# Install

snapdir ships as a single static binary named `snapdir` with zero runtime
dependencies — all hashing and storage happen in-process, so there is nothing to
install alongside it. Pick whichever route fits your environment; both give you
the same `snapdir` command.

## Install with cargo

If you have a Rust toolchain (1.91.1 or newer), install snapdir from
crates.io:

```sh
cargo install snapdir
```

This compiles and places `snapdir` in `~/.cargo/bin`. Make sure that directory is
on your `PATH` (the Rust installer normally adds it for you).

To upgrade later, re-run the same command with `--force`:

```sh
cargo install snapdir --force
```

## Install a prebuilt release archive

Every tagged release publishes prebuilt, per-platform archives on GitHub — no Rust
toolchain required. Grab the archive for your platform from the releases page:

- <https://github.com/snapdir/snapdir/releases>

Archives are named `snapdir-<version>-<target>.tar.xz` and each ships with a
matching `.sha256` checksum file. Prebuilt targets:

| Platform | Target triple |
| --- | --- |
| Linux x86_64 (glibc) | `x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu` |
| Linux x86_64 (static musl) | `x86_64-unknown-linux-musl` |
| Linux aarch64 (glibc) | `aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu` |
| Linux aarch64 (static musl) | `aarch64-unknown-linux-musl` |
| macOS x86_64 (Intel) | `x86_64-apple-darwin` |
| macOS aarch64 (Apple Silicon) | `aarch64-apple-darwin` |

The `*-musl` builds are fully static and link hermetically — handy for containers
and minimal or restricted environments.

Download, verify the checksum, unpack, and put the binary on your `PATH`. For
example, on Linux x86_64 with the static musl build:

```sh
version=1.9.0
target=x86_64-unknown-linux-musl
base="https://github.com/snapdir/snapdir/releases/download/v${version}"

# Download the archive and its checksum
curl -LO "${base}/snapdir-${version}-${target}.tar.xz"
curl -LO "${base}/snapdir-${version}-${target}.tar.xz.sha256"

# Verify integrity (exits non-zero on mismatch)
shasum -a 256 -c "snapdir-${version}-${target}.tar.xz.sha256"

# Unpack and install
tar -xJf "snapdir-${version}-${target}.tar.xz"
sudo install "snapdir-${version}-${target}/snapdir" /usr/local/bin/snapdir
```

Each archive also bundles the [`snapdir-ssh-store` and `snapdir-sftp-store`
binaries](#optional-ssh-and-sftp-store-binaries), the `LICENSE`, `CHANGELOG.md`,
shell completions (`completions/`), and a man page (`man/snapdir.1`).

## Optional: SSH and SFTP store binaries

To use the [`ssh://` and `sftp://` stores](guide/stores.md#ssh-and-sftp-stores),
the `snapdir-ssh-store` and `snapdir-sftp-store` binaries must also be on your
`PATH`. The prebuilt release archives already include both; with cargo, install
them from their own crate:

```sh
cargo install snapdir-ssh-store
```

They drive your system OpenSSH client (version 8.5 or newer required), so there
is nothing else to configure — your existing `~/.ssh/config`, keys, and agent
keep working. If you only use the `file://` and cloud stores, you can skip them.

## Use snapdir as a library

snapdir is also available as a Rust crate if you want to embed snapshotting in
your own program:

```sh
cargo add snapdir-core
```

## Verify the install

Confirm the binary is on your `PATH` and prints its version:

```sh
snapdir version
```

You should see version `1.9.0`. You can also run `snapdir --help` to list every
subcommand.

To generate shell completions from an installed binary, use
[`snapdir autocomplete`](reference/snapdir-autocomplete.md):

```sh
eval "$(snapdir autocomplete zsh)"
```

## Next steps

Head to the [Quickstart](quickstart.md) for a 60-second, no-setup round-trip:
snapshot a directory, push it to a local store, and pull it back byte-for-byte
verified.