---
title: "ktx dev"
description: "Low-level project initialization and runtime management."
---

`ktx dev` contains low-level project initialization and managed Python runtime
commands. Context building lives at the root as
[`ktx ingest`](/docs/cli-reference/ktx-ingest). Most users should start with
`ktx setup`; use `ktx dev` when preparing local fixtures, checking the bundled
runtime, or debugging runtime state.

## Command signature

```bash
ktx dev <subcommand> [options]
```

## Subcommands

| Subcommand | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `init [directory]` | Initialize a Git-backed KTX project directory for maintenance scripts |
| `schema` | Print a JSON Schema describing `ktx.yaml` |
| `runtime` | Install, start, stop, and inspect the KTX-managed Python runtime |

## `dev init`

| Flag | Description | Default |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `--force` | Rewrite `ktx.yaml` and scaffold files in an existing project | `false` |

## `dev schema`

`ktx dev schema` does not require a `ktx.yaml` file or a configured project
directory. Use it from any directory to generate editor or agent schema files.

| Flag | Description | Default |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `--output <file>` | Write the schema to a file instead of stdout | - |

## `dev runtime` Subcommands

| Subcommand | Description |
|-----------|-------------|
| `install` | Install the bundled Python runtime wheel into the managed runtime |
| `start` | Start the KTX-managed Python HTTP daemon |
| `stop` | Stop the KTX-managed Python HTTP daemon |
| `status` | Show managed Python runtime status and readiness checks |

## `dev runtime` Options

| Flag | Description | Default |
|------|-------------|---------|
| `--feature <feature>` | Runtime feature level for `install` and `start` (`core` or `local-embeddings`) | `core` |
| `--json` | Print JSON output for `status` | `false` |
| `--yes` | Accepted by `install` for scripted install commands | `false` |
| `--force` | Reinstall for `install`, or restart for `start` | `false` |
| `--all` | Stop all recorded or discoverable KTX daemon processes with `stop` | `false` |

## Examples

```bash
ktx dev init
ktx dev init ./my-project
ktx dev init --force

ktx dev schema
ktx dev schema --output ./ktx.schema.json

ktx dev runtime install --yes
ktx dev runtime install --feature local-embeddings --yes
ktx dev runtime status
ktx dev runtime start
ktx dev runtime start --feature local-embeddings
ktx dev runtime stop
ktx dev runtime stop --all
```

## Output

Runtime commands print the runtime root, installed features, daemon URL, daemon
pid, and log paths where relevant. `ktx dev runtime status --json` includes the
runtime status plus readiness checks.

## Common errors

| Error | Cause | Recovery |
|-------|-------|----------|
| Runtime status reports missing pieces | Packages, Python environment, or linked CLI are not ready | Run `pnpm install`, `pnpm run setup:dev`, `uv sync --all-groups`, then `ktx dev runtime status` |
| Runtime daemon does not start | The managed Python runtime is missing or stale | Run `ktx dev runtime install --yes`, then `ktx dev runtime start` |
| Multiple daemon processes remain | Older daemon state files or stray processes exist | Run `ktx dev runtime stop --all`, then start the runtime again |