Install Gait

Q: How do I verify the install worked?

Run `gait doctor --json`. All checks should pass. Then run `gait demo` to create your first signed artifact.

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/davidahmann/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 davidahmann/tap
brew install gait

Validate install:

brew test davidahmann/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 doctor --json
gait demo
gait verify run_demo

Dev vs Prod Mode (Important)

Use development mode for first-run validation:

gait demo
gait verify run_demo

Before production use, apply hardened defaults and validate readiness:

mkdir -p .gait
gait policy init baseline-highrisk --out .gait/policy.yaml
cat > .gait/config.yaml <<'YAML'
gate:
  policy: .gait/policy.yaml
  profile: oss-prod
  key_mode: prod
  private_key_env: GAIT_PRIVATE_KEY
  credential_broker: env
  credential_env_prefix: GAIT_BROKER_TOKEN_
  rate_limit_state: ./gait-out/gate_rate_limits.json

mcp_serve:
  enabled: true
  listen: 127.0.0.1:8787
  auth_mode: token
  auth_token_env: GAIT_MCP_TOKEN
  max_request_bytes: 1048576
  http_verdict_status: strict
  allow_client_artifact_paths: false

retention:
  trace_ttl: 168h
  session_ttl: 336h
  export_ttl: 168h
YAML
gait doctor --production-readiness --json

Production readiness must report ok=true before enforcing high-risk runtime boundaries.

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/davidahmann/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 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/davidahmann/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 doctor --json. All checks should pass. Then run gait demo to create your first signed artifact.

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.