fix: install to ~/.local/bin instead of /usr/local/bin by FlorianBruniaux · Pull Request #161 · rtk-ai/rtk

FlorianBruniaux · 2026-02-17T07:53:28Z

Summary

Install to $HOME/.local/bin instead of /usr/local/bin, removing the need for sudo (closes Don't install to /usr/local/bin #155)
Support RTK_INSTALL_DIR env var for custom install path
Add PATH guidance in verify() and README for users where ~/.local/bin isn't in PATH

Test plan

Run curl ... | sh on a fresh machine — installs without sudo
Verify RTK_INSTALL_DIR=/custom/path curl ... | sh respects override
Verify PATH warning appears when ~/.local/bin is not in PATH

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Remove sudo requirement by defaulting to $HOME/.local/bin (XDG standard). Supports RTK_INSTALL_DIR env var for custom install path. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <[email protected]>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Updates the installation experience to install rtk into a user-writable directory by default (avoiding sudo) and adds guidance for ensuring the installed binary is discoverable via PATH.

Changes:

Default install path changed from /usr/local/bin to $HOME/.local/bin, with RTK_INSTALL_DIR override support.
Removed sudo-based install branch; always creates the install directory and moves the binary there.
Added PATH guidance in the installer’s verify() output and in the README.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 2 out of 2 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

File	Description
install.sh	Changes default install directory and updates install/verify flow with PATH guidance.
README.md	Documents the new default install location and how to add it to `PATH`.

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Copilot · 2026-02-17T07:56:15Z

README.md

+> **Note**: rtk installs to `~/.local/bin` by default. If this directory is not in your PATH, add it:
+> ```bash
+> echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc
+> ```


This new note documents the default ~/.local/bin install, but it doesn’t mention the newly-added RTK_INSTALL_DIR override described in the PR. Consider extending the note to include how to set RTK_INSTALL_DIR (and that PATH updates should match that directory) so users discover the feature from the README.

Suggested change

> ```

> ```

>

> To install rtk into a different directory, set `RTK_INSTALL_DIR` **before** running the install script:

> ```bash

> export RTK_INSTALL_DIR="$HOME/.rtk/bin" # choose your preferred directory

> ```

>

> Make sure your `PATH` matches the directory you install to, for example:

> ```bash

> echo 'export PATH="$RTK_INSTALL_DIR:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc # or ~/.zshrc

> ```

Copilot · 2026-02-17T07:56:15Z

install.sh

 REPO="rtk-ai/rtk"
 BINARY_NAME="rtk"
-INSTALL_DIR="/usr/local/bin"
+INSTALL_DIR="${RTK_INSTALL_DIR:-$HOME/.local/bin}"


INSTALL_DIR default uses $HOME unquoted inside parameter expansion. If HOME contains spaces (or is unset), this can produce an invalid path and surprising install location (e.g., /.local/bin). Consider using a safer default like ${RTK_INSTALL_DIR:-"${HOME:?}/.local/bin"} (or equivalent POSIX-safe check) so the script fails with a clear error when HOME is missing and avoids word-splitting.

Suggested change

INSTALL_DIR="${RTK_INSTALL_DIR:-$HOME/.local/bin}"

INSTALL_DIR=${RTK_INSTALL_DIR:-"${HOME:?}/.local/bin"}

Copilot · 2026-02-17T07:56:16Z

install.sh

+    mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"
+    mv "${TEMP_DIR}/${BINARY_NAME}" "${INSTALL_DIR}/"



The install step now always does mkdir -p + mv without any permission handling. If RTK_INSTALL_DIR is set to a non-writable location (e.g. /usr/local/bin), this will fail with a generic shell error under set -e and no actionable guidance. Consider detecting non-writable dirs (or mkdir/mv failure) and exiting via error with a message instructing users to pick a writable RTK_INSTALL_DIR (or optionally keep a sudo fallback only when explicitly requested).

Suggested change

mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"

mv "${TEMP_DIR}/${BINARY_NAME}" "${INSTALL_DIR}/"

# Ensure install directory is writable or can be created

if [ -d "$INSTALL_DIR" ]; then

if [ ! -w "$INSTALL_DIR" ]; then

error "Install directory '$INSTALL_DIR' is not writable. Set RTK_INSTALL_DIR to a writable location (e.g. \$HOME/.local/bin) and rerun the installer."

fi

else

INSTALL_PARENT_DIR=$(dirname "$INSTALL_DIR")

if [ ! -w "$INSTALL_PARENT_DIR" ]; then

error "Cannot create install directory '$INSTALL_DIR' (parent '$INSTALL_PARENT_DIR' is not writable). Set RTK_INSTALL_DIR to a writable location (e.g. \$HOME/.local/bin) and rerun the installer."

fi

fi

if ! mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"; then

error "Failed to create install directory '$INSTALL_DIR'. Check permissions or choose a different RTK_INSTALL_DIR."

fi

if ! mv "${TEMP_DIR}/${BINARY_NAME}" "${INSTALL_DIR}/"; then

error "Failed to move binary into '$INSTALL_DIR'. Check permissions or choose a different RTK_INSTALL_DIR."

fi

Copilot · 2026-02-17T07:56:16Z

install.sh

    if command -v "$BINARY_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
        info "Verification: $($BINARY_NAME --version)"
    else
-        warn "Binary installed but not in PATH. Add $INSTALL_DIR to your PATH."
+        warn "Binary installed but not in PATH. Add to your shell profile:"
+        warn "  export PATH=\"\$HOME/.local/bin:\$PATH\""
    fi


verify() can report the wrong binary/version: command -v rtk finds the first rtk on PATH, which may be a previously-installed copy (e.g. in /usr/local/bin) rather than the one just placed in $INSTALL_DIR. Also, the PATH guidance is hardcoded to $HOME/.local/bin, which is incorrect when RTK_INSTALL_DIR is used. Consider verifying ${INSTALL_DIR}/${BINARY_NAME} --version and, if it differs from command -v, warn about PATH ordering; and print an export line that uses $INSTALL_DIR (properly quoted/escaped) instead of a fixed path.

…#155) (rtk-ai#161) Remove sudo requirement by defaulting to $HOME/.local/bin (XDG standard). Supports RTK_INSTALL_DIR env var for custom install path. Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <[email protected]>

fix: install to ~/.local/bin instead of /usr/local/bin (closes #155)

1c9b4fe

Remove sudo requirement by defaulting to $HOME/.local/bin (XDG standard). Supports RTK_INSTALL_DIR env var for custom install path. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <[email protected]>

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings February 17, 2026 07:53

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of FlorianBruniaux February 17, 2026 07:53 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Feb 17, 2026

View reviewed changes

pszymkowiak merged commit 0b34772 into master Feb 17, 2026
8 of 9 checks passed

github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Feb 17, 2026

chore(master): release 0.20.1 #167

Merged

This was referenced Feb 17, 2026

Hook: ~/.cargo/bin not in PATH, rewritten commands use bare 'rtk' instead of absolute path #111

Closed

Release pipeline should skip binary builds for non-code changes #189

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fix: install to ~/.local/bin instead of /usr/local/bin#161

fix: install to ~/.local/bin instead of /usr/local/bin#161
pszymkowiak merged 1 commit intomasterfrom
fix/install-local-bin

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-> ```
+> ```
+>
+> To install rtk into a different directory, set `RTK_INSTALL_DIR` **before** running the install script:
+> ```bash
+> export RTK_INSTALL_DIR="$HOME/.rtk/bin"   # choose your preferred directory
+> ```
+>
+> Make sure your `PATH` matches the directory you install to, for example:
+> ```bash
+> echo 'export PATH="$RTK_INSTALL_DIR:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc  # or ~/.zshrc
+> ```

	INSTALL_DIR="${RTK_INSTALL_DIR:-$HOME/.local/bin}"
	INSTALL_DIR=${RTK_INSTALL_DIR:-"${HOME:?}/.local/bin"}

		mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"
		mv "${TEMP_DIR}/${BINARY_NAME}" "${INSTALL_DIR}/"

-    mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"
-    mv "${TEMP_DIR}/${BINARY_NAME}" "${INSTALL_DIR}/"
+    # Ensure install directory is writable or can be created
+    if [ -d "$INSTALL_DIR" ]; then
+        if [ ! -w "$INSTALL_DIR" ]; then
+            error "Install directory '$INSTALL_DIR' is not writable. Set RTK_INSTALL_DIR to a writable location (e.g. \$HOME/.local/bin) and rerun the installer."
+        fi
+    else
+        INSTALL_PARENT_DIR=$(dirname "$INSTALL_DIR")
+        if [ ! -w "$INSTALL_PARENT_DIR" ]; then
+            error "Cannot create install directory '$INSTALL_DIR' (parent '$INSTALL_PARENT_DIR' is not writable). Set RTK_INSTALL_DIR to a writable location (e.g. \$HOME/.local/bin) and rerun the installer."
+        fi
+    fi
+    if ! mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR"; then
+        error "Failed to create install directory '$INSTALL_DIR'. Check permissions or choose a different RTK_INSTALL_DIR."
+    fi
+    if ! mv "${TEMP_DIR}/${BINARY_NAME}" "${INSTALL_DIR}/"; then
+        error "Failed to move binary into '$INSTALL_DIR'. Check permissions or choose a different RTK_INSTALL_DIR."
+    fi

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FlorianBruniaux commented Feb 17, 2026

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