CC Commander supports three install paths depending on how you use Claude. Path A gives you the full CLI experience. Path B installs skills and commands for use inside existing Claude Code sessions. Path C adds CC Commander as a Cowork plugin for Claude Desktop. All paths share the same one-liner installer — the difference is how you invoke CC Commander afterward.
System requirements
- Node.js 18 or later — verify with
node --version
- git — required by the installer to clone the kit
- tmux (recommended, not required) — needed for Split Mode, which runs each task in its own terminal window
The installer checks for Node.js and git before proceeding. It installs Claude Code CLI automatically via npm if it is not already present.
Choose your install path
Use this path if you run claude in your terminal. This is the most common path and gives you the full CC Commander experience.Step 1: Run the one-linerAlternatively, install via npm:Step 2: LaunchArrow keys to navigate. Enter to select. That is the entire interface.What you get: Full TUI with tmux Split Mode, 10 themes, the Cockpit Dashboard, daemon mode, and headless agent dispatch via ccc --dispatch. Use this path if you want CC Commander’s skills and commands available inside Claude Code sessions without running a separate CLI binary.Step 1: Run the same one-linerStep 2: Use inside Claude CodeIn any Claude Code session, type:The full interactive menu appears — same options, same sub-menus, same actions as the full CLI.You can also invoke specific commands directly:What you get: All 450+ skills and 80+ slash commands, accessible from inside Claude Code, VS Code, Cursor, or any editor that runs Claude Code. No extra binary required. Use this path if you work primarily in Claude Desktop and want CC Commander as a Cowork plugin.Step 1: Add the pluginInside Claude Desktop, run:Step 2: Start a sessionSay “start commander” or “what should I work on” to activate CC Commander.What you get: 7 Cowork skills covering project management, infrastructure commands, knowledge base access, and night mode for autonomous overnight builds.The Claude Desktop path does not require running the curl installer. The plugin is loaded directly through the Claude Desktop marketplace.
What the installer does
The one-liner installer (install-remote.sh) performs the following steps:
- Checks for Node.js and git
- Installs Claude Code CLI if not already present (
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code)
- Clones the CC Commander repository to
~/.cc-commander/ (or pulls the latest if already present)
- Runs
install.sh --force, which copies skills, commands, hooks, libraries, and config files into ~/.claude/
- Creates a
ccc symlink at /usr/local/bin/ccc or ~/.local/bin/ccc
If you already have CC Commander installed, running the one-liner again updates it to the latest version — the same as running ccc --update.
File locations
Do not delete ~/.cc-commander/. The ccc binary is a symlink that points into this directory. Removing it will break the CLI.
CLAUDE.md or settings.json files — it preserves your existing config and only creates new files.
Verify the installation
After installing, run the built-in self-test:
This runs a 22-point check covering the binary, config files, skills directory, commands directory, hooks, and vendor dependencies. All items should pass.
Update
To pull the latest version of CC Commander:
This is equivalent to re-running the one-liner installer. It pulls the latest source to ~/.cc-commander/, updates vendor submodules, and reinstalls all components.
Uninstall
CC Commander ships an uninstall.sh script at ~/.cc-commander/uninstall.sh. It removes kit components from ~/.claude/ and deletes the ccc symlink, but preserves your existing CLAUDE.md and settings.json so you do not lose personal configuration.
To remove everything including the source directory:
Split Mode and tmux
Split Mode is the default launch mode when tmux is available. It opens tabbed tmux sessions — the CC Commander menu runs in tab 0, and each dispatched task opens in a new window where you can watch Claude work with full output visible.
Install tmux if you do not already have it:
If tmux is not installed, CC Commander falls back to simple mode automatically. You can also force simple mode explicitly:
In Split Mode, use Ctrl+A n and Ctrl+A p to move between tabs, and Ctrl+A 0 to return to the CC Commander menu from any task window.