The CLI is installed on its own, separately from the Editor and the Agents app. Two commands are installed: neuralinverse and its short alias ni. Neural Inverse is available by request: when your organisation has access, your administrator gives you the installers, the package registry and any internal mirror to use.
Choose a method
| Method | Needs | Updates with |
|---|---|---|
npm package @neuralinverse/cli, from the registry your administrator gives you | Node.js 22.19 or newer | /update, or npm |
| Standalone binary | Nothing else | /update, or the install script again |
Container image ghcr.io/neuralinverse/neuralinverse-cli | Docker or another container runtime | A new image tag |
Install with npm
npm install -g @neuralinverse/cliThe package declares "engines": { "node": ">=22.19" }. neuralinverse doctor reports an older Node.js as a failure.
Install the standalone binary
The binary needs no Node.js. The install script downloads the binary for your platform from the release, verifies it against the release's SHA256SUMS file, and refuses to install when the checksum is missing or does not match.
| Platform | Architectures | Asset |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | x64, arm64 | neuralinverse-darwin-<arch> |
| Linux | x64, arm64 | neuralinverse-linux-<arch> |
| Linux with musl | x64 only | neuralinverse-linux-x64-musl |
| Windows | x64 | neuralinverse-windows-x64.exe |
On Apple silicon, the script installs the native arm64 build even from an x64 shell running under Rosetta 2. On musl-based Linux other than x64, install with npm instead.
macOS and Linux:
curl -fsSL <installer-url>/install.sh | sh
curl -fsSL <installer-url>/install.sh | sh -s -- --version <version>Windows (PowerShell):
irm <installer-url>/install.ps1 | iexReplace <installer-url> with the address your administrator gives you, and <version> with a release.
Installer options
| Option (shell) | Option (PowerShell) | Environment variable | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
--version <X> | -Version | NI_VERSION | Install release X instead of the latest |
--dir <path> | -InstallDir | NI_INSTALL_DIR | Install directory. Default ~/.neuralinverse/bin, or %USERPROFILE%\.neuralinverse\bin on Windows |
--no-modify-path | Accepted for compatibility; the shell script never edits shell profiles | ||
-AddToPath | Also add the install directory to the user PATH (HKCU). Without it, the script prints guidance | ||
NI_DOWNLOAD_BASE | Download from a mirror instead of GitHub Releases | ||
GITHUB_TOKEN | Optional token for the GitHub API lookup of the latest release |
Add the install directory to your PATH yourself on macOS and Linux. The script creates ni next to neuralinverse.
Install from an internal mirror
Without access to GitHub, host the release assets and SHA256SUMS on an internal server and set NI_DOWNLOAD_BASE. The script then fetches $NI_DOWNLOAD_BASE/cli-v<version>/<asset> and $NI_DOWNLOAD_BASE/cli-v<version>/SHA256SUMS. The comment at the top of the script describes the path as v<ver>; the code uses the release tag, cli-v<version>.
The checks engine in standalone binaries
The checks engine needs its tree-sitter WASM files. Release binaries embed them. If you run a binary without them, put them in a tree-sitter-wasm/ folder next to the executable or point NEURALINVERSE_TREE_SITTER_WASM at them; otherwise the engine reports an error in its coverage.
Run the container image
The image is published as ghcr.io/neuralinverse/neuralinverse-cli:<version> and :latest. It contains git, ripgrep, bubblewrap for the shell sandbox, and tini so that Ctrl+C and docker stop interrupt the agent cleanly. Mount your project at /workspace and pass the provider key:
docker run --rm -it -e ANTHROPIC_API_KEY -v "$PWD:/workspace" ghcr.io/neuralinverse/neuralinverse-cli
docker run --rm -e OPENAI_API_KEY -v "$PWD:/workspace" ghcr.io/neuralinverse/neuralinverse-cli -p "explain this repo" --mode read-onlyThe sandbox inside the container needs user namespaces; on some hosts that means --security-opt seccomp=unconfined.
Check the installation
neuralinverse doctor
neuralinverse --versiondoctor (also /doctor in a session) reports:
| Group | Checks |
|---|---|
| System | Node.js version (22.19 or newer needed), platform, CLI version, terminal (size, colours, Unicode, links) |
| Config | Config directory, settings source, model, permission mode |
| Tools | git, ripgrep, the shell sandbox |
| MCP | Configured servers |
| Network | Proxy settings, with credentials hidden |
| Keystone | Sign-in state, when you use Govern |
Update
Inside a session, /update checks for a newer version and installs it after you confirm:
- npm install: it runs
npm install -g @neuralinverse/cli@<version>. - Standalone binary in
~/.neuralinverse/bin(orNI_INSTALL_DIR): it downloads the release asset for your platform, verifies it againstSHA256SUMS, checks that it runs, keeps the old binary as<name>.bakand swaps the new one in. On macOS the new binary is signed ad hoc so that Gatekeeper does not stop it. - Anything else: it explains how to update by hand, for example by running the install script again.
NI_UPDATE_REGISTRY and NI_UPDATE_RELEASES override the npm registry and the release download address, for mirrors.
The daily version check
Besides your model providers, MCP servers and the services you configure, the CLI makes one request of its own: a daily check of the npm registry for a newer version. Set NEURALINVERSE_DISABLE_UPDATE_CHECK=1 to turn it off. It is also off when CI is set.
Next steps
- Sign in to Govern, if your organisation uses it.
- Set up a model provider.
- Start your first session.