For end users
FAQ
Browse by category. Each entry is its own page so you can link directly to it.
About Pectus
What it is, why, what it costs, where to ask.
- What does Pectus actually do?The short version: a brand-aware container for skills and apps that turn your data into outputs.
- Pectus ships content-focused. Can I use it for something else?Yes. The content bundle is one example; the architecture is general.
- Why "Pectus"?Latin for chest / heart. Brand at the center, everything else inherits.
- Do I really need to install something on my laptop?The whole point is that your data never leaves your machine.
- How much does it cost to run?Free tiers cover most of it. The biggest line item is Anthropic API calls.
- Where do I report bugs or ask questions?GitHub issues for bugs. pectus.dev for community discussions.
Install
Setting up Pectus on your laptop, including swapping in over an existing site.
- Why is the install driven by Claude Code?An agent reading the install steps out loud handles signups, errors, and OAuth dances better than a setup guide.
- Can I use Pectus without Claude Code?Yes. Read pectus.md as a manual install guide and run each step yourself.
- Can I plug in my org's hosted Supabase, GitHub, Vercel?Yes. The connect commands accept existing project credentials.
- What if I don't have GA4 / Search Console / ad data yet?Skills declare what they need. The bundled content skills run on whatever signals you have, with seed keywords as the starting topic spine.
- I already have a site on Vercel + GitHub. How do I replace it (or add to it) with Pectus?Two paths: reuse your existing repo or use a new repo and switch Vercel's git source. The new-repo path is recommended.
- I'm getting errors running the migration SQL in Supabase. What do I do?Find the SQL Editor in the Supabase sidebar, clear the editor before pasting, and the fixes for the three or four common errors.
- GA4 says "this user doesn't exist" when I try to add my service account. Why?Three causes in order of likelihood: GA4 Admin API not enabled, mangled email (missing project ID suffix), or cross-account mismatch.
- The CMS won't start. It says "Your project's URL and Key are required to create a Supabase client!"Three causes: wrong env var names in .env.local, dev server started before env was finalized, or .env.local in the wrong folder.
- I forgot the admin password I set in step 6. How do I recover it?Reset it from Supabase Authentication → Users. Pectus doesn't store the password; only Supabase does, and only as a one-way hash.
Brand
The brand profile, design imports, and how to unstick brand setup.
- What's brand-import-from-Claude-Design?Paste a Claude Design URL on the CMS Brand page; Pectus extracts colors, fonts, voice, and tonality from the bundle.
- I'm stuck in the brand setup step. What should I do?Paste a description-based unblock prompt at your install agent and you'll be moving again in seconds.
Workspaces
Multiple markets and languages, the review queue, what Pectus does and doesn't do automatically.
- How does Pectus handle multiple markets or languages?One workspace per market or audience segment. Locale variants per page within a workspace.
- How does the review queue work?Skill outputs flow into a queue where reviewers approve or reject. Configurable per workspace.
- Does Pectus auto-translate, auto-redirect, or auto-republish anything?No. By design. Pectus surfaces the next move; you choose to take it.
Publishing
How content moves from Pectus to your site.
- How does publish work?Click Publish; Pectus resolves URLs, tracks redirects, ships one commit to GitHub. The hub builds from there.
Customization
Skills, apps, and connectors you can add yourself.
- Can I add my own skills or apps?Yes. That's the whole design. The make-it skill scaffolds either one.
- Can I add my own connectors?Yes, locally or as a contribution back. Connectors follow a small contract.