Installation

Use this page to install the prebuilt aura CLI and aura-web-server binaries with the install script, Homebrew, or a native OS package.

Requirements

curl or wget for downloads.
sha256sum, shasum -a 256, or openssl dgst -sha256 for checksum verification (see Verify Downloads).
For the native package methods (Linux only): dpkg for deb; one of dnf, yum, or rpm for rpm; plus either root or passwordless sudo.
Supported platforms: Linux and macOS on amd64 and arm64.
Network access to github.com and raw.githubusercontent.com for every script-driven method (auto, direct, deb, and rpm), since the script downloads release assets from GitHub. Fully air-gapped hosts should instead follow the transfer-based path in the native-package section, or, for the raw binary, the manual binary section.

Run the Install Script

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mezmo/aura/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

The script takes no command-line arguments and is configured entirely through environment variables (see Install Environment Variables). By default (AURA_INSTALL_METHOD=auto) it selects the best method for your host, a native .deb or .rpm package, Homebrew, or a direct binary download (see Install Methods), and installs both the aura CLI and aura-web-server by default (AURA_COMPONENT=all). To tune the install, set variables before the command:

AURA_VERSION=0.1.6 AURA_COMPONENT=cli curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mezmo/aura/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

Piping a remote script to bash runs whatever the URL returns. Review the script before you run it. Checksum enforcement is on by default (AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM=1), so a missing or unverifiable checksum aborts the install by default. Setting AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM=0 downgrades a missing checksum to a warning, and a checksum mismatch is always fatal.

To inspect the script before running it:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mezmo/aura/main/scripts/install.sh -o install.sh
less install.sh
bash install.sh

Install Methods

AURA_INSTALL_METHOD chooses how the script installs. It is one of the following:

auto (default): tries methods in order and uses the first whose requirements are met and whose set options do not conflict. The order is deb, then rpm, then homebrew, then a direct binary download.
- deb and rpm apply on Linux only. They require the matching package manager (dpkg for deb; dnf, yum, or rpm for rpm) and the ability to become root non-interactively (already root, or passwordless sudo).
- homebrew requires brew on your PATH.
- When a set option rules a method out, for example AURA_INSTALL_PATH set together with a package or Homebrew method, auto prints a note and moves to the next method. A method whose requirements are simply not met is skipped silently; only a method ruled out by an option you set prints a note.
- Checksum-tool availability is not part of how auto picks a method. The installer’s own download methods (direct, deb, and rpm) require a checksum tool under the default AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM=1 and abort if none is present; auto does not fall back to another method in that case. Homebrew is exempt because it manages its own verification.
homebrew: installs from the mezmo/tap tap, one formula per component: mezmo/tap/aura and mezmo/tap/aura-web-server. Works on any host with brew. Upgrades a formula in place if it is already installed. Cannot pin AURA_VERSION and cannot honor AURA_INSTALL_PATH.
direct: downloads the release binaries into AURA_INSTALL_PATH (default ~/.local/bin). The download is atomic: the script stages all binaries and commits them together, so a failed install leaves nothing behind. It prints a PATH hint only when the install directory is not already on your PATH.
deb and rpm: the script downloads and installs the release’s system package for you, to /usr/bin, using sudo if you are not already root. Linux only. These methods cannot honor AURA_INSTALL_PATH.

Requesting an explicit method whose requirements are unmet, for example deb on macOS or homebrew with no brew, or that conflicts with an option you set, is a fatal error. Only auto falls back to another method. To upgrade a direct install, re-run the script with the new AURA_VERSION; the atomic download overwrites the existing binaries in place. To uninstall, delete the binaries from AURA_INSTALL_PATH (default ~/.local/bin), for example rm ~/.local/bin/aura ~/.local/bin/aura-web-server.

Because auto chooses at runtime, confirm which method was used after installing with type -a aura (or which aura). A path under /usr/bin means a native package, a Homebrew prefix means Homebrew, and your AURA_INSTALL_PATH (default ~/.local/bin) means a direct download.

Install Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Default
`AURA_VERSION`	Release tag to install. A leading `v` is optional and is stripped. `latest` follows the GitHub releases/latest redirect to the newest release.	`latest`
`AURA_INSTALL_METHOD`	How to install: `auto`, `homebrew`, `direct`, `deb`, or `rpm`, lowercase (for example `deb`, not `DEB`). Any other value is a fatal error. See Install Methods.	`auto`
`AURA_INSTALL_PATH`	Install directory for the `direct` method, created if it does not exist. Applies to `direct` only; the `homebrew`, `deb`, and `rpm` methods install to their own prefixes and ignore it.	`~/.local/bin`
`AURA_COMPONENT`	Which binaries to install: `all`, `server`, or `cli`. `all` or `cli` installs the `aura` CLI. `all` or `server` installs `aura-web-server`. Any other value is a fatal error.	`all`
`AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM`	When `1` (the default), a missing checksums file or a missing entry for an asset is a fatal error; set it to `0` to downgrade those to a warning. A checksum mismatch, or the absence of any checksum tool (`sha256sum`, `shasum`, or `openssl`) when there is a checksum to verify, is always fatal regardless of this setting. Any value other than `0` or `1` is a fatal error.	`1`
`AURA_CHECKSUMS`	Path to a local `checksums.txt` file. When set, the script verifies against this file instead of downloading `checksums.txt` from the release.	(unset)

For a pinned, checksum-verified, non-interactive install suitable for provisioning or CI, combine the variables:

AURA_INSTALL_METHOD=deb AURA_VERSION=0.1.6 AURA_CHECKSUMS=/path/to/checksums.txt \
  curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mezmo/aura/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

With the default AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM=1, a local AURA_CHECKSUMS file that lacks an entry for the selected asset aborts the install.

Verify Downloads

The script verifies downloaded assets against checksums.txt, preferring sha256sum, then falling back to shasum -a 256, then openssl dgst -sha256.

Condition	Result
`sha256sum`, `shasum`, or `openssl` is available and the checksum matches	Install proceeds.
Checksum mismatch	Install always aborts with exit status 1, regardless of `AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM`.
No checksum tool is available to verify an asset that has a checksum entry	Install always aborts with exit status 1, regardless of `AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM`.
The checksums file is missing, or the asset has no valid entry, with `AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM=1` (default)	Install aborts with exit status 1.
The checksums file is missing, or the asset has no valid entry, with `AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM=0`	Verification is skipped with a warning and the install continues.

A checksum mismatch usually means a corrupted or truncated download, or a checksums.txt that does not match the pinned AURA_VERSION. Re-download and retry, and confirm the versions align. A mismatch is always fatal. The AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM and AURA_CHECKSUMS controls apply to the assets the installer downloads itself (the direct, deb, and rpm methods). They have no effect when the install uses the Homebrew tap, which manages its own package verification.

Enforcement is on by default, so supply-chain-sensitive installs need no extra step. Set AURA_REQUIRE_CHECKSUM=0 only when you want to opt out into warn-only behavior, where a missing checksums file or a missing asset entry continues with a warning instead of failing the install. A checksum mismatch or a missing checksum tool stays fatal.

Install With Homebrew

Homebrew works on any host with brew on your PATH, not just macOS. The tap provides one formula per component: mezmo/tap/aura (the CLI) and mezmo/tap/aura-web-server (the server). AURA_COMPONENT selects which the script installs. If a formula is already installed, the script upgrades it in place. To install the CLI with Homebrew directly, run:

brew install mezmo/tap/aura

Install the server from the mezmo/tap/aura-web-server formula the same way. Homebrew cannot pin AURA_VERSION and cannot honor AURA_INSTALL_PATH. Setting either rules out Homebrew: under auto the script notes it and moves on, and when Homebrew is requested explicitly it is a fatal error.

To force a direct binary download instead, set AURA_INSTALL_METHOD=direct. Use AURA_INSTALL_PATH to choose the install directory for that method.

Install a Raw Binary Manually

If you are on macOS without Homebrew, or you would rather not pipe the script to bash, download the raw binary yourself. The release assets are bare executables named <binary>-<os>-<arch> with no file extension, where os is linux or darwin and arch is amd64 or arm64: for example aura-linux-amd64, aura-linux-arm64, aura-darwin-amd64, and aura-darwin-arm64, with the same shape for aura-web-server (for example aura-web-server-darwin-arm64). Download the asset for your platform from the same release-asset URL shape used elsewhere on this page, replacing <version> and <asset>:

curl -fsSL -O https://github.com/mezmo/aura/releases/download/v<version>/<asset>

Verify it against checksums.txt from the same release. In the directory containing the downloaded asset, run:

curl -fsSL -O https://github.com/mezmo/aura/releases/download/v<version>/checksums.txt
sha256sum --ignore-missing -c checksums.txt

After verifying, make the binary executable and move it onto your PATH under the plain name aura (or aura-web-server), for example into ~/.local/bin:

chmod +x <asset>
mv <asset> ~/.local/bin/aura   # or ~/.local/bin/aura-web-server

Install a Native OS Package on Linux (.deb and .rpm)

Every tagged GitHub Release attaches native Debian (.deb) and RPM (.rpm) packages alongside the raw binaries. Use these if you prefer your system’s package manager. The install script can install a release .deb or .rpm for you via AURA_INSTALL_METHOD=deb or AURA_INSTALL_METHOD=rpm, and it picks one automatically under auto on a supported Linux host. The steps below are the manual path, where you download and install the package files yourself. You can script the download (see below). This method is Linux-only. The packages provide the same two binaries as separate packages: aura (the CLI) and aura-web-server. These two packages install independently and do not depend on each other, so install only the one you need, or install both. On the GitHub Releases page, open a release and pick the asset from the Assets list that matches:

Package name: aura or aura-web-server.
Architecture: amd64 or arm64.
Format: .deb for Debian and Ubuntu, or .rpm for RPM-based distributions such as RHEL and Fedora.

Debian and RPM name the same two architectures differently: Debian filenames use amd64 and arm64, while RPM filenames use x86_64 and aarch64. Use the token that matches the format so a constructed filename is not wrong. In the commands below, replace <package>, <version>, and <arch> with the values from the asset you downloaded. Debian packages are named <package>_<version>_<arch>.deb and RPM packages are named <package>-<version>-<release>.<arch>.rpm, where the release segment defaults to 1. For example, an aura amd64 package is named like aura_<version>_amd64.deb, and an aura x86_64 RPM is named like aura-<version>-1.x86_64.rpm (versions vary, so match the file you downloaded). To download a specific version without opening the Releases page, fetch the release asset by pinned version. This can be baked into provisioning or CI:

# Download a specific version's Debian package (replace <version> and <arch>)
curl -fsSL -O https://github.com/mezmo/aura/releases/download/v<version>/aura_<version>_<arch>.deb

Substitute <version>, <arch>, and the package name, and use the RPM filename shape (<package>-<version>-1.<arch>.rpm) for a .rpm. After you download the chosen .deb, install it on Debian or Ubuntu. Omit sudo if you are already running as root, for example in a minimal container:

sudo apt install ./<package>_<version>_<arch>.deb   # resolves dependencies
sudo dpkg -i ./<package>_<version>_<arch>.deb        # alternative; does not resolve dependencies

After you download the chosen .rpm, install it on RHEL or Fedora:

sudo dnf install ./<package>-<version>-<release>.<arch>.rpm    # resolves dependencies; release defaults to 1
sudo rpm -i ./<package>-<version>-<release>.<arch>.rpm         # alternative; does not resolve dependencies

After installing, confirm the version:

aura --version        # or: dpkg -l aura  /  rpm -q aura

On a host with no network egress, the curl download commands and the curl | bash install script cannot reach GitHub, and the script has no mirror or base-URL override. For a fully air-gapped target, run the download commands (the .deb/.rpm and checksums.txt, or the raw binary) on a separate host that has internet access, transfer the files to the target by your own means (internal mirror, artifact repository, scp, and so on), then verify and install locally with dpkg -i/rpm -i (or the manual binary steps).

sudo apt install ./file.deb and sudo dnf install ./file.rpm can still reach your configured repositories to resolve dependencies. In an environment without network egress, mirror the package files and checksums.txt internally, or use sudo dpkg -i or sudo rpm -i, which install the local file without contacting repositories. These single-binary packages allow that because they declare no external dependencies.

Each package installs only its executable to /usr/bin/<binary>, so aura lands at /usr/bin/aura and aura-web-server at /usr/bin/aura-web-server. A package does not include a systemd service unit or a default configuration file, so to run aura-web-server as a managed service you set that up yourself (see the Web Server Reference). The install script’s direct method instead defaults to AURA_INSTALL_PATH (~/.local/bin). Because /usr/bin is already on your PATH, this method needs no PATH setup.

The checksums.txt file on the release covers every published artifact, including these packages, so you can verify a downloaded package against it. Fetch it from the same release as the package you downloaded. In the directory containing that package, run:

# Replace <version> with the version of the package you downloaded
curl -fsSL -O https://github.com/mezmo/aura/releases/download/v<version>/checksums.txt
sha256sum --ignore-missing -c checksums.txt

The version in this URL must match the version of the package you downloaded. sha256sum --ignore-missing -c silently skips entries it cannot find, so a mismatched checksums.txt would report success without actually verifying your file.

This checks only the files present locally. See Verify Downloads for the full explanation.

Upgrade and Uninstall

To upgrade, download the new version’s package and run the same install command (sudo apt install ./<file>.deb or sudo dnf install ./<file>.rpm). The package manager replaces the installed version. To uninstall, remove the package you no longer want:

sudo apt remove aura   # or: sudo apt remove aura-web-server   (Debian and Ubuntu)
sudo dnf remove aura   # or: sudo dnf remove aura-web-server   (RHEL and Fedora)

Removing the package deletes only /usr/bin/<binary>. If you previously installed with the install script, remove that copy from ~/.local/bin separately for a clean removal.

Next Steps

For direct installs, binaries land in AURA_INSTALL_PATH (default ~/.local/bin), so make sure that directory is on your PATH. Homebrew and native packages use their own prefixes (/usr/bin for packages), which are already on your PATH.

Configure and use the CLI at the CLI Reference.
Run the server at the Web Server Reference.
Try the containerized stack at the Quickstart.

Getting Started

Configuration

Features

CLI Reference

Web Server Reference

Requirements

Run the Install Script

Install Methods

Install Environment Variables

Verify Downloads

Install With Homebrew

Install a Raw Binary Manually

Install a Native OS Package on Linux (.deb and .rpm)

Upgrade and Uninstall

Next Steps

​Requirements

​Run the Install Script

​Install Methods

​Install Environment Variables

​Verify Downloads

​Install With Homebrew

​Install a Raw Binary Manually

​Install a Native OS Package on Linux (.deb and .rpm)

​Upgrade and Uninstall

​Next Steps

Requirements

Run the Install Script

Install Methods

Install Environment Variables

Verify Downloads

Install With Homebrew

Install a Raw Binary Manually

Install a Native OS Package on Linux (.deb and .rpm)

Upgrade and Uninstall

Next Steps