Install Herdr

Preview build 2026-09-08-62431dbd033b, published from 62431dbd033b. Stable docs remain at /docs/.

Herdr publishes stable-channel binaries for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Windows is generally available, with documented platform-specific limitations and ongoing fixes.

Install

On Linux or macOS, run:

curl -fsSL https://herdr.dev/install.sh | sh

On Windows, run:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -c "irm https://herdr.dev/install.ps1 | iex"

If endpoint security blocks that fileless PowerShell command, open Command Prompt and run:

curl.exe -fsSLo install.cmd https://herdr.dev/install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

The installer downloads the release binary for your platform and places it on your PATH. New direct installs use the stable update channel. Existing Windows preview installs stay on preview until you switch them with herdr channel set stable. On Windows, PATH points to the active versioned release directory; the installer also updates the current and stable bin compatibility aliases, so updates do not need to overwrite a running herdr.exe.

Install with Homebrew

If you already use Homebrew:

brew install herdr

Install with mise

If you already use mise:

mise use -g herdr

If mise reports herdr not found in mise tool registry, update mise and retry. Older mise versions predate the Herdr registry entry; mise use -g github:herdrdev/herdr works as a temporary fallback.

Install with Nix

If you already use Nix, Herdr provides a flake that builds Herdr from source:

nix run github:herdrdev/herdr/v0.x.y
nix build github:herdrdev/herdr/v0.x.y
nix profile install github:herdrdev/herdr/v0.x.y

Replace v0.x.y with the latest release tag. You can omit the tag to track master, but release tags are recommended for normal installs.

The flake also exposes a development shell:

nix develop github:herdrdev/herdr

Use the same Nix workflow to update Herdr. For a profile install, list your profile entries and upgrade the Herdr entry:

nix profile list
nix profile upgrade <index-or-name>

If Herdr is an input in your own flake, update that input and rebuild your system, Home Manager, or development environment:

nix flake update herdr

Download manually

You can also download a binary from GitHub releases.

Choose the asset that matches your system:

System	Asset
Linux x86_64	`herdr-linux-x86_64`
Linux aarch64	`herdr-linux-aarch64`
macOS Intel	`herdr-macos-x86_64`
macOS Apple silicon	`herdr-macos-aarch64`
Windows x86_64	`herdr-windows-x86_64.zip`

On Linux or macOS, make it executable and move it somewhere on your PATH.

chmod +x herdr-linux-x86_64
mv herdr-linux-x86_64 ~/.local/bin/herdr

Windows archive

Stable releases and preview prereleases both include herdr-windows-x86_64.zip. The archive contains herdr.exe and its app-local ConPTY runtime. Keep the extracted directory together; do not copy only herdr.exe.

Verify

Start Herdr:

herdr

If your shell cannot find herdr, restart the terminal or check that the install directory is on your PATH.

Update

Herdr checks for new releases and notifies you in the app. You can update manually:

herdr update

Use herdr update only for installs managed by Herdr’s own installer. Update Homebrew, mise, and Nix installs through those package managers instead.

Direct installs on Linux, macOS, and Windows use the stable update channel by default. To opt into preview builds from master, set the channel:

herdr channel set preview

Switch a direct install back to stable the same way:

herdr channel set stable

For direct installs, changing channels checks the selected channel and installs its latest binary. If that update fails, run herdr update to retry from the configured channel.

Preview builds are regularly published GitHub prereleases from the current development branch. They are useful when you want fixes before the next stable release, but they can regress. Homebrew, mise, and Nix installs do not use the preview channel.

Stable is the recommended channel for normal Windows use. Preview receives fixes sooner but can regress, so opt in only when you want that tradeoff. Existing Windows preview installs remain on preview until you switch them explicitly. If an older preview build rejects herdr channel set stable, run herdr update once on preview, then retry the channel switch.

By default, herdr update installs the new binary and leaves endpoint-generation-1 servers and their pane processes running. Start Herdr again to reconnect with the updated client. Client-only changes work immediately. A new server-side action stays unavailable until that server is updated and restarted; the client shows a notice instead of disconnecting. Servers from before endpoint generation 1 need one final stop during update.

To opt into experimental live server handoff for supported running sessions, run:

herdr update --handoff

Live handoff does not apply to Homebrew, mise, or Nix package-manager updates. For those installs, update with the package manager, then run Herdr again to reconnect with the updated client. The compatible old server keeps running. Restart it later with herdr server stop or herdr session stop <name> only when you want server-side changes from the new release.

Requirements

Stable-channel binaries are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows x86_64. See Windows support for supported workflows and known limitations. Windows ARM64 runs the x86_64 build under Windows emulation.