Getting started

Install

Install script

macOS and Linux, no sudo. This installs the CLI and the desktop app:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/flexdinesh/zero/main/scripts/install.sh | sh

For the CLI alone, such as on a server:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/flexdinesh/zero/main/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- --cli-only

It puts the latest release's CLI in ~/.local/bin (or ~/bin when that is on your PATH), and prints the line to add when the directory is not on PATH. The desktop app needs WebKitGTK 4.1 on Linux.

The install scripts are the supported way to install Zero; Homebrew and go install are no longer offered. Versioned archives are on GitHub Releases. If unpacking one manually, choose an unused destination: the installer does not adopt or overwrite unmanaged copies.

Command name collisions

The canonical command is zero. Before changing either component, the stable and edge installers check for unrelated executables on PATH and occupied installation paths, including files, directories, and dangling symlinks. They also check the desktop app and launcher destinations.

If zero collides and zero-cli is available, the installer asks through your terminal whether to use zero-cli. The default is No. Declining, reaching EOF, having no terminal, or an occupied zero-cli stops installation without changing either component. For unattended installs, or to choose another name, pass --name explicitly:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/flexdinesh/zero/main/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- --name my-zero
# CLI only, with the same name selection
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/flexdinesh/zero/main/scripts/install.sh | sh -s -- --cli-only --name my-zero

Choose an unused executable basename. --name never authorizes overwriting unrelated files or commands. The installer cannot see aliases or functions in your parent shell; check those yourself when choosing a name.

Examples use zero; substitute zero-cli or your chosen command. The choice changes only the exposed CLI filename. The desktop app and launcher stay zero-desktop, its bundled CLI stays zero, and protocols (zero://, zero-app://) and Zero's configuration and data paths keep their canonical names.

Updates and existing installs

Quit the desktop app, then run the script again to update; it stops while the app runs. The installer remembers the chosen CLI name across updates and switches between stable and edge, so no collision prompt is needed for an installer-owned command. A successful install with a different --name retires the previous owned command. Managed paths and content fingerprints are recorded in Zero's configuration directory; modified or unrelated paths are left alone and reported.

Existing srcz installs and data stay untouched and can coexist with Zero. Zero starts fresh: settings, tabs, saved roots, connections, identity, and walkthroughs are not migrated. Old connection strings do not carry across.

The first Zero stable release is v0.2.0. Until its zero_* and zero-desktop_* assets are published, the new stable installer fails clearly without changing your installation. Edge likewise needs a completed build carrying Zero assets.

Uninstall

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/flexdinesh/zero/main/scripts/uninstall.sh | sh

It remembers the installed CLI name and removes only installer-owned paths whose fingerprints still match, including the desktop app. Modified or unrelated paths are retained and reported. It keeps user data and leaves existing srcz installs and data untouched. Remove unmanaged copies with the tool that installed them.

Run

Serve the current directory:

zero .

With the desktop app installed, Zero opens the directory in it. Otherwise it opens the browser UI on the first free port from 7971 through 7980; zero browser . always does. See Usage for directories, scope, and ports, and Browsing for the UI.

See all options:

zero --help