New here?

No terminal knowledge needed

Just pick the AI you use and your computer, and we'll show you the one install path that fits — from the very start.

1Which AI are you using?

2And your computer?

Pick the two above and the path that fits you appears below.

For you — Claude

Connect with Claude

There's a path that stays inside the Claude Desktop app, and one that uses the terminal. For most people, Option 1 is enough.

Option 1 — Claude Desktop app, Code tab Recommended

You open a working folder inside the Claude Desktop app and go from there. No separate terminal needed.

  1. 1

    Install the Claude Desktop app → sign in

    Download it from claude.ai/download, install, and sign in with your account.

  2. 2

    Pick an empty folder in the Code tab

    Click the Code tab at the top and choose a new folder (e.g. Documents/CareerMate) as your working folder.
    This folder becomes your CareerMate workspace.

    On Windows, only if you see "Git is required", install Git for Windows and restart the Claude Desktop app.

  3. 3

    Paste this one line

    💬 Paste it into the chat in the Code tab — it's not a terminal command. This line only reads a public guide page to install, and your resume and personal info are never uploaded.

    Read https://careermate.life/llms-install.txt and follow it to install and connect CareerMate in this folder. Store the data in this folder under .cm/data, and if anything needs changing on my system (like installing Node), tell me before you run it. When it's done, tell me how to restart the app, how to give you my resume, and the dashboard address (http://127.0.0.1:4319).

    You don't need Node already installed. If it's needed, Claude checks first and helps install it. Approve any permission prompts that appear during install.

  4. 4

    Restart the app → confirm

    Fully quit and reopen the Claude Desktop app (approve the one-time MCP prompt the first time), then say "check whether CareerMate is connected" — done.

    Don't see the tools? Fully quit the app (down to the tray) and reopen it, and make sure you approved the permission prompt that appeared the first time.

📎 How to add your resume: attaching the file in the Code tab chat is easiest. If you can't attach, put the file in your working folder and say "read resume.pdf and register it", or paste the text in.
Option 2 — Claude Code CLI If you're comfortable with a terminal

You run Claude directly in a terminal. If the terminal is new to you, use Option 1.

  1. 1

    Install Node.js

    Windows: paste into PowerShell →

    winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS

    Mac: paste into Terminal (no Homebrew? install LTS from nodejs.org) →

    brew install node

    If the command is tricky, you can also download the installer and double-click it (keep clicking "Next") from nodejs.org. See the help below for how to open a terminal.

    On Windows, Git for Windows isn't a required CLI step. Install it only if you hit a Bash-related error.

  2. 2

    Install Claude Code → sign in

    npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

    After installing, run claude and a sign-in window opens (your Pro/Max account).

  3. 3

    Run claude in an empty folder → this line

    💬 Paste it inside the running claude — it's a message to the AI (not a shell command). It only reads a public guide to install, and your data is never uploaded.

    Read https://careermate.life/llms-install.txt and follow it to install and connect CareerMate in this folder. Store the data in this folder under .cm/data, and if anything needs changing on my system (like installing Node), tell me before you run it. When it's done, tell me how to restart the app, how to give you my resume, and the dashboard address (http://127.0.0.1:4319).

    If it asks about network or permissions during install, approve once (it's for the npm download).

  4. 4

    Confirm

    Inside claude, type /mcp; if you see careermate, you're connected.

    Not showing up? Check that node --version is v22.5 or higher, and that you restarted claude.

📎 How to add your resume: if you can attach files, attach it in chat. If attaching is hard in the terminal, put the file in your working folder and say "read resume.pdf and register it".
For you — Codex

Connect with Codex

There's a path that stays inside the Codex app, and one that uses the terminal. For most people, Option 1 is enough.

Option 1 — Codex app Recommended

Open a working folder in the Codex app and paste the line below.

  1. 1

    Install the Codex app → sign in

    Install the Codex app and sign in with your ChatGPT account.

  2. 2

    Open a working folder

    Create a new folder and open it as a project in the Codex app. This folder becomes your CareerMate workspace.

  3. 3

    Paste this line

    💬 Paste it into the chat in the Codex app. It only reads a public guide to install, and your data is never uploaded.

    Read https://careermate.life/llms-install.txt and follow it to install and connect CareerMate in this folder. Store the data in this folder under .cm/data, and if anything needs changing on my system (like installing Node), tell me before you run it. When it's done, tell me how to restart the app, how to give you my resume, and the dashboard address (http://127.0.0.1:4319).
  4. 4

    Confirm

    Reopen Codex and say "check whether CareerMate is connected" — done.

📎 How to add your resume: put the file in your working folder and say "read resume.pdf and register it", or paste the text into the chat.
Option 2 — Codex CLI If you're comfortable with a terminal
  1. 1

    Install Node.js

    Install the LTS from nodejs.org.

  2. 2

    Run Codex in an empty folder

    npm install -g @openai/codex
  3. 3

    Paste the line above

    Paste the install line above into the running codex, then confirm with /mcp after it connects.

📎 How to add your resume: put the file in your working folder and say "read resume.pdf and register it", or paste the text into the chat.
For you — Other (Agent)

In any locally-capable AI chat

It doesn't have to be Claude or ChatGPT — any AI agent that can run commands on your computer works. Grab an empty folder and paste the one line below into that AI's chat.

⚠️ Free or weaker models may have quality and usage limits. For the best results we recommend Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus. CareerMate itself stays free.

  1. 1

    Open a command-capable AI in an empty folder

    Get an AI agent that can work with files and commands on your computer (desktop app or CLI), and pick a new folder as your working folder.

  2. 2

    Paste this line

    💬 Paste it into that AI's chat — it's not a terminal command. It only reads a public guide to install, and your data is never uploaded.

    Read https://careermate.life/llms-install.txt and follow it to install and connect CareerMate in this folder. Store the data in this folder under .cm/data, and if anything needs changing on my system (like installing Node), tell me before you run it. When it's done, tell me how to restart the app, how to give you my resume, and the dashboard address (http://127.0.0.1:4319).
  3. 3

    Confirm

    Fully quit and reopen that AI (approve the prompt if it asks the first time), then check with "check whether CareerMate is connected" or /mcp.

    Not showing up? Check that node --version is v22.5 or higher and that you fully quit and reopened the app.

📎 How to add your resume: put the file in your working folder and point to it by name/path. If it won't read, paste the text in.

Need more help?

New to the terminal (command window)? — how to open it When using the CLI

The terminal is a window where you type commands one line at a time. Here's how to open it:

  • Windows — Start button → search PowerShell → run Windows PowerShell. Paste with right-click or Ctrl+V, run with Enter.
  • Mac — ⌘+Space (Spotlight) → type Terminal → run. Paste with ⌘+V, run with Return.

The order is always the same: [Copy] the command → paste into the terminal → Enter.

Getting the programs you need Node · Claude · Codex
  • Node.js (LTS) — nodejs.org · download the installer and double-click (keep clicking "Next"). Needed for the terminal/CLI paths.
  • Claude Desktop app — claude.ai/download · used to open a working folder in the Code tab.
  • Codex app — developers.openai.com/codex/app · used to open a working folder and paste the prompt.
  • Git for Windows — git-scm.com/download/win · only when the Claude Desktop Code tab on Windows blocks you with "Git is required".

What to do after downloading is in the steps of "the path that fits me" you picked above.

Back to the main page → see quick install