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docs: clarify install paths now that unpinned npx works#13

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citron (lcandy2) merged 1 commit into
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docs/install-and-usage-clarify
Apr 30, 2026
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docs: clarify install paths now that unpinned npx works#13
citron (lcandy2) merged 1 commit into
mainfrom
docs/install-and-usage-clarify

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@lcandy2 citron (lcandy2) commented Apr 30, 2026

Restructures the top of the README around the three actually-supported install paths, so first-time readers can pick the right one without hunting.

Before / after

Before: hero block led with a single bun add -g line; `npx`/`bunx` was buried as a footnote in Quickstart; standalone binaries were a one-line aside in the Bun-required callout.

After: hero shows two snappy options (npx try, bun add -g daily). New `## Install` section presents three paths in increasing commitment:

  1. One-off via `npx` / `bunx` (unpinned now works as of 0.1.1)
  2. Global install via `bun add -g`
  3. Standalone binary download (no Bun, no Node)

Each path explicitly states its runtime requirement so users don't get bitten by the `#!/usr/bin/env bun` shebang silently failing.

The pho alias

Promoted to its own subsection under Quickstart with the explicit caveat that `npx` / `bunx` ephemeral runs don't get `pho` (the runtime symlink only fires for installed binaries — see src/lib/pho-alias.ts).

Test plan

Docs-only change. Visual review via the PR diff.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Made with Orca 🐋

Summary by CodeRabbit

  • Documentation
    • Expanded installation options including npx/bunx, global Bun installation, and standalone binary downloads.
    • Simplified quickstart workflow starting with authentication.
    • Clarified how the pho alias works and when it's created.

Restructure the README's top half around the three actually-supported
install paths so first-time readers can pick the right one without
hunting:

  1. one-off via npx / bunx — no install (unpinned now works as of 0.1.1)
  2. global install via bun add -g — daily use
  3. standalone binary downloaded from a GitHub Release — no runtime

Also lifts the pho-alias note into its own subsection under Quickstart
with the explicit caveat that npx/bunx ephemeral runs don't get pho
(it's only created when running through an installed photon binary).

The previous version led with `bun add -g` and buried npx as an
afterthought in the Quickstart, which understated what the CLI now
supports.

Co-authored-by: Orca <help@stably.ai>
Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings April 30, 2026 05:35
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coderabbitai Bot commented Apr 30, 2026

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📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

README.md is reorganized to document three distinct installation workflows: one-off execution via npx/bunx, global Bun installation, and standalone binary installation for environments without Bun/Node. The quickstart sequence is simplified to begin with photon login, and a new section clarifies that the pho alias is created only by installed versions, not one-off executions.

Changes

Cohort / File(s) Summary
README documentation
README.md
Reorganized installation section into three explicit workflows (npx/bunx one-off, global Bun install, standalone binary). Updated quickstart to remove install step and start with login. Added dedicated section clarifying pho alias creation behavior and symlink details.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 1 (Trivial) | ⏱️ ~5 minutes

Possibly related PRs

Poem

🐰 Three paths now clear beneath the moon,
Where npx, bun, and binaries croon,
One alias born from photon seed,
A quickstart jump—just what you need!

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 5
✅ Passed checks (5 passed)
Check name Status Explanation
Description Check ✅ Passed Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check ✅ Passed The title clearly and specifically describes the main change: clarifying installation documentation now that unpinned npx is supported. It directly relates to the README restructuring that surfaces three install paths.
Docstring Coverage ✅ Passed No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.
Linked Issues check ✅ Passed Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check ✅ Passed Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.

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Comment @coderabbitai help to get the list of available commands and usage tips.

@lcandy2 citron (lcandy2) merged commit dec16a2 into main Apr 30, 2026
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Pull request overview

Restructures the README’s onboarding flow so new users can quickly choose among the three supported installation approaches (one-off via npx/bunx, global via bun add -g, or standalone binaries), with clearer guidance on runtime expectations and the pho alias behavior.

Changes:

  • Adds a top-level “Install” section that presents three supported install paths in increasing commitment.
  • Updates the hero/quickstart content to reflect the new install guidance and renumbers quickstart steps.
  • Promotes pho to its own Quickstart subsection and clarifies when it is created.

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Comment thread README.md
Comment on lines +23 to +27
Each invocation pulls the latest release on demand. Good for scripts, throwaway machines, or trying the CLI before committing. Requires Bun on `PATH` (the bundle has a `#!/usr/bin/env bun` shebang) — install it once with:

```sh
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash
```
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The runtime requirements here are a bit incomplete: npx itself requires a Node/npm installation (even if the CLI then needs Bun to execute due to the #!/usr/bin/env bun shebang). Consider explicitly calling out that npx users need Node + Bun, while bunx users only need Bun, to avoid confusion for first-time readers.

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Comment thread README.md
Comment on lines +43 to +46
# pick your platform from https://github.com/photon-hq/cli/releases/latest
curl -L -o /usr/local/bin/photon \
https://github.com/photon-hq/cli/releases/latest/download/photon-darwin-arm64
chmod +x /usr/local/bin/photon
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Writing to /usr/local/bin/photon will fail on many systems without elevated permissions. Consider using sudo for the curl/chmod steps or switching the example to a user-writable bin dir (e.g., $HOME/.local/bin) and noting that it must be on PATH.

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