Installation

hillclimb needs Python 3.12+ and a coding agent it can drive. Install the CLI from PyPI:

pip install hillclimb          # or: uv add hillclimb

Operators run as headless claude or codex processes, so the agent you pick has to be installed and logged in.

claude login   # operator calls bill your Claude subscription

Optional — shell tab-completion for commands, subcommands, and options:

hillclimb --install-completion   # writes into your shell config; restart the shell

From source

uv sync
claude login   # operator calls bill your Claude subscription

extra	what it adds
`hillclimb[openevolve]`	the `openevolve` MAP-Elites search policy
`hillclimb[gepa]`	the GEPA search engine
`hillclimb[optuna]`	Optuna as the parameter tuner (`search.tuner: optuna`)
`hillclimb[emflow]`	`emflow://` benchmark targets

uv run pytest        # test suite (fake agents, no agent calls)
uv run hillclimb smoke   # one real claude call: verifies auth + stream contract

hillclimb is free (free both as in freedom and "free beer") software under the MIT License.