Installation

Portable by default.

VELA is a repository-based workflow environment. Clone or download it, then open the VELA folder and your research project folder in the Codex environment you already use.

git clone REPOSITORY_URL vela

cd vela

.\install.ps1 -BootstrapTools

Windows

Use install.ps1 -BootstrapTools. VELA uses winget where possible, then installs runtime files into your own .codex and .vela.

macOS

Use sh ./install-macos.sh. VELA uses Homebrew where possible, then installs runtime files into ~/.codex and ~/.vela.

Source Package + Runtime

The cloned VELA folder is the source package. The installed runtime lives in the user's own Codex and VELA homes.

Source

vela/ stays updateable with Git and should not contain private project material.

Codex Runtime

CODEX_HOME/skills receives the public research skills Codex can discover after restart.

VELA Runtime

VELA_HOME receives contracts, schemas, profiles, validators, envctl shims, and receipts.

Bootstrap Layer

Use the explicit bootstrap flag when the machine does not already have the public research toolchain.

Can install or prompt

Git, Python 3.13+, PowerShell 7, ripgrep, Node.js LTS, and GitHub CLI. Windows uses winget; macOS uses Homebrew.

Checks only

CodeGraph, external memory-service patterns, MCP server vendor setup, Codex plugin status, Zotero, Obsidian, browser sessions, and CNKI permissions. VELA does not install or prestart external memory services.

Never copied

Plugin caches, cookies, login state, secrets, private memory stores, Zotero databases, Obsidian vaults, and generated outputs.

.\vela.ps1 runtime bootstrap-tools --include all
.\vela.ps1 runtime bootstrap-tools --include system --install