cgg
Two install paths. Pick based on what the user wants:
3a. End-user install (recommended)
The user just wants the cgg binary on PATH.
cargo install --git https://github.com/NeuralNotwerk/cgg --locked
Notes:
--locked uses the committed Cargo.lock for reproducible builds.- The binary lands in
~/.cargo/bin/cgg.
- Re-running this command upgrades to the latest commit on the
default branch.
- First-time build pulls ~40 grammar crates and takes several
minutes. Don't cancel.
3b. Developer install
The user wants a local clone (to read source, file PRs, run the
benchmark script, etc.).
git clone https://github.com/NeuralNotwerk/cgg.git
cd cgg
cargo install --path crates/cgg --locked
Same destination (~/.cargo/bin/cgg), but they keep the source tree
for ./scripts/benchmark.sh, ./scripts/install-skill.sh, and so on.
Step 4 — Verify PATH
If cargo install finishes but cgg is not found:
ls ~/.cargo/bin/cgg
echo $PATH | tr ':' '\n' | grep -F "$HOME/.cargo/bin"
If ~/.cargo/bin isn't on PATH, the rustup installer normally adds a
line to the shell rc, but a restart may be needed. Permanent fix:
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
fish_add_path "$HOME/.cargo/bin"
Then source the rc file or open a new shell.
Step 5 — Verify the install
cgg --help
cgg --version 2>/dev/null || true
For a real smoke test, run cgg against itself if the user has the
source tree:
cgg ./crates --filter 'cgg::run$' -n 1
A few lines of mermaid output means everything works.
Step 6 — Offer to install the skills
If the user did the developer install (clone), there's a companion
script:
./scripts/install-skill.sh
It installs the cgg and cgg-install skills into Claude Code,
Kiro, Cline, Roo Code, and/or OpenCode if they're detected. Ask
before running it.
Common failures and fixes
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|
error: linker 'cc' not found | No C toolchain | Step 2 above |
error: rustc 1.x.x is not supported | Rust too old | rustup update stable |
Build hangs/fails on a tree-sitter-* crate | OOM on small machines (each grammar compile is RAM-heavy) | cargo install ... -j 2 to limit parallelism |
cgg: command not found after install | ~/.cargo/bin not on PATH | Step 4 above |
error: failed to compile … tree-sitter-… on Windows MSVC | Missing C++ build tools | Install VS Build Tools "C++ build tools" workload |
Permission denied writing to ~/.cargo | ~/.cargo owned by root from a previous sudo cargo | sudo chown -R "$USER" ~/.cargo ~/.rustup |
Things to NOT do
- Don't
sudo cargo install. It installs into root's home and
leaves the user's ~/.cargo perms broken. cargo install is meant
to run as the user.
- Don't suggest a system package manager (
apt install cgg, brew install cgg). No such package exists today.
- Don't try to half-install by downloading individual files or
building a single crate — the workspace needs to build together.
- Don't run the install non-interactively (no
< /dev/null,
no piping yes). Build errors need to surface; the user may need
to make platform-specific decisions mid-install.
Uninstall
cargo uninstall cgg
rm -rf /path/to/cgg
cargo install does not pollute outside ~/.cargo/bin/cgg and
~/.cargo/registry/ cache.
