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Prerequisites

Before installing the VibeKit CLI, ensure you have:
  • Node.js version 18.0.0 or higher
  • npm or yarn package manager
  • Docker installed and running (optional, for maximum security)
  • Claude Code CLI or Gemini CLI for the agents you want to use

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Installation Methods

Installing globally makes the vibekit command available system-wide: 
npm install -g vibekit

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Project Installation

For project-specific installations: 
npm install --save-dev vibekit

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Using npx (No Installation)

Run commands without installing: 
npx vibekit claude "Generate a REST API"
npx vibekit dashboard

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Verify Installation

After installation, verify that the CLI is working: 
# Check version
vibekit --version

# View help
vibekit --help

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Post-Installation Setup

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1. Install Required Agents

Install the coding agents you want to use: 
# Install Claude Code CLI
npm install -g @anthropic/claude-code

# Install Gemini CLI (if available)
# Follow Gemini CLI installation instructions

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2. Configure Environment Variables

Set up your API keys: 
# For Claude
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."

# For Gemini
export GOOGLE_API_KEY="..."

# For proxy configuration (optional)
export HTTP_PROXY="http://proxy.example.com:8080"
Or add them to your shell profile (~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc): 
echo 'export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

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3. Configure Settings (Optional)

Run the settings interface to configure VibeKit: 
vibekit
This allows you to:
  • Enable/disable Docker sandbox
  • Configure proxy server settings
  • Enable/disable analytics
  • Set up global aliases

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4. Docker Setup (Optional)

For maximum security, ensure Docker is running: 
# Check Docker status
docker info

# Start Docker daemon if needed
# On macOS: Open Docker Desktop
# On Linux: sudo systemctl start docker

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Troubleshooting Installation

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Command Not Found

If vibekit command is not found after global installation: 
# Check npm global bin directory
npm config get prefix

# Add to PATH (example for macOS/Linux)
export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"

# Make permanent by adding to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc

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Permission Errors

If you encounter permission errors during global installation: 
# Option 1: Use a Node version manager (recommended)
# Install nvm: https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm
nvm install node
npm install -g vibekit

# Option 2: Change npm's default directory
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH
npm install -g vibekit

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Docker Not Running (Optional)

If you want to use Docker sandbox and see Docker-related errors: 
# Check if Docker is installed
docker --version

# Check if Docker daemon is running
docker ps

# Start Docker
# macOS: Open Docker Desktop application
# Linux: sudo systemctl start docker
# Windows: Start Docker Desktop

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Agent Not Found

If you see “command not found” errors for Claude or Gemini: 
# For Claude Code CLI
npm install -g @anthropic/claude-code

# Verify installation
claude --version

# Set up global aliases (optional)
vibekit setup-aliases

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Platform-Specific Notes

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macOS

  • Docker Desktop is recommended
  • May need to grant terminal permissions for Docker
  • Homebrew users can install Node.js with brew install node

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Linux

  • Add your user to the docker group: sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
  • Log out and back in for group changes to take effect
  • Some distributions may require sudo for global npm installs

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Windows

  • Use WSL2 for best compatibility
  • Docker Desktop with WSL2 backend is recommended
  • Run commands in WSL2 terminal, not Command Prompt

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Updating the CLI

To update to the latest version: 
npm update -g vibekit

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Uninstalling

To remove the CLI: 
npm uninstall -g vibekit

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Next Steps

After installation, you’re ready to:
  1. Configure settings with vibekit
  2. Run your first agent with vibekit claude "Hello world"
  3. Set up monitoring with vibekit dashboard
For a quick overview of all commands, see the Quick Reference.