# Install Red

Canonical HTML: [Install Red](https://getred.dev/docs/getting-started/install). Website source: `b212874eefaf200143affa21c770fbb8855a4f5c`. Documented Red release: v0.9.1. Installer source: `b86a2ca4b92e9547d3b174910c82db8a259f5171`.

Install the Red binary for your platform, then check that its bundled runtime is ready.

<a id="choose-an-installation-method"></a>

## Choose an installation method

The install scripts support Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, x86-64 glibc Linux, and 64-bit x86-64 Windows. Homebrew is also available on macOS and Linux.

**macOS + Linux**

```shell
curl -fsS https://getred.dev/install.sh | sh
```

**Windows**

```powershell
irm https://getred.dev/install.ps1 | iex
```

**Homebrew**

```shell
brew install codersauce/tap/red
```

<a id="what-the-installer-does"></a>

## What the installer does

The shell and PowerShell installers download the release archive for your platform, compare it with the published SHA-256 checksum, install the binary, and run Red's self-check. They also enable managed updates for your standalone installation.

Already have Red? See [Update Red](https://getred.dev/docs/getting-started/updating.md) for manual updates and migrating an older installation.

- On macOS and Linux, the default destination is `~/.local/bin/red`.
- On Windows, the default destination is `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Red\bin\red.exe`. The installer adds that directory to your user PATH.

> **Linux support**
>
> The release archive targets x86-64 glibc Linux. Linux ARM64 and musl-based distributions currently require a source build.

<a id="check-the-installation"></a>

## Check the installation

Open a new terminal if the `red` command is not available immediately, then run:

```shell
red --version
red --self-check
```

The self-check lists the bundled plugins and finishes with `red self-check ok`. Agent support is optional and has its own setup check.

<a id="open-a-project"></a>

## Open a project

```shell
red -r path/to/project
```

Red works without a configuration file. The default configuration, plugins, and themes are embedded in the binary.

[Continue with your first session](https://getred.dev/docs/getting-started/first-session.md)