# Installation
This guide will help you install SousChef and configure it with your preferred MCP client.
## Prerequisites
Before installing SousChef, ensure you have:
- **Python 3.14+** installed on your system
- **pip** or **Poetry** for package management
- An **MCP-compatible client** such as:
- Claude Desktop
- VS Code with MCP extension
- Custom MCP client
## Installation Methods
### Method 1: PyPI Installation (Recommended)
The simplest way to install SousChef:
```bash
pip install mcp-souschef
```
This installs:
- The `mcp-souschef` package
- `souschef` MCP server command
- `souschef-cli` command-line interface
### Method 2: Development Installation
For contributors or those who want the latest development version:
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/kpeacocke/souschef.git
cd souschef
# Install with Poetry
poetry install
# Verify installation
poetry run souschef --version
poetry run souschef-cli --help
```
## MCP Client Configuration
SousChef provides pre-configured setup files for common MCP clients in the `config/` directory.
### Claude Desktop
=== "macOS"
```bash
# Copy the configuration file
cp config/claude-desktop.json ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
# Restart Claude Desktop
```
=== "Linux"
```bash
# Copy the configuration file
cp config/claude-desktop.json ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
# Restart Claude Desktop
```
=== "Windows"
```powershell
# Copy the configuration file
copy config\claude-desktop.json %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
# Restart Claude Desktop
```
### VS Code with GitHub Copilot
1. Copy the configuration:
```bash
cp config/vscode-copilot.json .vscode/mcp_config.json
```
2. Install the MCP extension from the VS Code marketplace
3. Reload VS Code
### Custom MCP Configuration
For other MCP clients or custom setups, use this template:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"souschef": {
"command": "souschef",
"args": [],
"env": {}
}
}
}
```
!!! tip "Development Configuration"
For development or testing, use `config/claude-desktop-dev.json` which points to the local repository instead of the installed package.
## Verifying Installation
After installation, verify that SousChef is working correctly:
### 1. Check MCP Server
```bash
# Test the MCP server
souschef --version
```
### 2. Check CLI
```bash
# Test the command-line interface
souschef-cli --help
```
### 3. Test with MCP Client
Restart your MCP client and ask:
```
What Chef migration tools are available?
```
The AI should respond with a list of SousChef's 38 MCP tools.
## Troubleshooting
### Command Not Found
If you get "command not found" errors:
```bash
# Ensure pip's bin directory is in your PATH
export PATH="$PATH:$(python3 -m site --user-base)/bin"
# Or use Poetry's virtual environment
poetry shell
```
### MCP Client Not Detecting SousChef
1. Check that the configuration file is in the correct location
2. Verify the `souschef` command is accessible from your terminal
3. Restart your MCP client completely
4. Check the client's logs for error messages
### Python Version Issues
SousChef requires Python 3.14+. Check your version:
```bash
python3 --version
```
If you need to install or upgrade Python, visit [python.org/downloads](https://www.python.org/downloads/).
## Platform-Specific Notes
### macOS
- Python 3.14+ can be installed via Homebrew: `brew install python@3.14`
- Claude Desktop config location: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/`
### Linux
- Python 3.14+ may need to be compiled from source or installed via third-party repositories
- Config locations vary by distribution and desktop environment
### Windows
- Use PowerShell or Windows Terminal for installation
- Path separators use backslashes (`\`) instead of forward slashes (`/`)
- Config location: `%APPDATA%\Claude\`
## Next Steps
Now that SousChef is installed, you're ready to:
- [Configure SousChef](configuration.md) for your environment
- [Follow the Quick Start guide](quick-start.md) to begin migrating
- [Explore the MCP tools](../user-guide/mcp-tools.md) available
For detailed configuration options and model provider setup, see the [Configuration Reference](configuration.md).
