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Getting Started with Human Compiler

This guide walks you through everything you need to go from a fresh machine to running Human Compiler and putting its generated skills to work.

Step 1: Install Claude Code​

Human Compiler runs on top of Claude Code, Anthropic's agentic coding assistant for the terminal. You'll need a paid Anthropic account (Claude Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise, or API Console) — the free plan does not include Claude Code access.

macOS / Linux (Recommended)​

The native installer is the simplest path. It requires no Node.js and auto-updates in the background:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows​

Open PowerShell (not CMD) and run:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Windows requirement

Claude Code on Windows requires Git for Windows. Install it first from git-scm.com if you don't already have it.

macOS via Homebrew​

brew install --cask claude-code
Homebrew users

Homebrew installations do not auto-update. Run brew upgrade claude-code periodically to stay current.

Verify the installation​

claude --version

You should see the current version number printed in your terminal. If you see command not found, restart your terminal and try again.

Authenticate​

On first launch, Claude Code will prompt you to log in via your browser:

claude

Follow the browser prompts to connect your Anthropic account.

Step 2: Download Human Compiler from Git​

Clone the Human Compiler repository to your local machine:

git clone https://github.com/your-org/human-compiler.git
cd human-compiler
No Git installed?

Download and install Git from git-scm.com, then re-run the command above.

If the repository is private, make sure you have access and are authenticated with GitHub. You can use SSH:

git clone git@github.com:your-org/human-compiler.git

Step 3: Launch Human Compiler​

From inside the cloned directory, start Human Compiler through Claude Code:

cd human-compiler
claude

Claude Code will load the project context automatically. Once the session starts, kick off the Human Compiler workflow by typing:

/run human-compiler

Human Compiler will initialize and begin its interactive interview session.

Step 4: Follow the Questions​

Human Compiler works by asking you a series of focused questions to understand the skill it should generate. Here's what to expect:

What the interview covers​

PhaseWhat it asks
GoalWhat should this skill accomplish?
ContextWhat kind of project or codebase will use it?
ConstraintsAny limitations, libraries, or patterns to follow?
ExamplesSample inputs and expected outputs (optional but helpful)
Edge casesUnusual scenarios the skill should handle gracefully

Tips for better results​

  • Be specific. Instead of "parse a file," say "parse a CSV file with headers and return a list of dicts."
  • Mention your stack. If you're using Python 3.12 with Pydantic, say so — the generated skill will match your environment.
  • Provide examples when prompted. Even one concrete input/output pair significantly improves skill quality.
  • Review intermediate output. Human Compiler may show you a draft and ask for feedback before finalizing.

Answer each question and press Enter to continue. Type skip to skip an optional question, or restart to begin the interview from the top.

Step 5: Use Your Generated Skills​

Once the interview is complete, Human Compiler writes your skill to the /skills directory in your project.

Skill file structure​

skills/
├── your-skill-name/
│   ├── SKILL.md        ← Human-readable documentation
│   ├── skill.py        ← Implementation (or .ts, .js, etc.)
│   └── examples/
│       └── example_1.md

Using a skill with Claude Code​

You can invoke any generated skill directly in a Claude Code session. Navigate to your project and start a session:

cd your-project
claude

Then ask Claude to apply the skill:

Use the skill in skills/your-skill-name to process the data in /src/data.csv

Claude Code reads SKILL.md automatically for context and applies the implementation to your task.

Using skills programmatically​

Import and call the generated implementation directly in your own code:

from skills.your_skill_name.skill import run

result = run(input_data)
print(result)

Regenerating or refining a skill​

If a generated skill doesn't quite fit, re-run the interview with additional context:

/run human-compiler --refine skills/your-skill-name

Human Compiler will reload your previous answers and let you adjust any response before regenerating.

Quick Reference​

TaskCommand
Install Claude Code (macOS/Linux)curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Install Claude Code (Windows)irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Clone Human Compilergit clone https://github.com/your-org/human-compiler.git
Launch Human Compilerclaude → /run human-compiler
Refine an existing skill/run human-compiler --refine skills/<skill-name>
Update Claude Code (Homebrew)brew upgrade claude-code

Next Steps​