> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://govplane.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://govplane.gitbook.io/docs/documentation/cli/installation-and-quickstart.md).

# Installation and Quickstart

## Install

```bash
npm install --global @govplane/cli
```

```bash
govplane version
```

{% hint style="info" %}
**Requires Node.js 20 or later.** On an older runtime the CLI stops with a message rather than a stack trace:

```
Govplane CLI requires Node.js 20 or later. Current version: Node.js 18.19.0
```

{% endhint %}

Upgrade or remove:

```bash
npm update --global @govplane/cli
npm uninstall --global @govplane/cli
```

The CLI has **zero runtime dependencies** — Node.js built-ins only.

## Quick start — inspecting what you already have

If someone handed you a bundle, this is the whole workflow:

```bash
govplane validate ./policy-bundle.json
govplane inspect ./policy-bundle.json --policies
govplane inspect ./policy-bundle.json --signature --public-key ./keys/prod.pem
```

No account, no configuration, no network.

## Quick start — a project

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

## Keep governance artefacts out of your application source

```bash
mkdir -p governance
govplane working-folder init -w ./governance
```

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Point every later command at it

```bash
govplane working-folder set ./governance
```

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## Validate whatever is there

```bash
govplane validate
```

{% endstep %}

{% step %}

## See what it contains

```bash
govplane inspect --policies
```

{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

`working-folder init` writes two files:

```
governance/
├── govplane.config.json
└── policy-drafts.json
```

{% hint style="info" %}
If you plan to run `govplane analyze`, run it **before** `init` — or pass `--merge`. `init` creates an empty `policy-drafts.json`, and `analyze` refuses to overwrite an existing draft, so it will stop and tell you to choose `--merge` or `--force`.
{% endhint %}

## The working folder

The directory the CLI reads and writes project files in. It defaults to your current terminal directory, resolved in this order:

1. `--working-folder <path>` / `-w <path>`
2. `GOVPLANE_WORKING_FOLDER`
3. Persisted configuration (`govplane working-folder set`)
4. The current directory

```bash
govplane working-folder             # show the resolved folder
govplane working-folder --verbose   # show it and where it came from
```

A recommended layout:

```
project-root/
├── src/
└── governance/
    ├── govplane.config.json
    ├── policy-drafts.json
    ├── policy-bundle.json
    └── .govplane/
        ├── cache/
        ├── logs/
        └── temp/
```

See [Configuring the CLI](/docs/documentation/cli/configuring-the-cli.md).

## Adding the toolkit

`analyze`, `build`, `sign`, `simulate` and `policies` need the free CLI Toolkit. Without it the CLI explains what to do and exits with code `7` — it never downloads or registers anything by itself:

```
The build command requires the Govplane CLI Toolkit.

The CLI Toolkit is free and runs locally.

Install it with:
  govplane --install-kit
```

See [Installing the Toolkit Extension](/docs/documentation/cli/installing-the-cli-toolkit-extension.md).

## Programmatic use

The CLI also ships its building blocks as a library, so other tooling can reuse them without shelling out:

```ts
import { validateDocument, computeChecksum, summariseBundle } from '@govplane/cli';

const result = validateDocument({ document: bundle, file: 'policy-bundle.json' });
if (!result.valid) console.error(result.errors);
```

## Next

* [Basic CLI Commands](/docs/documentation/cli/basic-cli-commands.md)
* [Configuring the CLI](/docs/documentation/cli/configuring-the-cli.md)
* [A Practical Example, Start to End](/docs/documentation/cli/practical-example-from-start-to-end.md)

## More detail

* [CLI README](https://github.com/Govplane/govplane-cli/blob/main/README.md)
* [Working folder reference](https://github.com/Govplane/govplane-cli/blob/main/docs/working-folder.md)


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