Skip to main content

Install CALM CLI and Initialize Your Architecture Repository

🟢 Difficulty: Beginner | ⏱️ Time: 15-20 minutes

Overview​

Set up your CALM workspace with AI-powered assistance and establish the foundation for your architecture learning journey.

Learning Objectives​

By the end of this tutorial, you will:

  • Install the CALM CLI tool
  • Create a git repository for your architecture work
  • Enable GitHub Copilot assistance for architecture development
  • Understand the basic project structure for CALM architectures

Prerequisites​

Ensure you have the following installed:

  • Git
  • Node.js (20+) and npm
  • VSCode editor (version 1.96+)
  • GitHub Copilot access (optional but recommended)

Step-by-Step Guide​

1. Create Your Repository​

mkdir calm-learning
cd calm-learning
git init

2. Install the CALM CLI​

Install via npm:

npm install -g @finos/calm-cli

Or if you use Homebrew:

brew install calm-cli

Verify installation:

calm --version

3. Initialize Your Project Structure​

Create a basic structure for your architecture files:

mkdir architectures
mkdir patterns
mkdir docs
touch README.md

4. Enable AI Assistance with Copilot Chatmode​

calm copilot-chatmode -d .

This creates .github/chatmodes/CALM.chatmode.md with specialized CALM knowledge for GitHub Copilot. We'll use this chatmode in VSCode in the next tutorial.

5. Add a .gitignore​

Create .gitignore:

node_modules/
.DS_Store
*.log
.vscode/settings.json
**/.docusaurus/

Key Concepts​

What is the CALM CLI?​

The CALM CLI is a command-line tool that provides:

  • Validation - Check if your architecture files are valid
  • Generation - Create architecture scaffolds from patterns
  • Documentation - Generate docs from your architecture files

What is the CALM Chatmode?​

The chatmode file provides GitHub Copilot with specialized knowledge about:

  • CALM schema and syntax
  • Best practices for architecture modeling
  • Common patterns and examples

Resources​

Tips​

  • If you don't have GitHub Copilot access, the chatmode file is still useful as documentation for you to reference

Next Steps​

In the next tutorial, you'll create your first CALM architecture file using AI assistance!