---
title: "Installation"
description: "Install the machine-memory CLI, or set up MCP-only agent access without a binary."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://machine-memory.jfa.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

Choose the path that matches how you use Machine Memory.

## CLI

Install the standalone `machine-memory` binary when you want local setup, remote provision, or agent commands from the terminal.

### Download

Download the binary for your platform from the [latest GitHub release](https://github.com/jfalava/machine-memory/releases/latest):

> Binaries are not signed; OS that do require it will reject its execution

### Quick install

#### macOS and Linux

```sh
curl -fsSL https://machine-memory.jfa.dev/install | bash
```

#### Windows PowerShell

```powershell
irm https://machine-memory.jfa.dev/install.ps1 | iex
```

Add `$HOME/.local/bin` to `PATH` if it is not already there, then verify the installation:

```sh
machine-memory --version
```

Both quick-install scripts verify the downloaded archive's SHA-256 digest against the release `checksums.txt` asset and abort on a mismatch.

### Manual install

Extract the release archive for your platform. Put the executable anywhere on your `PATH`.

> For UNIX users, you may need to make it executable:

```sh
chmod +x machine-memory
```

Check [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting/cli/#macos-zsh-killed-after-download-or-upgrade) for solutions to common problems.

### Next steps

After the binary is on your `PATH`:

- [Human commands](/human/overview) — setup, local/remote backends, init, upgrade
- [Machine commands](/machine/overview) — agent-facing JSON commands for memory CRUD and search

## MCP

Use this path when agents talk to the remote MCP server and you do not need the CLI binary.

1. Deploy the stack if you do not already have one: [Infrastructure](/infrastructure/overview)
2. Follow [MCP setup](/docs/mcp/overview) (enable OAuth, connect a client, tools)
3. Run the public init script to write `AGENTS.md`:

```sh
   curl -fsSL https://machine-memory.jfa.dev/init-mcp | bash
```

   On Windows:

```powershell
   irm https://machine-memory.jfa.dev/init-mcp.ps1 | iex
```

More detail: [MCP Init](/docs/mcp/init).

Source: https://machine-memory.jfa.dev/installation/index.mdx