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Installation

Docbot is distributed as an npm package and requires Bun as the runtime. This guide covers all installation methods and system requirements.

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System requirements

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Required dependencies

Before installing Docbot, ensure you have the following:
1

Bun runtime

Install Bun version 1.3.0 or higher from bun.sh
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
2

Qdrant vector database

You’ll need a Qdrant instance (local or remote). The easiest way is via Docker:
docker run -d --name docbot-qdrant -p 6333:6333 \
  -v "$(pwd)/qdrant_storage:/qdrant/storage" qdrant/qdrant
Or use a managed Qdrant instance from qdrant.tech
3

Ripgrep (rg)

Install ripgrep for fast exact-match search:macOS:
brew install ripgrep
Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt-get install ripgrep
Other platforms: See ripgrep installation
4

AI Gateway API key

Set the AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY environment variable:
export AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
Add this to your .bashrc, .zshrc, or .env file for persistence.
Docbot requires Bun and will not work with Node.js or other runtimes. This is a deliberate design choice and will not change.

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Installation methods

The fastest way to use Docbot without installation: 
bunx @helmlabs/docbot --help
This runs Docbot on-demand without global installation. Perfect for:
  • Trying Docbot without commitment
  • CI/CD pipelines
  • Projects with occasional documentation updates
  • Ensuring you always use the latest version
Using bunx is the recommended approach for most users. It automatically fetches and runs the latest version of Docbot.

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Global installation

For frequent use, install Docbot globally: 
bun add -g @helmlabs/docbot
After global installation, you can run Docbot directly: 
docbot --help
docbot init
docbot run "your task"

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Project-local installation

Install Docbot as a dev dependency in your project: 
bun add -d @helmlabs/docbot
Then add scripts to your package.json: 
{
  "scripts": {
    "docs:init": "docbot init",
    "docs:index": "docbot index",
    "docs:update": "docbot run"
  }
}
Run with: 
bun run docs:init
bun run docs:index
bun run docs:update "your task"

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Environment setup

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Environment variables

Docbot requires the following environment variable:
VariableRequiredDescription
AI_GATEWAY_API_KEYYesAPI key for Vercel AI Gateway
AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
Never commit your .env file to version control. Add it to .gitignore:
echo ".env" >> .gitignore

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Docker setup for Qdrant

For local development, use Docker to run Qdrant:

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Run Qdrant in the foreground

docker run --rm -p 6333:6333 \
  -v "$(pwd)/qdrant_storage:/qdrant/storage" \
  qdrant/qdrant

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Run Qdrant as a background service

docker run -d --name docbot-qdrant \
  -p 6333:6333 \
  -v "$(pwd)/qdrant_storage:/qdrant/storage" \
  qdrant/qdrant
Manage the container: 
# Stop Qdrant
docker stop docbot-qdrant

# Start Qdrant
docker start docbot-qdrant

# View logs
docker logs docbot-qdrant

# Remove container
docker rm docbot-qdrant
The docbot init command can automatically set up and start a Qdrant container for you. Use --skip-docker if you want to handle this manually.

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Using remote Qdrant

For production or team environments, use a remote Qdrant instance: 
// docbot.config.jsonc
{
  "projectSlug": "my-project",
  "qdrant": {
    "url": "https://your-qdrant-instance.com",
    "collections": {
      "docs": "docbot_my-project_docs",
      "code": "docbot_my-project_code"
    }
  }
}
Or override via CLI: 
docbot index --qdrant-url https://your-qdrant-instance.com

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Verify installation

Check that everything is installed correctly:
1

Verify Bun

bun --version
Should output version 1.3.0 or higher
2

Verify Docbot

bunx @helmlabs/docbot --version
Should output the current Docbot version
3

Verify Qdrant

curl http://127.0.0.1:6333/health
Should return a health check response
4

Verify ripgrep

rg --version
Should output the ripgrep version
5

Verify API key

echo $AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY
Should output your API key (not empty)

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Troubleshooting

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Bun not found

If bun command is not found, ensure Bun is installed and in your PATH: 
# Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export PATH="$HOME/.bun/bin:$PATH"
Then reload your shell: 
source ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc

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Qdrant connection issues

If Docbot can’t connect to Qdrant:
  1. Check if Qdrant is running: 
    docker ps | grep qdrant
  2. Verify Qdrant is accessible: 
    curl http://127.0.0.1:6333/health
  3. Check Docker logs: 
    docker logs docbot-qdrant

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Missing AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY

If you see an error about missing AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY: 
error: AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY environment variable is required
Ensure the variable is set and exported: 
export AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
For permanent setup, add it to your shell configuration file or use a .env file.

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Package installation fails

If bun add -g @helmlabs/docbot fails:
  1. Update Bun to the latest version: 
    bun upgrade
  2. Clear Bun cache: 
    rm -rf ~/.bun/install/cache
  3. Try again: 
    bun add -g @helmlabs/docbot

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Next steps

Quick start

Get up and running with your first Docbot task

Configuration

Learn how to customize Docbot for your project

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