paperclipai/paperclip · error · Error

Git-ref install cancelled before downloading or executing…

Error message

Git-ref install cancelled before downloading or executing repository code.

What it means

Safety abort before a git-ref install: the user declined (or could not be asked to confirm) the warning that installing a repo ref executes that repository's dependency and build scripts, so nothing has been downloaded or run yet.

Solutions

1. Re-run and confirm the prompt, or pass --yes after reviewing the repo/ref.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/src/commands/install.ts:354 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of paperclipai/paperclip@01ad858492 (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/08a706efa46f93aa. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at cli/src/commands/install.ts:354

    return;
  }
  const changed = addManagedPathBlock(rcPath);
  console.log(changed ? pc.green(`Updated ${rcPath}.`) : pc.dim(`${rcPath} already contains the PATH block.`));
}

async function confirmGitInstall(options: InstallOptions, repo: string, ref: string): Promise<void> {
  const warning = `Installing ${repo}@${ref} executes dependency and build scripts from that repository.`;
  console.log(pc.yellow(`Warning: ${warning}`));
  if (options.yes === true) return;
  if (!process.stdin.isTTY || !process.stdout.isTTY) {
    throw new Error(`${warning} Re-run with --yes to consent in non-interactive environments.`);
  }
  const confirmed = await p.confirm({
    message: `${warning} Continue?`,
    initialValue: false,
  });
  if (p.isCancel(confirmed) || !confirmed) {
    throw new Error("Git-ref install cancelled before downloading or executing repository code.");
  }
}

export async function installCommand(
  options: InstallOptions,
  dependencies: { runCommand?: CommandRunner; now?: () => Date } = {},
): Promise<void> {
  assertSupportedNodeVersion();
  const runCommand = dependencies.runCommand ?? runCommandWithDiagnostics;
  const gitRequest = resolveGitInstallRequest(options);
  if (gitRequest) {
    await confirmGitInstall(options, gitRequest.repo, gitRequest.ref);
    const sha = await resolveGitHubRef(gitRequest.repo, gitRequest.ref, runCommand);
    const paths = resolveInstallStorePaths();
    const installed = await withInstallStoreLock(async () => {
      assertManagedShimWritable(paths);
      const currentManifest = readInstallManifest(paths);
      const payload = await installGitPayload(gitRequest.repo, sha, runCommand, paths);

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