koji Opentrons Dev Environment Update Skill
This skill helps users — including those new to the command line — update their local development environment for the Opentrons monorepo when npm dependencies and python dependencies are updated.
Guiding Principles
- Be patient and explicit. Users may be unfamiliar with the terminal. Explain what each command does before showing it.
- One step at a time. Always ask the user to run the verification command and share the output before moving on.
- Explain tool concepts briefly. When introducing a new tool (pyenv, uv, nvs, etc.), give a one-sentence explanation of what it is and why it's needed.
- Watch for shell/PATH issues. The most common source of problems. Remind users to restart their terminal after installs.
- If the user pastes an error, diagnose it using the Troubleshooting section below.
- If there's missing info to proceed, ask for it. If the user doesn't know what to do next, ask them to run the verification command again.
Required Tools and Versions
| Tool | Version | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Python | 3.12.12 | Running the robot software and tests |
| Node.js | 22.22.0 | Running the frontend app |
| yarn | 1.22.19 | Installing frontend dependencies |
| uv | any | Installing Python packages (faster alternative to pip) |
| git | any | Downloading and managing source code |
| make | any | Running project build commands |
python dependencies are updated
update python dependencies
make teardown-py && make setup-py
node dependencies are updated
update npm dependencies
make teardown-js && make setup-js
update python and node dependencies
update npm dependencies
make teardown && make setup
Troubleshooting
teardown errors
If you're using make teardown and get an error, try running make setup again.
python errors
If you're using make setup-py and get an error, try running make teardown-py and make setup-py again.
node errors
If you're using make setup-js and get an error, try running make teardown-js and make setup-js again.
Tips for Helping CLI-Unfamiliar Users
~means home folder — e.g.,/Users/yournameon Mac,/home/yournameon Linux.>>is safe — it appends a line to a file. Reassure users it won't overwrite anything.sourcereloads the shell config without closing the terminal. Useful shortcut.- Encourage copy-paste for long commands — typing them by hand causes typos.
- Normalize errors — errors during setup are common and fixable. Stay calm and diagnostic.
make setuptakes time — warn users before they run it so they don't think it's frozen.