Getting Started with text-query

0. Prerequisite: Install Claude Code

You can use other agents, but this recipe uses Claude Code.

1. Follow instructions here (just step 1): https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart
2. If you have your own Anthropic account (encouraged) follow the login instructions.

1. Clone the repo

git clone https://github.com/NCATSTranslator/text-query
cd text-query

If you have your own Claude Code max account, skip to step 6!

2. Copy the environment template

cp .env-example .env

3. Download your GCP service account key

1. Get a key from Sierra Moxon.

mv ~/Downloads/translator-microbiome-*.json ~/.config/gcloud/translator-microbiome-key.json

4. Update .env with your key path and project ID

Open .env and replace the placeholder values:

export CLAUDE_CODE_USE_VERTEX=1
export CLOUD_ML_REGION=us-east5
export ANTHROPIC_VERTEX_PROJECT_ID=translator-microbiome
export GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT=translator-microbiome
export GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS=/path/to/your/translator-microbiome-key.json

Replace /path/to/your/translator-microbiome-key.json with the actual path from step 3. For example:

5. Source the environment and run Claude Code

source .env
claude

Claude Code will now use Vertex AI with the translator-microbiome project. Claude Code will read the skills in this cloned project, and have access immediately to some command line skills that we provide, including translator-query

6. In your launched Claude Code session from above

source_data % claude                                       
▗ ▗   ▖ ▖  Claude Code v2.1.85
           Opus 4.6 (1M context) · Claude Max
  ▘▘ ▝▝    ~/Documents/source_data

──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
❯  /translator-query How Are Microbiome Communities in the Skin Affected by Changes in ABCC11? 
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  ? for shortcuts