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One-off — no install

You can run any CLI command on demand without a global install:
Each time you run it, it pulls the latest release automatically. This is useful for scripts, throwaway machines, or trying the CLI before committing.

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Global install

For daily use, you can install globally so photon is always on your PATH:
The pho shortcut alias is created automatically the first time you run photon.
You need Node.js >= 18 to run the CLI. You can also use Bun, but it’s not required.

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Standalone binary

If you don’t want any runtime dependency (e.g. CI environments), you can download a prebuilt binary directly. Replace <os> and <arch> with your platform:
For example, on an Apple Silicon Mac:
Available platforms: Each binary ships with a corresponding .sha256 checksum on the release page.

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Update

The CLI shows a notification when a new version is available. To update:
If you installed via a standalone binary, re-download the latest release:
If you use a one-off runner (npx / pnpx / yarn dlx / bunx), you automatically pick up new releases — no manual update needed. These tools cache resolved versions, so to force the latest immediately, pin to @latest:
To suppress the update notification, set PHOTON_NO_UPDATE_NOTIFIER=1.

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Verify the installation

photon ping hits the Photon API health endpoint — if you see a success response, you’re ready to authenticate.