Install Gait

Q: How do I verify the install worked?

Run `gait version --json`, `gait doctor --json`, `gait init --json`, and `gait check --json`. Then run `gait demo` to create your first signed artifact. Before claiming high-risk production readiness, require `gait doctor --production-readiness --json` to return `ok=true`.

Q: Can I install via Homebrew?

Yes. See `docs/homebrew.md` for tap-based installation as an alternate path.

Gait's default install path is the release installer script.

Platform Support

scripts/install.sh currently supports Linux and macOS.
Windows is supported through release assets (manual download + PATH setup), not the installer script.
Homebrew publishing is tap-first and release-gated; see docs/homebrew.md.

Recommended Path (Binary + Checksum Verification)

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Clyra-AI/gait/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

What the script does:

resolves the latest release tag (or uses --version)
downloads checksums.txt and your platform archive
verifies SHA-256 checksum before install
installs gait to ~/.local/bin by default

Alternate Path: Homebrew (Tap)

brew tap Clyra-AI/tap
brew install gait

Validate install:

brew test Clyra-AI/tap/gait
gait demo --json

PATH Setup (Common First-Run Fix)

If gait is not found after install, add ~/.local/bin to your shell PATH:

For zsh:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

For bash:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

For fish:

set -U fish_user_paths $HOME/.local/bin $fish_user_paths

Options:

bash scripts/install.sh --version vX.Y.Z --install-dir ~/.local/bin

Verify Installation

gait version --json
gait doctor --json
gait init --json
gait check --json
gait demo
gait verify run_demo --json

Three Distinct Checkpoints

Treat these as different promises, not one blended onboarding claim:

Fast proof: gait version --json, gait doctor --json, gait demo, gait verify run_demo --json
Strict inline enforcement: wire gait gate eval or a Gait boundary wrapper before the real tool call executes
Hardened oss-prod readiness: seed examples/config/oss_prod_template.yaml, run gait check --json, then require gait doctor --production-readiness --json

Managed or preloaded runtimes without an interception seam can still use the proof, capture, verify, and regress paths. They should not claim strict inline fail-closed blocking until the execution boundary is under user control.

Dev vs Prod Mode (Important)

Use development mode for first-run validation:

gait demo
gait verify run_demo --json

This is the install proof path. It validates the binary, evidence, and local artifact loop, but it is not the same thing as runtime enforcement.

To move from proof to enforcement, place Gait at the real tool boundary:

gait gate eval --policy .gait.yaml --intent ./intent.json --json

That boundary call must happen immediately before the side effect you want to control.

Before production use, apply hardened defaults and validate readiness:

gait init --json
# From a repo checkout:
cp examples/config/oss_prod_template.yaml .gait/config.yaml

# Or, if you installed only the binary:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Clyra-AI/gait/main/examples/config/oss_prod_template.yaml -o .gait/config.yaml

gait check --json
gait doctor --production-readiness --json

Use examples/config/oss_prod_template.yaml as the canonical hardened starting point, whether you copy it from a repo checkout or fetch that same file after a binary-only install. Then review the environment variable names, listener, and retention values for your deployment before enforcing. High-risk runtime boundaries are not production-ready until gait doctor --production-readiness --json reports ok=true.

gait doctor --json is truthful for binary-only installs: in a clean writable directory it returns the installed-binary lane with status=pass|warn, reports the checked executable via additive binary_path, binary_path_source, and binary_version fields, and only sets path_binary_path when a different PATH-resolved gait binary is also present. Repo-only schema/example checks stay scoped to a Gait repo checkout.

If PATH is still not updated, run directly once:

~/.local/bin/gait doctor --json

One-Command Quickstart

After installation:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Clyra-AI/gait/main/scripts/quickstart.sh | bash

Windows Install (Manual Path)

Download the latest Windows release asset from GitHub Releases.
Place gait.exe in a local tools directory (for example %USERPROFILE%\\bin).
Add that directory to your user PATH.
Open a new shell and run:

gait.exe version --json
gait.exe doctor --json
gait.exe demo
gait.exe verify run_demo

Alternate Path: Build From Source

Use this only when developing Gait itself.

git clone https://github.com/Clyra-AI/gait.git
cd gait
go build -o ./gait ./cmd/gait

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Gait require Go to be installed?

No. The install script downloads a prebuilt binary. Go is only needed if building from source.

Does Gait work on Windows?

Yes. Download the Windows binary from the GitHub release and add it to your PATH.

How do I verify the install worked?

Run gait version --json, gait doctor --json, gait init --json, and gait check --json. Then run gait demo to create your first signed artifact. Before claiming high-risk production readiness, require gait doctor --production-readiness --json to return ok=true.

Can I install via Homebrew?

Yes. See docs/homebrew.md for tap-based installation as an alternate path.

How large is the Gait binary?

The compiled binary is a single static Go executable, typically under 30 MB with zero runtime dependencies.