Installation

Invokta is distributed as focused ESM packages. Start with @invokta/core, then install only the adapters and development tools your engine uses. The selected channels do not change the capability implementation, so the engine remains independent of one agent harness.

Requirements

Node.js 22.20.0 or later
An ESM project ("type": "module")
A schema library that implements Standard Schema v1 and Standard JSON Schema v1

The examples use Zod 4 because it implements both schema contracts.

Create a standalone engine

npm create invokta-engine@latest my-engine

pnpm create invokta-engine my-engine

yarn create invokta-engine my-engine

The creator asks for one of four profiles. complete generates direct, CLI, MCP stdio, and MCP HTTP entry points; cli, mcp-stdio, and mcp-http generate only direct invocation plus the selected adapter. Use --no-install for an offline scaffold. See the create-invokta-engine reference for automation flags, target safety, package-manager behavior, and profile contents.

After validating a complete or mcp-stdio project, install its local MCP server in detected clients with one command:

cd my-engine
npm run check
npm run mcp:install
# Later, remove the engine from every managed MCP client:
npm run mcp:uninstall

The script builds first, preselects every eligible client, and requires one confirmation before writing user configuration. The build-free uninstall script uses the manifest ID to remove that engine from every installer-managed client after one confirmation, even when its compiled entry point is absent. See the installer reference for supported clients, remote HTTP registration, and lifecycle management.

Create reusable capability packages

Create one atomic exported capability:

npm create invokta-capability@latest my-capability

Create a related capability library:

npm create invokta-capability-library@latest my-library

Both starters are private, deterministic ESM packages. Their tests compose the generated exports into an engine and invoke them through engine.invoke. See the atomic creator and capability-library creator references for the complete contracts.

Install the core

npm install @invokta/core zod

pnpm add @invokta/core zod

yarn add @invokta/core zod

Add execution channels

Install the CLI or MCP adapter when the engine needs that boundary.

npm install @invokta/cli @invokta/mcp

pnpm add @invokta/cli @invokta/mcp

yarn add @invokta/cli @invokta/mcp

Package	Use it for
`@invokta/core`	Capabilities, engines, contracts, errors, and events
`@invokta/cli`	`list`, `describe`, and `run` commands
`@invokta/mcp`	MCP tools over stdio or stateless Streamable HTTP
`@invokta/tooling`	Capability-composition checks during development
`@invokta/devtools`	MCP and CLI workbenches, engine dev server, web inspector, and doctor diagnostics
`@invokta/installer`	Install and manage local or remote Action Engine MCP servers in supported clients
`@invokta/deploy`	Reviewable container packaging and endpoint probes
`create-invokta-engine`	Standalone starter Action Engine creation
`create-invokta-capability`	Standalone atomic capability package creation
`create-invokta-capability-library`	Standalone capability-library package creation

Work inside this repository

Clone the repository and install from its root when contributing to Invokta or running the included examples:

git clone https://github.com/vinilana/invokta.git
cd invokta
corepack enable
yarn install --frozen-lockfile --non-interactive
yarn build

Read the repository’s CONTRIBUTING.md before editing. It covers branch preparation, the test-first delivery loop, focused and full validation, contract review, and commit evidence. The public documentation application is isolated from the root workspace; changes under apps/docs/ also require its local yarn validate gate.

Continue with your first engine. The package reference overview links the complete public API and command contract for every package.