# Install Lampson — npm, Windows, macOS, Linux

> Markdown rendition of https://lampson.org/en/install — the same page a browser renders as HTML.

# Install Lampson

One line. It brings everything it needs. Pick how you'd like to install — the tab for your system is already selected.

1

### Install

If you have Node.js (18 or newer), this is the easiest way. It works on Windows, macOS and Linux.

$`npm i -g lampson`

Updating later is the same command with `@latest`. Your settings and sessions are kept.

2

### Open a project

$`cd path/to/your/project`

$`lampson`

or `lampson --web` for the browser version

3

### Pick a model

The first time, Lampson asks which provider you use and for your API key. That's it — start typing.

1

### Install

Open **PowerShell** and paste this line. It installs what's missing (Git for Windows if you don't have it — it'll ask), puts Lampson in your user folder and adds it to your PATH.

>`irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kitecosmic/lampson/main/install.ps1 | iex`

Prefer npm? `npm i -g lampson` works too if you have Node.js.

2

### Open a project

Open a **new** terminal window, go to a project and start it.

>`cd C:\path\to\your\project`

>`lampson`

or `lampson --web` for the browser version

3

### Pick a model

The first time, Lampson asks which provider you use and for your API key. That's it — start typing.

1

### Install

Open **Terminal** and paste this line. It installs what's missing, puts Lampson in `~/lampson` and links the command into your PATH.

$`bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kitecosmic/lampson/main/install.sh)"`

Prefer npm? `npm i -g lampson` works too if you have Node.js.

2

### Open a project

Open a **new** terminal window, go to a project and start it.

$`cd ~/path/to/your/project`

$`lampson`

or `lampson --web` for the browser version

3

### Pick a model

The first time, Lampson asks which provider you use and for your API key. That's it — start typing.

1

### Install

Paste this line in your shell. It installs what's missing, puts Lampson in `~/lampson` and links the command into `~/.local/bin`.

$`bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kitecosmic/lampson/main/install.sh)"`

Needs a recent distribution (Ubuntu 24.04+, Debian 13+, Fedora 40+). Prefer npm? `npm i -g lampson` works too.

2

### Open a project

Open a **new** terminal, go to a project and start it.

$`cd ~/path/to/your/project`

$`lampson`

or `lampson --web` for the browser version

3

### Pick a model

The first time, Lampson asks which provider you use and for your API key. That's it — start typing.

## Which model should I use?

Any of these. If you don't have a favourite, **DeepSeek** is inexpensive and works very well; **Ollama** runs a model on your own machine with no key at all.

ProviderWhere to get a key

DeepSeek[platform.deepseek.com](https://platform.deepseek.com)

Anthropic[console.anthropic.com](https://console.anthropic.com)

OpenAI[platform.openai.com](https://platform.openai.com)

GLM (Z.ai)[z.ai/model-api](https://z.ai/model-api)

Kimi (Moonshot)[platform.moonshot.ai](https://platform.moonshot.ai)

Groq[console.groq.com](https://console.groq.com)

OpenRouter[openrouter.ai](https://openrouter.ai) — one key, many models

Ollamano key — [install Ollama](https://ollama.com) and pull a model

You can change provider or model any time: type `/model` in the terminal, or click the model name in the web header.

## Updating

Lampson tells you when a newer version exists. Then:

$`npm i -g lampson@latest`

installed with the one-line installer? run `lampson --update` instead

## Other ways

Docker

The whole agent — including the commands it runs — stays inside a container. Mount your project as the workspace:

```
docker run --rm -p 8080:8080 -v "$PWD:/lampson/workspace" \
  -e LAMPSON_PROVIDER=deepseek -e LAMPSON_API_KEY=sk-... ghcr.io/kitecosmic/lampson
```

Then open [http://127.0.0.1:8080](http://127.0.0.1:8080).

From source

Lampson is a set of [Synsema](https://synsema.org) programs — no build step. Clone the repository, install Synsema, and run `./lampson.sh` (or `lampson.ps1` on Windows) from a project folder.

$`git clone https://github.com/kitecosmic/lampson.git ~/lampson`

All releases

Every version, with its changes, is on [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/kitecosmic/lampson/releases), and on [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/lampson).

## Something didn't work?

- **“lampson: command not found”** right after installing — open a new terminal window; the PATH change applies to new windows only.

- **Windows: it asks for Git** — Lampson uses Git's bash to run commands. Say yes to the installer, or get it from [gitforwindows.org](https://gitforwindows.org).

- **The web UI says 401** — the web version only answers your own computer (localhost). That's on purpose.

- Anything else: [open an issue](https://github.com/kitecosmic/lampson/issues) — a short description and your OS is enough.