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Installation

Archetect can be installed using several methods depending on your operating system and preferences.

Binary Downloads​

The easiest way to install Archetect is by downloading pre-built binaries from the GitHub releases page.

Requirements​

  • Git for accessing archetypes
  • Git credentials configured if accessing private archetypes
  • Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux

Installation Steps​

  1. Visit https://github.com/archetect/archetect/releases/latest
  2. Download the appropriate binary for your operating system:
    • Windows: archetect-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc.exe
    • macOS: archetect-x86_64-apple-darwin or archetect-aarch64-apple-darwin (for Apple Silicon)
    • Linux: archetect-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu or archetect-x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
  3. Extract the binary and place it in your system's PATH
  4. Verify installation by running archetect --version

Homebrew (macOS and Linux)​

For macOS and Linux users, Archetect can be installed via Homebrew using the official tap.

Requirements​

  • Homebrew package manager installed
  • Git for accessing archetypes
  • Git credentials configured if accessing private archetypes
  • macOS or Linux operating system

Installation Steps​

# Add the Archetect tap
brew tap archetect/tap

# Install Archetect
brew install archetect

Updating​

brew update
brew upgrade archetect

Building from Source​

For developers or users who want the latest features, Archetect can be built from source.

Requirements​

  • Rust toolchain (latest stable version)
  • Git for cloning the repository
  • C compiler (for some dependencies)
    • Windows: Visual Studio Build Tools or MSVC
    • macOS: Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install)
    • Linux: GCC or Clang (build-essential package on Debian/Ubuntu)

Installation Steps​

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/archetect/archetect.git
cd archetect

# Build and install using the custom task runner
cargo xtask install

This will build Archetect in release mode and install it to your Cargo bin directory (typically ~/.cargo/bin).

Verification​

After installation, verify that Archetect is properly installed:

archetect --version

You should see output similar to:

archetect x.x.x

Troubleshooting​

PATH Issues​

If you get a "command not found" error after installation:

  • Binary installation: Ensure the binary is in a directory listed in your PATH environment variable
  • Homebrew: Usually handles PATH automatically, but you may need to restart your terminal
  • Cargo installation: Ensure ~/.cargo/bin is in your PATH

Permission Issues​

If you encounter permission errors:

  • macOS: You may need to allow the binary in System Preferences > Security & Privacy
  • Linux: Ensure the binary has execute permissions (chmod +x archetect)

Next Steps​

Once installed, continue to the Quick Start guide to learn how to use Archetect.