git:20260509.49df579 to git:20260509.966244f

---

name: tap-deps-authoring

title: "Tap Dep Script Authoring"

description: "Complete guide for writing dep scripts in the octomind-tap registry: required header comments, platform.sh boilerplate, type: mcp vs type: dep, npx/uvx MCP pattern, platform variables and functions, companion .md format, and validation. Activate when creating or editing deps/<org>/<tool>.sh files."

license: Apache-2.0

compatibility: "Requires: octomind-tap repo. Run scripts/lint-deps.sh for validation."

domains: octomind

rules:

- file(deps/)

- match(\bdep\s+script\b)

- match(\bdeps/[\w./-]+)

- match(\bplatform\.sh\b)

- match(\binstall\s+script\b)

- match(\bpkg_check\b|\bpkg_install\b|\binstall_dep\b)

- match(\b(mcp|dep)\s+manifest\b)

---

## Overview

A dep script is a `deps/<org>/<tool>.sh` bash script that auto-installs a tool or MCP server runtime before an Octomind session starts. Deps are never run manually — Octomind runs them automatically to ensure the required binary is available. Every dep script must handle macOS and all major Linux package managers.

Each dep script must have a matching `deps/<org>/<tool>.md` companion doc.

## Instructions

### Required Header Comments

Every dep script must start with these header comments (parsed by tooling):

```bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# dep: <org>/<tool>

# type: mcp|dep

# description: Brief description of what this installs

# check: <command-to-verify-installation>

# https://homepage-url

```

- `# dep:` — must match the `require = ["<org>/<tool>"]` entry in the capability file

- `# type: mcp` — script ensures an MCP server runtime is runnable (e.g. `npx`, `uvx`, `docker`)

- `# type: dep` — script installs a standalone CLI tool used directly (e.g. `cargo`, `kubectl`, `octofs`)

- `# check:` — the command `pkg_check` uses to detect if already installed

- URL — homepage or GitHub link

### Type Classification

`type: mcp` — the dep exists to make an MCP server launchable. Most MCP servers run via `npx -y <package>` or `uvx <package>`. The dep script just ensures the runtime is present:

```bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# dep: tavily-ai/tavily

# type: mcp

# description: Tavily MCP Server — AI-powered web search

# check: npx

# https://github.com/tavily-ai/tavily-mcp

set -euo pipefail

DEPS_LIB="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib" && pwd)"

source "$DEPS_LIB/platform.sh"

if pkg_check npx; then exit 0; fi

install_dep nodejs/node

```

`type: dep` — the dep installs a real CLI tool that agents use directly (not via MCP):

```bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# dep: hashicorp/terraform

# type: dep

# description: Terraform infrastructure-as-code CLI

# check: terraform

# https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform

set -euo pipefail

DEPS_LIB="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib" && pwd)"

source "$DEPS_LIB/platform.sh"

if pkg_check terraform; then exit 0; fi

info "terraform not found — installing..."

case "$OS" in

macos)

brew_install terraform

;;

linux)

case "$PKG_MANAGER" in

apt) apt_install terraform ;;

dnf) dnf_install terraform ;;

pacman) pkg_install terraform ;;

zypper) pkg_install terraform ;;

apk) pkg_install terraform ;;

*)

curl -fsSL https://releases.hashicorp.com/terraform/install.sh | sh

;;

esac

;;

esac

pkg_check terraform || die "terraform not found after install"

info "terraform installed successfully."

```

### Full Script Structure

```bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# dep: <org>/<tool>

# type: mcp|dep

# description: Brief description

# check: <command>

# https://homepage

set -euo pipefail

DEPS_LIB="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib" && pwd)"

source "$DEPS_LIB/platform.sh"

# Fast path — already installed

if pkg_check "<command>"; then exit 0; fi

info "<tool> not found — installing..."

case "$OS" in

macos)

brew_install <formula>

;;

linux)

case "$PKG_MANAGER" in

apt) apt_install <pkg> ;;

dnf) dnf_install <pkg> ;;

pacman) pkg_install <pkg> ;;

zypper) pkg_install <pkg> ;;

apk) pkg_install <pkg> ;;

*)

# Universal fallback

curl -fsSL https://example.com/install.sh | sh

;;

esac

;;

esac

pkg_check "<command>" || die "<tool> not found after install"

info "<tool> installed successfully."

```

### Platform Variables (from `deps/lib/platform.sh`)

| Variable | Values |

|----------|--------|

| `$OS` | `macos` or `linux` |

| `$ARCH` | `x86_64` or `arm64` |

| `$PKG_MANAGER` | `brew`, `apt`, `dnf`, `pacman`, `zypper`, `apk`, `unknown` |

| `$IS_MACOS` | `1` or `0` |

| `$IS_LINUX` | `1` or `0` |

| `$IS_ARM64` | `1` or `0` |

| `$IS_X86_64` | `1` or `0` |

### Platform Functions (from `deps/lib/platform.sh`)

| Function | Purpose |

|----------|---------|

| `pkg_check <cmd>` | Returns 0 if command exists — use for fast-path and post-install verify |

| `pkg_install <pkg>` | Install via detected package manager |

| `brew_install <formula>` | macOS only, no-op on Linux |

| `apt_install <pkg>` | Debian/Ubuntu only, no-op elsewhere |

| `dnf_install <pkg>` | Fedora/RHEL only, no-op elsewhere |

| `install_dep <org/tool>` | Run another dep script as a prerequisite; sources PATH after |

| `info <msg>` | Print informational message to stderr |

| `warn <msg>` | Print warning to stderr |

| `die <msg>` | Print error to stderr and exit 1 |

Never re-implement platform detection — always source `deps/lib/platform.sh`.

### Companion Documentation

Every `.sh` must have a matching `.md` at the same path (`deps/<org>/<tool>.md`).

For MCP servers (`type: mcp`) — copy `templates/dep-mcp.md`, must include:

- `## MCP Server` — package name, transport, launch command

- `## Authentication` — required env vars and how to obtain them

- `## Available Tools` — list of tools the MCP server exposes

- `## Configuration Example` — example `[[mcp.servers]]` TOML block

For plain deps (`type: dep`) — copy `templates/dep-tool.md`, must include:

- `## Key Commands` — most important CLI commands

- `## Common Usage` — typical usage patterns with examples

### Validation

```bash

bash scripts/lint-deps.sh deps/<org>/<tool>.sh

```

Checks: required header comments present, `# type:` set, companion `.md` exists, script is executable.

### Creation Checklist

- [ ] File at `deps/<org>/<tool>.sh` (org matches GitHub org or tool namespace)

- [ ] Required header comments: `# dep:`, `# type:`, `# description:`, `# check:`, URL

- [ ] Sources `deps/lib/platform.sh` — never re-implements platform detection

- [ ] Fast-path `pkg_check` exit at top

- [ ] Handles `macos` + all Linux package managers + universal fallback

- [ ] Post-install `pkg_check` verify with `die` on failure

- [ ] Companion `deps/<org>/<tool>.md` exists with correct sections

- [ ] `bash scripts/lint-deps.sh deps/<org>/<tool>.sh` passes clean

## Examples

### Example 1: MCP server via npx (minimal)

```bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# dep: modelcontextprotocol/filesystem

# type: mcp

# description: MCP filesystem server — requires Node.js/npx

# check: npx

# https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers

set -euo pipefail

DEPS_LIB="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib" && pwd)"

source "$DEPS_LIB/platform.sh"

if pkg_check npx; then exit 0; fi

install_dep nodejs/node

```

### Example 2: MCP server via uvx (Python)

```bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# dep: myorg/mcp-server

# type: mcp

# description: My Python MCP server — requires uvx

# check: uvx

# https://github.com/myorg/mcp-server

set -euo pipefail

DEPS_LIB="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib" && pwd)"

source "$DEPS_LIB/platform.sh"

if pkg_check uvx; then exit 0; fi

install_dep astral-sh/uv

```

### Example 3: GitHub release binary install

```bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# dep: muvon/octofs

# type: dep

# description: Installs the octofs CLI from GitHub releases

# check: octofs

# https://github.com/muvon/octofs

set -euo pipefail

DEPS_LIB="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib" && pwd)"

source "$DEPS_LIB/platform.sh"

if pkg_check octofs; then exit 0; fi

case "$OS" in

macos)

brew_install muvon/tap/octofs

;;

linux)

INSTALL_DIR="$HOME/.local/bin"

mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"

VERSION=$(curl -fsSL "https://api.github.com/repos/muvon/octofs/releases" \

| grep '"tag_name":' | head -1 | sed -E 's/.*"([^"]+)".*/\1/')

case "$ARCH" in

x86_64) TARGET="x86_64-unknown-linux-musl" ;;

arm64) TARGET="aarch64-unknown-linux-musl" ;;

esac

curl -fsSL "https://github.com/muvon/octofs/releases/download/$VERSION/octofs-$VERSION-$TARGET.tar.gz" \

| tar xz -C "$INSTALL_DIR"

chmod +x "$INSTALL_DIR/octofs"

export PATH="$INSTALL_DIR:$PATH"

;;

esac

pkg_check octofs || die "octofs not found after install"

```

### Example 4: Common mistake — re-implementing platform detection

```bash

# WRONG — never do this

if [[ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]]; then

brew install something

fi

# RIGHT — source platform.sh and use its functions

DEPS_LIB="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib" && pwd)"

source "$DEPS_LIB/platform.sh"

brew_install something

```

## References

- `templates/dep.sh` — canonical dep script template (copy to start)

- `templates/dep-mcp.md` — companion doc template for MCP servers

- `templates/dep-tool.md` — companion doc template for plain deps

- `deps/lib/platform.sh` — platform detection library (source in all dep scripts)

- `bash scripts/lint-deps.sh` — validates dep scripts