¶Installation

The DotEnv CLI ships as a single self-contained binary named dotenv. Pick the method that fits your platform.

¶macOS and Linux

¶Install script (recommended)

curl -sSL https://dotenv.cloud/install.sh | bash

The script detects your OS and architecture, downloads the matching binary, and installs it (falling back to ~/.local/bin if it cannot write to /usr/local/bin).

¶Homebrew (macOS)

brew tap dotenvcloud/tap
brew install dotenv-cli

The Homebrew formula is named dotenv-cli; the installed binary is still dotenv.

¶Windows

¶Scoop

scoop bucket add dotenv https://github.com/dotenvcloud/scoop-bucket
scoop install dotenv-cli

¶PowerShell install script

irm https://dotenv.cloud/install.ps1 | iex

¶From source (any platform with Go)

If you have a Go toolchain installed:

go install github.com/dotenvcloud/cli@latest

The binary is installed into your $(go env GOPATH)/bin directory; make sure that is on your PATH.

¶Nightly builds

Nightly builds track the latest commit on main. They are bleeding-edge and carry no stability guarantees — use the stable channel for production.

curl -sSL https://dotenv.cloud/install.sh | bash -s -- --nightly

Nightly builds are only available through the install script, not through Homebrew.

¶Updating

The CLI can update itself in place:

# Check for and install the latest version (prompts before installing)
dotenv update

# Only check, do not install
dotenv update --check

# Install a specific version
dotenv update --version=1.2.3

# Update even if you are already on the latest version
dotenv update --force

If you installed via Homebrew, prefer brew upgrade dotenv-cli so Homebrew keeps tracking the binary. If you installed via go install, re-run go install github.com/dotenvcloud/cli@latest.

¶Verifying the install

Confirm the binary is on your PATH and check the version:

# Full version details (version, commit, build date, Go version)
dotenv version

# Just the version number
dotenv version --short

If dotenv is not found after installing, make sure the install directory (/usr/local/bin, ~/.local/bin, or your Go bin directory) is on your PATH.

¶Shell completion

Generate a completion script for your shell:

# Bash
source <(dotenv completion bash)

# Zsh
dotenv completion zsh > "${fpath[1]}/_dotenv"

# Fish
dotenv completion fish | source

# PowerShell
dotenv completion powershell | Out-String | Invoke-Expression

Run dotenv completion --help for instructions on installing the script permanently.