fix: resolve Claude CLI not found in packaged Electron apps (Issue #529)

[adryserage]

Summary

Resolves the "Claude CLI not found" error that occurs when running Auto-Claude in packaged Electron applications. The Claude CLI binary path isn't discoverable in GUI-launched apps because they don't inherit shell PATH modifications from shell profiles like .bashrc or .zshrc.

Type of Change

• Bug fix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
• New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
• Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to not work as expected)
• Documentation update
• Refactoring

Related Issues

Fixes #529

Changes Made

1. auto-claude-ui/src/main/python-env-manager.ts

   • Added findClaudeCli() function to search common installation paths
   • Searches /usr/local/bin/claude, homebrew paths, npm global paths
   • Returns the first valid executable found

2. auto-claude-ui/src/main/agent/agent-process.ts

   • Passes CLAUDE_CLI_PATH environment variable to the Python subprocess
   • Enables the Python backend to use the discovered Claude CLI path

3. auto-claude/core/client.py

   • Reads CLAUDE_CLI_PATH from environment if available
   • Falls back to standard claude command if not set
   • Ensures the SDK can locate Claude CLI regardless of PATH configuration

Why This Change

When Auto-Claude runs inside a packaged Electron app (DMG on macOS, installer on Windows):

1. GUI apps don't inherit shell PATH: Apps launched from Finder/Desktop don't execute shell profiles (.bashrc, .zshrc, etc.), so PATH modifications from package managers aren't available.

2. Claude CLI typically installed via npm: Users often install Claude CLI globally with npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, which adds it to npm's global bin directory.

3. npm global bin varies by system: Could be /usr/local/bin, ~/.npm-global/bin, or other locations depending on npm configuration.

Without this fix, users would see "Claude CLI not found" even though claude works perfectly in their terminal.

How It Works

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Electron App Launch                       │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────┘
                      │
                      ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  python-env-manager.ts: findClaudeCli()                      │
│                                                              │
│  Search paths in order:                                      │
│  1. /usr/local/bin/claude                                    │
│  2. /opt/homebrew/bin/claude (Apple Silicon)                 │
│  3. /usr/local/opt/claude/bin/claude                         │
│  4. ~/.npm-global/bin/claude                                 │
│  5. ~/.local/bin/claude                                      │
│  6. ~/node_modules/.bin/claude                               │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────┘
                      │
                      ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  agent-process.ts: spawn Python with CLAUDE_CLI_PATH         │
│                                                              │
│  env: {                                                      │
│    ...process.env,                                           │
│    CLAUDE_CLI_PATH: '/opt/homebrew/bin/claude'               │
│  }                                                           │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────┘
                      │
                      ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  client.py: Use CLAUDE_CLI_PATH if set                       │
│                                                              │
│  claude_path = os.environ.get('CLAUDE_CLI_PATH', 'claude')   │
│  subprocess.run([claude_path, ...])                          │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Checklist

• My code follows the project's style guidelines
• I have performed a self-review of my code
• I have commented my code where necessary
• My changes generate no new warnings
• I have tested my changes locally

Testing

1. Build the packaged app: cd auto-claude-ui && npm run package:mac
2. Launch from Finder: Double-click dist/mac-arm64/Auto-Claude.app
3. Start a task: Verify it doesn't show "Claude CLI not found"
4. Verify in logs: Check that CLAUDE_CLI_PATH is set in the agent process environment

Before this fix: Tasks fail with "Claude CLI not found"
After this fix: Tasks run successfully, Claude CLI is discovered automatically

[adryserage]

⚠️ Rebase Conflict - Codebase Restructuring

This PR cannot be cleanly rebased onto develop due to significant codebase restructuring:

• auto-claude/ → apps/backend/
• auto-claude-ui/ → apps/frontend/

The changes in this PR (Claude CLI path detection for Issue #529) need to be reimplemented against the new structure.

Options:

1. Close this PR and create a new one with the fix applied to the new file locations
2. Cherry-pick the logic and apply to:
   • apps/frontend/src/main/python-env-manager.ts
   • apps/frontend/src/main/agent/agent-process.ts
   • apps/backend/core/client.py

I recommend closing this PR and reimplementing against the develop branch.

[CLAassistant]

Thank you for your submission! We really appreciate it. Like many open source projects, we ask that you all sign our Contributor License Agreement before we can accept your contribution.
12 out of 13 committers have signed the CLA.

✅ fireapache
✅ AlexMadera
✅ mirzaaghazadeh
✅ MikeeBuilds
✅ Mitsu13Ion
✅ gnoviawan
✅ AndyMik90
✅ abe238
✅ hluisi
✅ Ashwinhegde19
✅ adryserage
✅ sniggl
❌ Pranaveswar19
_{You have signed the CLA already but the status is still pending? Let us recheck it.}

[adryserage]

Updated with Clean Implementation

The branch has been updated with a clean reimplementation on the new directory structure:

• auto-claude-ui/ → apps/frontend/
• auto-claude/ → apps/backend/

Changes:

1. apps/frontend/src/main/python-env-manager.ts

   • Added getClaudeCliPath() method that searches for Claude CLI in:
     • Bundled site-packages (claude_agent_sdk/_bundled/)
     • Venv site-packages
     • App resources (for packaged apps)
     • Common system locations (~/.npm-global/bin, /usr/local/bin, etc.)
     • System PATH via which/where command

2. apps/frontend/src/main/agent/agent-process.ts

   • Added CLAUDE_CLI_PATH environment variable to getCombinedEnv()
   • The SDK picks up this env var to locate the CLI

This fixes Issue #529 where packaged Electron apps couldn't find Claude CLI because GUI apps don't inherit shell PATH modifications.

[adryserage]

Note: New PR Created

Since this PR is from a fork and cannot be updated directly, I've created a new PR in the main repository:

adryserage#1

This new PR contains the same fix reimplemented on the current directory structure (apps/frontend/ instead of auto-claude-ui/).

Please review and merge PR #1 in the main repo to fix Issue #529.