How do I install the Rank LLM Install skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add castorini/rank-llm-install in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

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Is Rank LLM Install free to use?

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Who published Rank LLM Install?

castorini (@castorini) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Rank LLM Install by castorini — Agent Skill

Name: Rank LLM Install
Author: castorini

Rank LLM Install

Set up a rank_llm development environment. Use when someone is onboarding, setting up a fresh clone, choosing extras such as cloud, api, local, or pyserini, or troubleshooting whether the packaged rank-llm CLI is ready.

castorini 2ccad2e 2 files · 3.9 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

rank_llm Install

Development environment setup for rank_llm and its packaged rank-llm CLI.

Prerequisites

Python 3.12+
Git
Java 21 only for retrieval or evaluation workflows that use pyserini

Verify Runtime

python3 --version
command -v uv

If uv is on PATH, use it silently. If not, ask once whether to install uv or continue with a fallback pip or conda path.

Clone (if needed)

If no pyproject.toml is present:

git clone git@github.com:castorini/rank_llm.git && cd rank_llm

Install (source - preferred)

uv path

uv python install 3.12
uv venv --python 3.12
source .venv/bin/activate
uv sync --group dev --extra cloud --extra api

pip path

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -e ".[cloud,api]"
pip install pre-commit

conda fallback

conda create -n rankllm python=3.12 -c conda-forge -y
conda activate rankllm
pip install -e ".[cloud,api]"

PyPI alternative

uv pip install rank-llm

Smoke Test

rank-llm --output json doctor
rank-llm --help

Pre-commit (source installs)

uv run pre-commit install --install-hooks --hook-type pre-commit --hook-type pre-push

Reference Files

references/extras.md - Optional extras and when to add them

Gotchas

rank-llm is the canonical CLI entry point. The legacy scripts under src/rank_llm/scripts/ remain available, but they are compatibility wrappers.
cloud is the default hosted-provider stack and api is the lightweight HTTP server stack. This pair is the best default for most contributor workflows.
pyserini requires Java 21 and is only needed for retrieval or evaluation workflows.
local and vllm pull in heavier inference stacks. Do not install them by default.

---name: rank-llm-installdescription: Set up a rank_llm development environment. Use when someone is onboarding, setting up a fresh clone, choosing extras such as cloud, api, local, or pyserini, or troubleshooting whether the packaged rank-llm CLI is ready.---# rank_llm InstallDevelopment environment setup for [rank_llm](https://github.com/castorini/rank_llm) and its packaged `rank-llm` CLI.## Prerequisites- Python 3.12+- Git- Java 21 only for retrieval or evaluation workflows that use `pyserini`## Verify Runtime```bashpython3 --versioncommand -v uv```If `uv` is on PATH, use it silently. If not, ask once whether to install `uv` or continue with a fallback `pip` or `conda` path.## Clone (if needed)If no `pyproject.toml` is present:```bashgit clone git@github.com:castorini/rank_llm.git && cd rank_llm```## Install (source - preferred)### uv path```bashuv python install 3.12uv venv --python 3.12source .venv/bin/activateuv sync --group dev --extra cloud --extra api```### pip path```bashpython3 -m venv .venvsource .venv/bin/activatepip install -e ".[cloud,api]"pip install pre-commit```### conda fallback```bashconda create -n rankllm python=3.12 -c conda-forge -yconda activate rankllmpip install -e ".[cloud,api]"```### PyPI alternative```bashuv pip install rank-llm```## Smoke Test```bashrank-llm --output json doctorrank-llm --help```## Pre-commit (source installs)```bashuv run pre-commit install --install-hooks --hook-type pre-commit --hook-type pre-push```## Reference Files- `references/extras.md` - Optional extras and when to add them## Gotchas- `rank-llm` is the canonical CLI entry point. The legacy scripts under `src/rank_llm/scripts/` remain available, but they are compatibility wrappers.- `cloud` is the default hosted-provider stack and `api` is the lightweight HTTP server stack. This pair is the best default for most contributor workflows.- `pyserini` requires Java 21 and is only needed for retrieval or evaluation workflows.- `local` and `vllm` pull in heavier inference stacks. Do not install them by default.

Frequently asked questions