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This page installs Photon CLI 1.0, the CLI for Spectrum. Its commands name npm’s legacy tag, which stays on 1.0, so they never install a later major version.

One-off — no install

You can run any CLI command on demand without a global install:
Each time you run it, it pulls the newest 1.0 release automatically. This is useful for scripts, throwaway machines, or trying the CLI before committing.

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 20.12 or newer to run the CLI. You can also use Bun, but it’s not required.

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.

Update

The CLI shows a notification when a new version is available. To update:
If you installed via a standalone binary, download it again from the v2.3.0 release:
If you use a one-off runner (npx / pnpm dlx / yarn dlx / bunx), you automatically pick up new 1.0 releases — no manual update needed. These tools cache resolved versions, so to force the newest 1.0 release immediately, name the legacy tag:
To suppress the update notification, set PHOTON_NO_UPDATE_NOTIFIER=1.

Verify the installation

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