Install guide
Latest release: v0.2.0-beta.16

Install Kiwi Control with the fastest real path for your machine.

Desktop install is the recommended path on macOS and Windows. The CLI wrappers are the fastest CLI-only path on macOS, Linux, and Windows. They install the standalone CLI bundle and hydrate the matching runtime bundle for the current OS. The standalone CLI bundle still requires Node.js 22+.

Open downloads Open command guide

macOS desktop

1. Download the macOS pkg from downloads.
2. Use the pkg first. The dmg is the secondary manual beta path.
3. Open a fresh terminal window after install.
command -v kc
kc --help
kc ui

Windows desktop

1. Download the Windows setup EXE from downloads.
2. Windows setup EXE is the intended default Windows path for this beta. The MSI is the secondary manual path.
3. Open a fresh PowerShell window after install.
Get-Command kc
kc --help
kc ui

CLI-only path

Use this when you want the CLI without installing the desktop app. The wrappers install kiwi-control and kc only.

curl -fsSL https://kiwi-control.kiwi-ai.in/install.sh | bash
Windows PowerShell:
irm https://kiwi-control.kiwi-ai.in/install.ps1 | iex
Prerequisites

Know what each path needs.

Desktop install does not require Node.js.
The standalone CLI bundle requires Node.js 22+.
Linux is CLI-only in the current public beta.
Homebrew and winget are not live install paths yet.
Desktop vs CLI

They are related, but not identical.

Desktop install is the recommended path when a desktop artifact exists.
The wrapper install is the clean fallback when you only want the CLI.
If the desktop app is already installed, kc ui can launch or attach to it.
Optional desktop from wrappers

The wrappers can request desktop install too.

curl -fsSL https://kiwi-control.kiwi-ai.in/install.sh | bash -s -- --desktop
Windows PowerShell:
& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://kiwi-control.kiwi-ai.in/install.ps1))) -Desktop

These only proceed when the relevant desktop artifact is actually published.

Verify install

Run these commands before you start repo work.

macOS or Linux

kiwi-control --help
kc --help
command -v kc

Windows PowerShell

kiwi-control --help
kc --help
Get-Command kc

Open the app

kc ui

If the desktop app is installed, this should launch or attach to it.

First repo setup

These are the first commands most users should run.

cd /path/to/repo
kc init
kc status
kc guide
kc graph build
kc pack status
kc review
kc check
kc ui
See what each command does
Troubleshooting

Common install problems and the fastest recovery.

`kc` command not found

Open a fresh terminal or fresh PowerShell window first. If it is still missing, use the CLI wrapper install for your OS.

Desktop app installed but CLI missing

The desktop app and CLI are separate install surfaces. The wrapper install is the safe fallback when terminal command setup did not complete.

Windows PATH not refreshed yet

Close the current PowerShell window, open a fresh one, then run Get-Command kc and kc --help.

macOS first-open trust warning

Control-click the downloaded pkg and choose Open, or go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and choose Open Anyway. That is a beta trust caveat, not proof of signed trust.

Difference between desktop and CLI

Desktop install is the full app path. The wrapper installers are CLI-only by default. Both can coexist on the same machine.