Summary
The installer (install.sh and install.ps1) does not configure Claude Desktop at all. Users on macOS and Windows who expect mind-map to register with Claude Desktop after install get nothing.
What the installer actually does (and why it's confusing)
- Writes MCP config to
~/.claude.json (install.sh:370, install.ps1:314) — this is Claude Code (the CLI), not Claude Desktop.
- Drops
SKILL.md into ~/.claude/skills/mind-map/SKILL.md (install.sh:143, install.ps1:166) — also Claude Code's skills directory, not Claude Desktop's.
Neither of Claude Desktop's actual config paths is ever written:
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\\Claude\\claude_desktop_config.json
- Linux: no official Claude Desktop build — skip.
A grep across the repo (shell + Go) for claude_desktop_config, Application Support/Claude, APPDATA.*Claude returns zero hits.
Skill caveat
Claude Desktop has no documented filesystem-based skill-discovery mechanism analogous to Claude Code's ~/.claude/skills/. For Claude Desktop the realistic path is:
- Register the MCP server in
claude_desktop_config.json.
- Expose the skill content through MCP (resource/tool) rather than dropping a
SKILL.md file the desktop app won't read.
Proposed fix
- Add Claude Desktop MCP registration to both installers, reusing the existing
mcpServers shape from configure_mcp_client (sh) / Set-McpConfig (ps1).
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
- Windows:
%APPDATA%\\Claude\\claude_desktop_config.json
- Gate each on the parent Claude directory existing (don't create config for users who don't have Claude Desktop installed).
- Do not attempt to install a
SKILL.md file for Claude Desktop. Document that skill content is surfaced via MCP for that client.
Related minor bugs found while investigating
install.sh:370 writes ~/.claude.json unconditionally (no [ -d ~/.claude ] guard), unlike Copilot/Cursor. Creates the file even when Claude Code isn't installed.
SKILL.md is fetched from raw.githubusercontent.com at install time with || true swallowing failures (install.sh:140-152, install.ps1:163-174). If raw is unreachable, skills silently don't install. Should be bundled with the release artifact instead. (Out of scope for this bug; tracking separately if needed.)
Verification plan
- macOS: maintainer
- Windows: reporter
Branch: fix/installer-claude-desktop
Summary
The installer (
install.shandinstall.ps1) does not configure Claude Desktop at all. Users on macOS and Windows who expect mind-map to register with Claude Desktop after install get nothing.What the installer actually does (and why it's confusing)
~/.claude.json(install.sh:370,install.ps1:314) — this is Claude Code (the CLI), not Claude Desktop.SKILL.mdinto~/.claude/skills/mind-map/SKILL.md(install.sh:143,install.ps1:166) — also Claude Code's skills directory, not Claude Desktop's.Neither of Claude Desktop's actual config paths is ever written:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json%APPDATA%\\Claude\\claude_desktop_config.jsonA grep across the repo (shell + Go) for
claude_desktop_config,Application Support/Claude,APPDATA.*Claudereturns zero hits.Skill caveat
Claude Desktop has no documented filesystem-based skill-discovery mechanism analogous to Claude Code's
~/.claude/skills/. For Claude Desktop the realistic path is:claude_desktop_config.json.SKILL.mdfile the desktop app won't read.Proposed fix
mcpServersshape fromconfigure_mcp_client(sh) /Set-McpConfig(ps1).~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json%APPDATA%\\Claude\\claude_desktop_config.jsonSKILL.mdfile for Claude Desktop. Document that skill content is surfaced via MCP for that client.Related minor bugs found while investigating
install.sh:370writes~/.claude.jsonunconditionally (no[ -d ~/.claude ]guard), unlike Copilot/Cursor. Creates the file even when Claude Code isn't installed.SKILL.mdis fetched fromraw.githubusercontent.comat install time with|| trueswallowing failures (install.sh:140-152,install.ps1:163-174). If raw is unreachable, skills silently don't install. Should be bundled with the release artifact instead. (Out of scope for this bug; tracking separately if needed.)Verification plan
Branch:
fix/installer-claude-desktop