Installation

rstream ships a command-line client named rstream. The CLI can be used interactively for development, and it can also run as an agent in CI and on servers when rstream connectivity is needed without embedding an SDK.

Bootstrap rstream end to endCopy a ready-to-use agent prompt for CLI install, authentication, project selection, context setup, and readiness checks. Install the CLI onlyCopy a focused prompt for installing or updating the CLI without project setup or tunnel creation.

The hosted distribution provides the same CLI through several installation paths: Homebrew on macOS, an APT repository on Debian-based Linux distributions, winget on Windows, installer scripts for environments without the preferred package manager, npm for Node.js-based toolchains, manual archive downloads, and a Docker image for containerized execution.

The package-manager paths are preferred for developer machines and long-lived hosts because upgrades are handled by the host's normal update workflow. The installer scripts are useful for minimal systems, ephemeral images, and environments where package-manager registration is not wanted. Docker is usually the right fit for CI and for agents that should not install files on the host.

For platform-specific steps, use Linux, macOS, and Windows. Containerized runs are covered in Docker, and offline or pinned installs are covered in Manual Downloads. The interactive Download page exposes the same commands with channel selection, package metadata, and checksums.

Manual downloads and Docker

Manual archive installation only places the rstream binary. It is useful when a host cannot register a package repository, when a version must be pinned in an image, or when the package is transferred into an offline environment. The Download page exposes the package filename and SHA-256 checksum for the selected operating system and architecture.

Docker uses the published rstream/rstream image and keeps the CLI isolated from the host filesystem. Containerized forwarding needs explicit runtime configuration, usually RSTREAM_ENGINE with either RSTREAM_AUTHENTICATION_TOKEN or the RSTREAM_MTLS_CERT_FILE / RSTREAM_MTLS_KEY_FILE pair, unless a prepared CLI config directory is mounted into the container.

Updates

The upgrade workflow follows the selected installation method. Homebrew, APT, winget, and npm installations are upgraded with the corresponding package manager. Script-based installations are upgraded by running the same installer again. Docker-based agents are upgraded by pulling a newer rstream/rstream image.