# Generate and iterate on a local codebase from a natural-language spec with gpt-engineer

> Use gpt-engineer when an agent/operator needs to turn a prompt file into a local project scaffold, inspect the generated code, and run a supervised improvement loop before adopting the result.

- Skill: `agentskillexchange/generate-and-iterate-on-a-local-codebase-from-a-natural-lang` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add agentskillexchange/generate-and-iterate-on-a-local-codebase-from-a-natural-lang`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/agentskillexchange/generate-and-iterate-on-a-local-codebase-from-a-natural-lang/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: agentskillexchange (https://skillmd.com/u/agentskillexchange)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/agentskillexchange/generate-and-iterate-on-a-local-codebase-from-a-natural-lang

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# Generate and iterate on a local codebase from a natural-language spec with gpt-engineer

Use gpt-engineer when an agent/operator needs to turn a prompt file into a local project scaffold, inspect the generated code, and run a supervised improvement loop before adopting the result.

## Prerequisites

Python, pip, OpenAI-compatible or supported model API key, gpte CLI

## Installation

Use the upstream install or setup path that matches your environment:
- Use Docker ([instructions](docker/README.md))

Requirements and caveats from upstream:
- python -m pip install gpt-engineer
- We actively support Python 3.10 - 3.12. The last version to support Python 3.8 - 3.9 was [0.2.6](https://pypi.org/project/gpt-engineer/0.2.6/).

Basic usage or getting-started notes:
- For **stable** release:
- For **development**:
- git clone https://github.com/gpt-engineer-org/gpt-engineer.git

- Source: https://github.com/AntonOsika/gpt-engineer
- Extracted from upstream docs: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AntonOsika/gpt-engineer/HEAD/README.md

## Documentation

- https://gpt-engineer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

## Source

- [Agent Skill Exchange](https://agentskillexchange.com/skills/generate-and-iterate-on-a-local-codebase-from-a-natural-language-spec-with-gpt-engineer/)