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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.buildbetter.ai/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Getting Started with BuildBetter SH

Install in one line, sign in once, then your AI coding agent picks up the BuildBetter skills automatically.

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1. Install the CLI

Run this in your terminal: 
curl -fsSL buildbetter.sh | sh
The installer will:
  1. Download the bb binary for your OS and architecture
  2. Place it in ~/.buildbetter/bin/bb and add that directory to your PATH
  3. Detect which coding agents you have installed (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, etc.) and offer to install matching skill packs
Prefer to read the script first? Open buildbetter.sh in your browser to inspect it, then download and pipe to sh once you’re satisfied.

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Prerequisites

RequirementNotes
OSmacOS 12+ or Linux (x86_64 / arm64)
Shellbash, zsh, or fish
GitRequired — sessions are indexed by repo, branch, and commit
At least one coding agentClaude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot CLI, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, or Amazon Q

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2. Verify the install

bb --version
bb doctor
bb doctor reports which agents it detected, where their skill directories live, and whether your PATH and shell rc files are wired up correctly. 
bb login
A browser window opens for you to authenticate with your free BuildBetter account. After signing in:
  • Your agent sessions sync to the cloud and become resumable on any machine
  • Teammates can pull each other’s sessions for the same branch
  • Skills update automatically when your team improves them
You can skip this step and use the CLI fully offline — sessions just stay local.

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4. Install the skills

The installer prompts you to install the default packs, or you can install them manually: 
bb skills install spec-workflow
bb skills install testing
bb skills install core
To see everything installed: 
bb skills list
To update later: 
bb skills update

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5. Use the skills in your agent

Open your coding agent and type / — the BuildBetter skills appear in the slash command list.

/bb-specify

Draft a feature spec from a description, with customer signals attached

/bb-plan

Generate a phased implementation plan from the spec

/bb-review

Review code against your team’s encoded conventions

/trust-but-verify

Walk the UI like a real user before merging
See the [skills reference](/pages/BuildBetter SH/skills) for the full list.

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Updating

bb update
This refreshes the bb binary and updates every installed skill pack.

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Uninstalling

bb uninstall
This removes the bb binary, every installed skill, and the ~/.buildbetter/ directory. Your agent sessions in the BuildBetter cloud are not deleted — sign in to buildbetter.ai and delete them there if you want them gone.

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Troubleshooting

The installer added ~/.buildbetter/bin to your shell’s rc file, but the current shell doesn’t have it loaded. Open a new terminal window, or run source ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bashrc).
Run bb doctor to confirm the skills directory matches what your agent expects. Restart the agent after installing or updating skills — most agents only scan the skills directory at startup.
Download the binary directly from the latest release and place it on your PATH manually. Then run bb skills install spec-workflow testing core to fetch the skill packs.
bb respects standard HTTP_PROXY / HTTPS_PROXY / NO_PROXY environment variables. Set them in your shell before running bb login or bb skills update.

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Next steps

Browse the skills

See what each skill does and when to reach for it

Resume an agent session

Pick up where a teammate left off