> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.shovels.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How Do I Install the Shovels CLI?

> Install the Shovels CLI on macOS, Linux, or Windows using the install script or by downloading binaries directly from GitHub Releases.

**The fastest way to install is the one-line install script.** It detects your platform, downloads the correct binary, and verifies the SHA256 checksum.

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
curl -LsSf https://shovels.ai/install.sh | sh
```

The binary installs to `~/.shovels/bin` by default.

## Supported Platforms

| OS      | Architecture          | Release Asset                           |
| ------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| macOS   | Apple Silicon (arm64) | `shovels_<version>_darwin_arm64.tar.gz` |
| macOS   | Intel (amd64)         | `shovels_<version>_darwin_amd64.tar.gz` |
| Linux   | arm64                 | `shovels_<version>_linux_arm64.tar.gz`  |
| Linux   | amd64                 | `shovels_<version>_linux_amd64.tar.gz`  |
| Windows | amd64                 | `shovels_<version>_windows_amd64.zip`   |

Releases ship as compressed archives containing the `shovels` binary — for example `shovels_0.8.3_darwin_arm64.tar.gz`.

## Install Script Options

The install script supports environment variables for customization:

| Variable              | Description                       | Default          |
| --------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------------- |
| `SHOVELS_VERSION`     | Pin to a specific release version | Latest           |
| `SHOVELS_INSTALL_DIR` | Custom installation directory     | `~/.shovels/bin` |

Example with custom options:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
SHOVELS_VERSION=0.1.0 SHOVELS_INSTALL_DIR=/usr/local/bin \
  curl -LsSf https://shovels.ai/install.sh | sh
```

## Manual Download

Download binaries directly from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/ShovelsAI/shovels-cli/releases/latest). Each release includes SHA256 checksums for verification.

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
# Example: download and verify on macOS arm64
curl -LO https://github.com/ShovelsAI/shovels-cli/releases/download/v0.8.3/shovels_0.8.3_darwin_arm64.tar.gz
curl -LO https://github.com/ShovelsAI/shovels-cli/releases/download/v0.8.3/checksums.txt
sha256sum -c checksums.txt --ignore-missing
tar -xzf shovels_0.8.3_darwin_arm64.tar.gz
chmod +x shovels
mv shovels /usr/local/bin/shovels
```

## Add to PATH

If the CLI isn't found after installation, add the install directory to your `PATH`:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
# Add to ~/.zshrc (macOS) or ~/.bashrc (Linux)
export PATH="$HOME/.shovels/bin:$PATH"
```

Then reload your shell:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
source ~/.zshrc  # or ~/.bashrc
```

## Verify Installation

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
shovels version
```

This prints the CLI version, git commit hash, and build date.

## Updating

Re-run the install script to get the latest version:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"css-variables","dark":"css-variables"}}
curl -LsSf https://shovels.ai/install.sh | sh
```

<Info>
  The CLI is a single static binary with no runtime dependencies. Updating simply replaces the binary file.
</Info>

## Related Articles

* [CLI quickstart guide](/docs/shovels-cli-quickstart) — Get up and running in under a minute
* [CLI authentication](/docs/knowledge-base/cli/authentication) — Configure your API key
* [How to access your API key](/docs/knowledge-base/api/basics/api-key-access) — Get an API key from your Shovels account