# Install

URL: /docs/install
Markdown: /docs/install.md

> Install the Sakura Lang preview on macOS, Linux or Windows, with release-specific platform evidence.

Sakura Lang's published release is `0.1.0`, on npm, Homebrew and GitHub Releases for
Apple silicon and Intel macOS, Linux x64 and ARM64, and Windows x64 (Homebrew serves macOS
and Linux x64). The npm `latest` tag points to it. It is a preview with no stable language or
API compatibility promise ([Stability](/docs/stability)). These docs also describe [changes on main](/docs/changes),
which require a source build until the next release. Install Node 26 before using npm, `sakura run`, or `sakura test`.
The standalone compiler can check and build without Node; the installer does not
install Node for you.

## Platform claims [#platform-claims]

We use three claim levels, tied to a named release:

- **Supported.** A target in [the inventory](https://github.com/icantcodefyi/sakuralang/blob/main/packaging/targets.json)
  whose CI suites and parity pass, with a green published-install smoke on a hosted
  runner of that OS and CPU for that release. An install or run failure there is a
  P1 release defect, fixed in a new version.
- **Expected to work.** The same binary on an OS without a hosted runner, with the
  tested environment stated. This does not mean the project ran it on that device.
- **Community-confirmed.** An expected-to-work configuration with a report showing
  the complete acceptance list passing, recorded as
  `confirmed on <device>, <OS build>, <version> (#issue)`.

The published-install acceptance for v0.1.0 is pending. These commands describe the
published channels; they do not assign **Supported** to a platform before that evidence
exists. See the
[platform plan](https://github.com/icantcodefyi/sakuralang/blob/main/docs/plans/road-to-1.0.md#6-platforms-b-and-c-design-17180-acceptance-17227).

## macOS: Apple silicon [#macos-apple-silicon]

Target: `aarch64-apple-darwin`. The 0.1.0 archive, npm package and Homebrew formula exist.
Release smoke runs on GitHub's macOS ARM64 runner. A minimum macOS version is not
claimed here until the release floor smoke evidence is in place.

With Node 26 and npm installed:

```bash title="npm"
npm install --global sakuralang@0.1.0
sakura --version
```

Alternatively, use the [release installer](#release-installer) with
`version=0.1.0`, or the Homebrew tap:

```bash title="Homebrew"
brew tap icantcodefyi/sakuralang && brew install sakuralang
sakura --version
```

Homebrew installs the formula's current version and its Node dependency; it is not
a version-pinned install. Check the printed version before reporting a result.

## Linux: x64, glibc [#linux-x64-glibc]

Target: `x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu`. The archive is built and smoke-tested on
Ubuntu 22.04; use glibc 2.35 or later. Alpine/musl has no release artifact.

With Node 26 and npm installed:

```bash title="npm"
npm install --global sakuralang@0.1.0
sakura --version
```

Alternatively, use the [release installer](#release-installer) with
`version=0.1.0`, or the Homebrew tap:

```bash title="Homebrew"
brew tap icantcodefyi/sakuralang && brew install sakuralang
sakura --version
```

## Linux: ARM64, glibc [#linux-arm64-glibc]

Target: `aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu`. Packaging and dry-run smoke exist on
Ubuntu 22.04 ARM64 (glibc 2.35 or later), with CI suites and parity on Ubuntu 24.04
ARM64. It is new in v0.1.0, with an archive and the `sakuralang-linux-arm64-gnu` npm
platform package. With Node 26 and npm installed:

```bash title="npm"
npm install --global sakuralang@0.1.0
sakura --version
```

Or use the [release installer](#release-installer) with `version=0.1.0`. Homebrew does
not serve Linux ARM64; use npm or the installer.
32-bit ARM (`armv7`) has no release artifact.

### Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 [#raspberry-pi-4-and-5]

**Expected to work** with the v0.1.0 Linux ARM64 release. The design's
acceptance wording is reproduced verbatim below. Its Debian container check is
still pending; this is not a report of a completed run:

> Linux ARM64 is tested on GitHub's Ubuntu ARM64 runners and in a Debian bookworm arm64 container; Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 with 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS (bookworm, glibc 2.36) are expected to work and have not been run on Pi hardware by the project

The planned Debian bookworm ARM64 container has a 1,800 MB memory limit as a
stand-in for a Pi 4 with 2 GB. Until that run passes, there is no measured memory
claim. A container is not Pi hardware evidence. Use a 64-bit OS (`uname -m` should
print `aarch64`), not 32-bit Raspberry Pi OS.

Node's ARM64 build needs `libatomic1`. Raspberry Pi OS ships it; a minimal Debian
image needs `sudo apt install libatomic1` first.

Install Node 26 with [nvm](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#installing-and-updating)
in Bash. Download and inspect its installer, then run it:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.8/install.sh -o install-nvm.sh
less install-nvm.sh
bash install-nvm.sh
export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
nvm install 26
nvm use 26
node --version
npm --version
```

Check that Node prints `v26.x.x`. Then use the Linux ARM64 commands above. Run npm as your normal user with nvm. The Sakura Lang installer
never installs Node or edits your shell profile.

## Release installer [#release-installer]

For macOS or Linux:

```bash title="Release installer"
version=0.1.0
curl -fsSL "https://github.com/icantcodefyi/sakuralang/releases/download/v${version}/install.sh" -o install.sh
less install.sh
sh install.sh --version "$version"
export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
sakura --version
```

Windows uses [`install.ps1`](#windows-x64).
The installer selects the host's CPU and ABI, checks the archive against
`SHA256SUMS`, and installs to `~/.local/bin`. If GitHub CLI (`gh`) is installed,
attestation verification must also pass. Without `gh`, it reports
`integrity verified, not attested`. To keep the command available in new shells,
add the PATH line to your shell profile yourself.

macOS binaries from v0.1.0 on are signed with a Developer ID (team `P62B65A837`) and
notarized by Apple; `0.1.0-alpha.1` was not signed.
Bare Mach-O executables cannot carry stapled tickets. Installer prefixes must be
absolute; use `--prefix /absolute/path` to override the default.

## Windows x64 [#windows-x64]

Target: `x86_64-pc-windows-msvc`. New in v0.1.0; supported once its published-install
check is green. No Windows OS floor is advertised yet. The release has a ZIP, the
`sakuralang-win32-x64-msvc` npm package and the checksum-verifying `install.ps1`, and CI runs
the compiler suites and JS/WASM parity on hosted Windows runners. With Node 26 and npm
installed:

```powershell title="npm"
npm install --global sakuralang@0.1.0
sakura --version
```

Or download and inspect the installer in PowerShell, then run it:

```powershell title="install.ps1"
Invoke-WebRequest "https://github.com/icantcodefyi/sakuralang/releases/download/v0.1.0/install.ps1" -OutFile install.ps1
Get-Content install.ps1
./install.ps1 -Version 0.1.0
```

It checks the ZIP against `SHA256SUMS` and installs `sakura.exe` to
`%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\sakuralang\bin`; add that directory to `PATH` yourself.
A Windows Server runner result does not imply a Windows 11 device run. Windows ARM64
is not an inventory target. Proof caching on Windows is not implemented.

## macOS: Intel [#macos-intel]

Target: `x86_64-apple-darwin`. New in v0.1.0; supported once its published-install check
is green. The release has a signed archive, the `sakuralang-darwin-x64` npm package and the
Homebrew formula, and CI runs the parity suites on hosted Intel macOS runners. Use
`npm install --global sakuralang@0.1.0`, the
[release installer](#release-installer) with `version=0.1.0`, or the Homebrew tap as
for Apple silicon. No Intel macOS floor is advertised yet. A Rosetta archive smoke
alone cannot confirm Intel npm or Homebrew installs.

## Check the installation and report a platform [#check-the-installation-and-report-a-platform]

Start with `sakura --version` and [create a project](/docs/quickstart#create-a-project).
For **Community-confirmed** evidence, [file a platform report](https://github.com/icantcodefyi/sakuralang/issues/new)
with the device, OS build, exact Sakura Lang version and commit, `node --version`,
`uname -a` (or `winver`), and `/etc/os-release` on Linux. Record the outcome of the
whole acceptance list: `new cli`, `check`, `test`, `build`, `run`,
`run --target wasm`, an MCP initialize handshake, `setup --apply` twice, and the
expected refusal to run when Node is absent. A successful install alone is not a
community confirmation. No device confirmations are recorded on this page yet.

Performance measurements in `bench/` apply only to the project's reference host;
platform acceptance does not establish performance on a Pi or another machine.