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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 (for local sandbox environments)
  • Git for version control operations

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Installation Methods

Installing globally makes the vibekit command available system-wide: 
npm install -g @vibe-kit/cli

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Project Installation

For project-specific installations: 
npm install --save-dev @vibe-kit/cli

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Using npx (No Installation)

Run commands without installing: 
npx @vibe-kit/cli init
npx @vibe-kit/cli local create --name my-env

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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. Initialize Providers

Run the initialization command to set up your preferred sandbox providers: 
vibekit init
This will guide you through:
  • Selecting sandbox providers (E2B, Dagger, Daytona, Northflank)
  • Choosing AI agent templates
  • Configuring resource allocations

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2. Configure Environment Variables

Create a .env file in your project root with your API keys: 
# AI Agent API Keys
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...      # For Claude
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...              # For GPT-4/Codex
GOOGLE_API_KEY=...                 # For Gemini
GROQ_API_KEY=gsk_...               # For open-source models

# GitHub Integration
GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_...               # Personal access token
GITHUB_REPOSITORY=owner/repo       # Target repository

# Provider-specific (optional)
NORTHFLANK_PROJECT_ID=...
DAYTONA_WORKSPACE_ID=...
DOCKER_USERNAME=...

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3. Docker Setup

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 @vibe-kit/cli

# 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 @vibe-kit/cli

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Docker Not Running

If you 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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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 @vibe-kit/cli

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Uninstalling

To remove the CLI: 
npm uninstall -g @vibe-kit/cli

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Next Steps

After installation, you’re ready to:
  1. Initialize your providers with vibekit init
  2. Create your first environment with vibekit local create
  3. Generate code with AI using vibekit local generate
For a quick overview of all commands, see the Quick Reference.