# Prerequisites and installation
URL: https://docs.datarobot.com/en/docs/agentic-ai/agent-assist/installation.html

> System requirements, required tools and versions, and how to install and run DataRobot Agent Assist (plugin or standalone).

# Prerequisites and installation

This page covers system requirements, prerequisite tools, installation, and configuration for DataRobot Agent Assist.

## System requirements

Ensure your system meets the minimum requirements for running DataRobot Agent Assist.

- Operating system: macOS or Linux (Windows requires WSL or another supported environment)
- Python: 3.10 or higher

> [!WARNING] Operating system compatibility
> This repository is only compatible with macOS and Linux. On Windows, use a [DataRobot codespace](https://docs.datarobot.com/en/docs/workbench/wb-notebook/codespaces/index.html), [Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install), or a virtual machine running a supported OS.

## Prerequisite tools

At startup, DataRobot Agent Assist runs a dependency check via the DataRobot CLI and a `.datarobot/cli/versions.yaml` file. The following tools must be installed at the versions indicated.

> [!TIP] Install tools system-wide
> Install tools system-wide so they are available in all terminal sessions and when the DR CLI runs `dr dependencies check`.

| Tool | Version | Description | Installation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| dr-cli | >= 0.2.50 | The DataRobot CLI. | dr-cli installation |
| git | >= 2.30.0 | Version control. | git installation |
| uv | >= 0.9.0 | Python package manager. | uv installation |
| Pulumi | >= 3.163.0 | Infrastructure as Code. | Pulumi installation |
| Taskfile | >= 3.43.3 | Task runner. | Taskfile installation |
| Node.js | >= 24 | JavaScript runtime (for example, for template frontend). | Node.js installation |

> [!TIP] macOS installation
> On macOS, several tools can be installed at once:
> 
> ```
> brew install datarobot-oss/taps/dr-cli uv pulumi/tap/pulumi go-task node git python
> ```

## Install and run DataRobot Agent Assist

DataRobot Agent Assist can be run as a DataRobot CLI plugin. Install the plugin so that `dr assist` is available wherever the DataRobot CLI is installed. The plugin is discovered when the `dr-assist` executable is on the `PATH` and responds to `--dr-plugin-manifest`.

For the plugin published to the CLI plugin index, run:

```
dr plugin install assist
```

To verify the installation, run the following commands:

```
dr plugin list              # Should show "assist" when installed as plugin
dr assist --help            # Show commands
```

> [!WARNING] Run dr assist in an empty directory
> Only run `dr assist` from a dedicated and empty directory. Running this command in a directory containing code or other files is unsafe. When you use the agent assist coding workflow, the assistant clones the DataRobot Agent Application Template repository into the current directory. This action can overwrite or conflict with existing files, damaging the existing project and degrading the accuracy of the assistant's output. Before running `dr assist`, if you're not in a dedicated directory, create one and open the terminal there (for example, `mkdir my-agent && cd my-agent`, then run `dr assist`).

## Set configuration variables

If necessary, set the following variables in the environment, in `.env`, or in the configuration files. In many cases, this configuration is handled by [the DataRobot CLI](https://docs.datarobot.com/en/docs/agentic-ai/cli/commands/auth.html) through `dr auth login`.

| Variable | Required | Description | Default / notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DATAROBOT_API_TOKEN | Yes (unless provided by DR CLI configuration) | DataRobot API key for LLM gateway (default provider). | — |
| DATAROBOT_ENDPOINT | No | DataRobot API endpoint. | https://app.datarobot.com/api/v2 |

For the full list of variables (including LLM overrides, logging, and config path overrides), see the [Environment and commands reference](https://docs.datarobot.com/en/docs/agentic-ai/agent-assist/env-and-commands-reference.html#environment-variables).

## Startup behavior

Before the chat session starts, DataRobot Agent Assist:

1. Verifies the DataRobot CLI is available and runs dr dependencies check (using .datarobot/cli/versions.yaml if present).
2. Checks authentication and can run dr auth login if needed.
3. Ensures DATAROBOT_API_TOKEN (or equivalent from configuration) is set; if not, it displays an error and exits.

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