PactKit supports multiple AI coding tools. Every install goes through pip — there is no separate plugin or marketplace channel.
Option A: pip Install (Claude Code, OpenCode, Codex CLI)
Claude Code support ships in the core package. OpenCode and Codex CLI are opt-in extras, so install the ones you use:
pip install pactkit # Claude Code (classic)
pip install "pactkit[opencode]" # + OpenCode
pip install "pactkit[codex]" # + Codex CLI
pip install "pactkit[all]" # both, plus the lint and visualize extrasRequirements
- Python 3.10+
- One or more supported AI coding tools installed
Install & Deploy (All IDEs)
pip install pactkit
pactkit initOptional Extras
PactKit ships optional dependency groups for enhanced functionality:
pip install pactkit[lint] # Includes ruff for lint gate
pip install pactkit[visualize] # Includes tree-sitter for AST-based visualization
pip install pactkit[all] # Everything (lint + visualize + IDE adapters)Recommended External Tools
These tools integrate with PactKit but cannot be distributed via pip:
| Tool | Purpose | Install | Fallback |
|---|---|---|---|
| gh | GitHub CLI (issue sync, release, PR) | brew install gh | Issue sync disabled |
| codegraph | Symbol index & call chain analysis | npm install -g codegraph | Falls back to grep/find |
All external tools degrade gracefully — PactKit works without them, but specific features (issue sync, code graph queries) will be unavailable.
This deploys to all three IDEs in one step:
| IDE | Deploy Path | Key Files |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | ~/.claude/ | CLAUDE.md, rules/, agents/, commands/, skills/ |
| OpenCode | ~/.config/opencode/ | AGENTS.md, rules/, agents/, commands/, skills/, opencode.json |
| Codex CLI | ~/.codex/ | AGENTS.md, prompts/, config.toml |
Single-IDE Deployment (Optional)
Use --format to target a specific IDE:
pactkit init --format classic # Claude Code only
pactkit init --format opencode # OpenCode only
pactkit init --format codex # Codex CLI onlyUpdate & Upgrade
pip install --upgrade pactkit
pactkit update # Re-deploy all IDEs
pactkit upgrade --format opencode # Re-deploy single IDEOther Commands
# Check version
pactkit version
# Preview to custom directory
pactkit init -t /tmp/preview
pactkit init --format opencode -t /tmp/oc-previewIDE Format Details
The following sections describe format-specific differences. You don't need to read these unless you want to understand how PactKit adapts to each IDE.
Claude Code
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
CLAUDE.md | Constitution root (references 8 rule modules via @import) |
rules/ | 7 modular rule files |
agents/ | 9 agent definitions |
commands/ | 12 Core-managed lifecycle entry points |
skills/ | 19 specialized and portable method skills |
OpenCode
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
AGENTS.md | Slim header (rules loaded via opencode.json instructions) |
rules/ | 8 rule files (3 core always-load via instructions + 6 on-demand via @reference) |
agents/ | 9 agent definitions (mode: subagent, tools as record format) |
commands/ | 12 Core-managed lifecycle entry points (agent: build + routing) |
skills/ | 19 skills (with SKILL.md frontmatter for auto-discovery) |
opencode.json | Global config (instructions, preserves user provider config) |
Key Differences from Claude Code:
| Feature | Claude Code | OpenCode |
|---|---|---|
| Rules loading | @import in CLAUDE.md (all 8 rules) | Lazy split: 3 core in instructions + 6 on-demand via @reference in AGENTS.md |
| Agent format | name:, permissionMode:, string tools | mode: subagent, no name, record tools |
| Command frontmatter | allowed-tools: [...] | agent: build + model: provider/model-id |
| Config file | .claude/pactkit.yaml | .opencode/pactkit.yaml |
| Model routing | Prompt-level suggestion | Config-level enforcement via model: frontmatter |
Lazy Rule Loading: OpenCode v2.1.1 introduced lazy rule loading to reduce token consumption by ~62% per turn. Core rules (3 files) load every turn via opencode.json instructions; on-demand rules (6 files) are read only when needed.
Model Routing: OpenCode commands automatically route to appropriate models:
| Commands | Model | Reason |
|---|---|---|
/project-plan, /project-clarify, /project-design | Inherit main model | Deep reasoning tasks |
/project-act, /project-done, /project-check, etc. | Sonnet | Implementation tasks |
| Background (title, compression) | Haiku (small_model) | Lightweight tasks |
Configure in pactkit.yaml:
command_models:
project-act: sonnet
project-done: sonnet
project-check: sonnetCodex CLI
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
AGENTS.md | Single-agent file with 10KB budget + truncation |
skills/project-*/SKILL.md | 12 managed lifecycle command facades |
config.toml | User-owned Codex configuration; PactKit never rewrites an existing file |
.pactkit-deployed.json | Verified host capability and deployment hashes |
Key Differences from Claude Code:
| Feature | Claude Code | Codex CLI |
|---|---|---|
| Agent model | Multi-agent (9 roles) | App Server thread + Core WorkUnits |
| Command format | Command playbooks | Skills with SKILL.md frontmatter |
| Config format | .claude/pactkit.yaml | .codex/pactkit.yaml + config.toml |
| Brand references | Claude-native | Auto-replaced (Claude → Codex) |
| Sprint command | Native multi-agent orchestration | Serialized Plan → Act → Check → Done fallback |
| Recovery | Claude lifecycle integration | Persisted thread, cross-process thread/resume, versioned retry |
Option B: GitHub Copilot
Copilot works differently from other adapters. It deploys to the project-level .github/ directory — not a user-level ~/ path. Each new project requires its own pactkit init --format copilot.
pip install pactkit pactkit-copilot
cd your-project
pactkit init --format copilotThen open the project in your Copilot-enabled IDE and run /project-init.
| Path | Contents |
|---|---|
.github/skills/ | 19 skills with SKILL.md frontmatter |
.github/agents/ | 9 agent definitions (individual .md files) |
.github/prompts/ | 12 slash commands (.prompt.md files) |
.github/copilot-instructions.md | Project-level instructions |
Key Differences from Other IDEs:
| Feature | Claude Code / OpenCode / Codex | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy target | User-level (~/) | Project-level (.github/) |
| Setup frequency | Once for all projects | Per project |
| Rules loading | @import / @reference / inline | Inline only (no @include) |
| Install package | pactkit (bundled) | pactkit + pactkit-copilot |
| Sprint command | Native or serialized fallback | Serialized fallback |
For the full guide, see GitHub Copilot.
Option C: Trae (Coming Soon)
Trae integration is under active development.
Trae support is planned for a future release. The adapter will follow the same thin-adapter pattern as OpenCode and Codex — install pactkit-trae and run pactkit init --format trae. Stay tuned for updates.
Project Initialization
After installing PactKit (via any method), initialize each project you work on:
/project-initThis creates the governance structure (docs/specs/, docs/product/sprint_board.md, docs/architecture/graphs/, etc.) and environment-appropriate project instructions:
- Claude Code:
.claude/CLAUDE.mdwith architecture overview, dev commands, and@references - OpenCode:
./AGENTS.md+opencode.jsonwithpermission,mcptemplate, andinstructions - Codex CLI:
.codex/AGENTS.md+config.tomlwith sandbox and hooks configuration - Copilot:
.github/copilot-instructions.md+ agents/prompts/skills (requirespactkit init --format copilotfirst)
Forgot to initialize? No problem — /project-plan and /project-doctor automatically detect uninitialized projects and handle it for you.
Multi-Developer Collaboration
For teams, set the developer field in pactkit.yaml to avoid Story ID conflicts:
developer: aliceStory IDs become STORY-alice-001, preventing merge conflicts when multiple developers work on separate branches. See Configuration for details.