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Installing Roo Code CLI

The Roo Code CLI can be installed with a single command on macOS and Linux systems.

Requirements​

Before installing, ensure you have:

  • Node.js 20 or higher - Check with node --version
  • Operating System: macOS (Intel or Apple Silicon) or Linux (x64 or ARM64)
  • Terminal Access: Command line access with curl installed

Install the Roo Code CLI with a single command:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code/main/apps/cli/install.sh | sh

This script will:

  1. Detect your operating system and architecture
  2. Download the appropriate CLI bundle
  3. Install it to ~/.roo/cli
  4. Create a symlink in ~/.local/bin/roo
  5. Make the CLI executable

After installation completes, verify it worked:

roo --version
tip

If the roo command isn't found, make sure ~/.local/bin is in your PATH. Add this to your shell profile:

export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

Custom Installation Directory​

You can customize where the CLI is installed using environment variables:

ROO_INSTALL_DIR=/opt/roo-code ROO_BIN_DIR=/usr/local/bin \
  curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code/main/apps/cli/install.sh | sh
  • ROO_INSTALL_DIR: Where the CLI bundle is extracted (default: ~/.roo/cli)
  • ROO_BIN_DIR: Where the roo symlink is created (default: ~/.local/bin)

Installing a Specific Version​

To install a specific version of the CLI:

ROO_VERSION=0.0.49 curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code/main/apps/cli/install.sh | sh

Replace 0.0.49 with your desired version number. See available releases on GitHub.

Updating​

To update to the latest version, simply re-run the install script:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code/main/apps/cli/install.sh | sh

The script will download and install the latest version, replacing your existing installation.

Uninstalling​

To completely remove the Roo Code CLI:

rm -rf ~/.roo/cli ~/.local/bin/roo

If you used custom directories, adjust the paths accordingly.

info

This only removes the CLI itself. If you also want to remove stored settings and credentials:

rm -rf ~/.config/roo

Development Installation​

If you want to contribute to the CLI or build from source:

Prerequisites​

  • Node.js 20 or higher
  • pnpm package manager
  • Git

Building from Source​

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code.git
cd Roo-Code

# Install dependencies
pnpm install

# Build the main extension first
pnpm --filter roo-cline bundle

# Build the CLI
pnpm --filter @roo-code/cli build

# Run directly (without installing)
cd apps/cli
node dist/index.js --help

For more details on local development, see the CLI README.

Troubleshooting​

Command Not Found​

If you get command not found: roo after installation:

  1. Check that the symlink was created: ls -la ~/.local/bin/roo
  2. Verify ~/.local/bin is in your PATH: echo $PATH
  3. Add to PATH if needed: export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
  4. Restart your terminal

Permission Denied​

If you encounter permission errors during installation:

  1. Try without sudo first (the script installs to your home directory)
  2. Check file permissions: ls -la ~/.roo/cli
  3. Ensure you have write access to the installation directory

Download Fails​

If the download fails:

  1. Check your internet connection
  2. Verify curl is installed: curl --version
  3. Try downloading manually from GitHub Releases
  4. Check if GitHub is accessible from your network

Architecture Not Supported​

The CLI currently supports:

  • macOS Intel (x64)
  • macOS Apple Silicon (arm64)
  • Linux x64
  • Linux arm64

If your system isn't supported, you can try building from source.

Next Steps​

Now that the CLI is installed:

  1. Configure authentication to use Roo Code Cloud or set up your API key
  2. Follow the getting started guide to run your first command
  3. Learn about configuration options to customize your setup