Setup Linux

A one-time setup of your Linux machine so the kit can build, run, and ship Android apps. You do this once per computer. Follow the steps in order — each ends with a quick check so you know it worked before moving on.

On a Mac? Use Setup macOS. On Windows? Use Setup Windows.

The fast path: install the tools below, then — after you've cloned the kit — run /kit-env-check inside it. That command verifies everything in one shot and prints the exact fix for anything missing.

Commands below use apt (Debian / Ubuntu / Mint / Pop!_OS) and ~/.bashrc. On Fedora use sudo dnf, on Arch sudo pacman -S; if your shell is zsh, edit ~/.zshrc instead. Restart your terminal (or source the file) after any environment-variable change.

What you're installing:

1. Build tools — apt packages the build needs (curl, unzip, etc.)
2. JDK 17 — the Java the build runs on
3. Android Studio — only for the SDK + emulator (you won't code in it)
4. ANDROID_HOME — tells the tools where the SDK lives
5. Node.js — runs the CLI agents (Claude Code, OpenCode, Codex); install it if you use one
6. An AI agent — Claude Code, Cursor, Antigravity, OpenCode, or Codex (runs the /kit-* commands)
7. android CLI + Android Skills — Android know-how for the agent
8. GitHub CLI (gh) — backs your app up to GitHub (used by /kit-save-to-github)
9. scrcpy (optional) — screen mirroring

💡 You do not write code in Android Studio. The kit is built entirely from the terminal via your AI agent. Android Studio is here only to download the Android SDK.

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1. Build tools

Update the package list and install the basics:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y curl unzip zip git

Verify: curl --version.

2. JDK 17

sudo apt install -y openjdk-17-jdk

Then point JAVA_HOME at it in your shell (~/.bashrc):

echo 'export JAVA_HOME="/usr/lib/jvm/java-17-openjdk-amd64"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export PATH="$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Verify: java -version → should show 17.x. (If the path above doesn't exist, find it with sudo update-alternatives --config java and use the directory it reports.)

3. Android Studio

Download from developer.android.com/studio, extract the .tar.gz, and launch it:

tar -xzf android-studio-*.tar.gz -C ~/
~/android-studio/bin/studio.sh

On first launch, open SDK Manager (the ⋮ menu next to Clone Repository → SDK Manager) and enable:

• Android 15 (API 35) — the platform
• Android SDK Command-line Tools (latest) — under the SDK Tools tab

Click Apply to download.

(No-GUI / server?) You can skip Android Studio and install the SDK with the command-line tools: download Command-line tools from the same page, unzip into $HOME/Android/Sdk/cmdline-tools/latest, then sdkmanager "platform-tools" "platforms;android-35" "build-tools;35.0.0".

4. ANDROID_HOME

Add to ~/.bashrc:

echo 'export ANDROID_HOME="$HOME/Android/Sdk"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export PATH="$ANDROID_HOME/platform-tools:$ANDROID_HOME/cmdline-tools/latest/bin:$ANDROID_HOME/emulator:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Verify: adb --version.

Emulator (optional): hardware acceleration needs KVM — sudo apt install -y qemu-kvm && sudo adduser $USER kvm, then log out and back in. Or just use a real device over USB (adb devices).

5. Node.js

The apt nodejs package is often too old. Install v18+ — the simplest is nvm:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
nvm install --lts

Verify: node --version (v18+).

6. An AI agent

Pick any one (all five run the /kit-* commands):

• Claude Code — npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, then claude to log in
• OpenCode — npm install -g opencode-ai, then opencode
• Codex — npm install -g @openai/codex, then codex
• Cursor — download the app from cursor.com
• Google Antigravity — download from antigravity.google

The CLI agents (Claude Code, OpenCode, Codex) need Node.js from the previous step; Cursor and Antigravity are standalone apps. See Requirements for what each is.

Verify (CLI agents): claude --version or opencode --version.

7. android CLI + Android Skills

Download the android CLI from developer.android.com/tools/agents, make it executable and put it on your PATH (e.g. ~/.local/bin), then:

android update
android skills add --all

Verify: android --version and android skills list.

8. GitHub CLI (gh)

gh is how the kit backs your app up to your own private GitHub repo — /kit-save-to-github uses it to create the repo and push, with no git commands for you to learn. The install depends on your distribution — use your package manager:

sudo apt install -y gh          # Debian / Ubuntu / Mint / Pop!_OS
sudo dnf install -y gh          # Fedora / RHEL
sudo zypper install -y gh       # openSUSE / SUSE
sudo pacman -S github-cli       # Arch
gh auth login

If your package manager can't find it, GitHub's repo isn't wired up yet — the exact command for every distro, plus .deb / .rpm / .tar.gz downloads, is on GitHub's official page, cli.github.com (the Install dropdown). At the login prompts pick GitHub.com → HTTPS → Login with a web browser. Verify: gh auth status.

Prefer a GUI? (optional) Official GitHub Desktop is macOS/Windows only — on Linux use gh, or the community build at github.com/shiftkey/desktop. The kit only needs gh, which /kit-save-to-github automates for you.

scrcpy (optional)

scrcpy mirrors your Android phone on your desktop — you see the screen in a window and control it with your mouse and keyboard. Great for testing and recording without picking up the device.

sudo apt install -y scrcpy

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Verify everything — /kit-env-check

Once the tools are installed and you've created your project, open it in your AI agent and run:

It checks JDK 17, ANDROID_HOME, adb, the android CLI, the Android Skills, and the optional tools — and prints the exact install command for anything still missing. Green across the board means you're ready.

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Troubleshooting

Still stuck? Run /kit-env-check — it diagnoses and prints the fix.

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Next: Creating a New Project — clone the kit and run it for the first time.