CLI Only Installation

Install the Pitch Smith plugin for Claude Code and start building slides from your terminal. This guide takes about 5 minutes.

Step 1: Check Prerequisites

Before installing Pitch Smith, make sure you have Claude Code CLI installed and running.

Claude Code CLI

Pitch Smith runs as a Claude Code plugin, so you need Claude Code CLI v1.0.33 or newer.

claude --version

You should see a version number of 1.0.33 or higher.

Don't have Claude Code yet?

Visit the Claude Code installation guide to install it first, then return here to add the Pitch Smith plugin.

Node.js (Optional)

Node.js is not required for core Pitch Smith features (planning, building, and viewing slides). You only need it if you want to export slides to PNG, PDF, or PPTX format.

node --version

If installed, you should see v18.0.0 or higher.

Platform-Specific Node.js Installation

macOS:

brew install node

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo apt update && sudo apt install nodejs npm

Windows: Download the installer from nodejs.org and follow the setup wizard.

Windows Users

Claude Code CLI currently has best support on macOS and Linux. If you are on Windows, check the Claude Code documentation for the latest Windows compatibility notes.

Verify: Prerequisites are met

Run these commands and confirm the output:

claude --version

Expected: A version number 1.0.33 or higher (e.g., 1.0.38).

node --version

Expected (optional): A version number v18.0.0 or higher (e.g., v22.12.0). If you do not plan to export slides to PNG/PDF/PPTX, you can skip this.

If claude is not found, install Claude Code first. If your Claude Code version is below 1.0.33, update it before proceeding.

Step 2: Install the Pitch Smith Plugin

Add the Pitch Smith marketplace and install the plugin. Run these commands inside a Claude Code session:

/plugin marketplace add pitchsmith/pitchsmith-marketplace

Then install the plugin from the marketplace:

/plugin install pitchsmith@pitchsmith-marketplace

What this does

The first command registers the Pitch Smith marketplace as a plugin source. The second command downloads and installs the Pitch Smith plugin, which includes all commands, workflows, templates, and a bundled PDF reader.

Alternative: Install from Your Terminal

If you prefer to install without starting a Claude Code session first, run these commands directly from your terminal:

claude plugin marketplace add pitchsmith/pitchsmith-marketplace
claude plugin install pitchsmith@pitchsmith-marketplace

Verify: Plugin is registered

After installation, you should see a confirmation message from Claude Code indicating the plugin was installed successfully.

You can verify the plugin is available by checking your installed plugins:

/plugin list

Expected: You should see pitchsmith listed among your installed plugins with version 0.1.0 or higher.

Step 3: Verify the Plugin is Loaded

Confirm the Pitch Smith commands are available by running the smart router:

/pitchsmith

On first run, the smart router will:

1. Detect that your workspace has not been initialized yet
2. Automatically create the .slide-builder/ directory structure
3. Copy the default theme and starter templates to your workspace
4. Present you with options to start creating slides

Zero-config first run

Pitch Smith works out of the box with zero configuration. The default theme includes a professional color palette, typography, and layout system. You can customize your brand later with /pitchsmith:setup.

Verify: Plugin is loaded and responding

After running /pitchsmith, you should see:

• A welcome message or workspace initialization output
• The .slide-builder/ directory created in your project root
• Options to plan a deck, build a slide, or set up your brand

Check that the workspace directory was created:

ls .slide-builder/config/

Expected: You should see files like theme.json and a catalogs/ directory containing template definitions.

Step 4: Set Up Your Workspace

Your workspace was automatically initialized when you ran /pitchsmith in the previous step. Here is what was created:

.slide-builder/
├── config/
│   ├── theme.json              # Your brand theme (colors, fonts, layouts)
│   ├── brand-assets/           # Logos, images, and brand files
│   └── catalogs/
│       ├── slide-templates.yaml # Slide template definitions
│       └── deck-templates.yaml  # Deck template definitions
├── deck/                        # Full deck plans
└── single/                      # Single slide plans

Optional: Set Up Your Brand

If you have brand guidelines (a PDF or website), you can extract your brand identity:

/pitchsmith:setup

This command walks you through providing brand source material and generates a custom theme with your colors, fonts, and design system. This is optional — the default theme works well for getting started.

Placeholder-safe examples

When prompted for project names or URLs during brand setup, use your actual values. The examples in this guide use generic placeholders like YOUR_PROJECT_NAME and your-brand-website.com.

Verify: Workspace is configured

Your workspace is ready when you can see the configuration files:

ls .slide-builder/config/theme.json

Expected: The file exists and contains your theme configuration (either the default theme or your custom brand theme).

To see a summary of your current setup:

/pitchsmith

Expected: The smart router shows your workspace status, including the active theme and available templates.

Step 5: Verify Complete Installation

Run a final check to confirm everything is working end to end. Try planning a sample deck:

/pitchsmith:plan-deck

This command starts an interactive planning session where you describe the presentation you want to create. Follow the prompts to plan a short deck (2-3 slides is enough for verification).

After planning, build a single slide to confirm the full pipeline works:

/pitchsmith:build-one

Verify: Full installation is working

After running the plan and build commands, verify:

1. Plan created: A plan YAML file exists in .slide-builder/deck/ or .slide-builder/single/
2. Slide built: An HTML file was generated in the output/ directory
3. Slide viewable: Open the HTML file in your browser to see the rendered slide

ls output/

Expected: A directory for your deck containing an HTML slide file.

If all three checks pass, your Pitch Smith CLI installation is complete and fully functional.

Available Commands

Here are the core commands you can use with Pitch Smith CLI:

Command	Description
/pitchsmith	Smart router — auto-detects context and presents options
/pitchsmith:plan-deck	Plan a full presentation deck
/pitchsmith:build-one	Build a single slide
/pitchsmith:build-all	Build all slides in a planned deck
/pitchsmith:setup	Extract brand identity from a PDF or website
/pitchsmith:theme-edit	Edit theme properties (colors, fonts, layouts)
/pitchsmith:templates	Browse and manage slide templates

Next Steps

• Follow the CLI Quickstart to create your first presentation from scratch
• Learn about Brand Setup to customize your theme with your company's identity
• Explore the Install Overview to learn about adding the VS Code extension later