Back to docs
Installation
macOS · Linux · Windows

Install Termchat

Follow these steps to install Termchat across platforms. Start with the one-line script or pick a manual download for your OS. Content pulled from the Termchat user guide.

Latest release: v1.3.1
Jump to quick installSkip to troubleshooting

Quick install script (recommended)

One command to detect your platform, download the correct binary, install to /usr/local/bin/termchat, and verify it works.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AlNaheyan/termchat/main/install.sh | sh
macOS IntelmacOS Apple SiliconLinux AMD64Linux ARM64Windows
  • Auto-detects Intel/ARM on macOS/Linux.
  • Downloads the latest release and makes it executable.
  • Adds to PATH and verifies installation.
  • May prompt for sudo to write to /usr/local/bin.

Manual installation

Prefer a direct download? Choose your OS and architecture. Commands mirror the user guide instructions and include PATH-friendly options.

Intel Mac (AMD64)
curl -L https://github.com/AlNaheyan/termchat/releases/download/v1.3.1/termchat-macos-amd64 -o termchat
chmod +x termchat
sudo mv termchat /usr/local/bin/
Check architecture with uname -m. x86_64 → AMD64.
Apple Silicon (ARM64)
curl -L https://github.com/AlNaheyan/termchat/releases/download/v1.3.1/termchat-macos-arm64 -o termchat
chmod +x termchat
sudo mv termchat /usr/local/bin/
arm64 → Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4).
No sudo?
mkdir -p ~/bin
mv termchat ~/bin/
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
Gatekeeper blocked?
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /usr/local/bin/termchat
Or allow from Privacy & Security.

PATH setup

macOS / Linux
Zsh (macOS default)
echo 'export PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
Bash
echo 'export PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bash_profile
source ~/.bash_profile
Custom install? Point PATH to ~/bin or ~/.local/bin.
Windows
GUI
  1. Search "Environment Variables".
  2. Edit Path under User variables.
  3. Add your termchat folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\termchat).
  4. Save and restart the terminal.
PowerShell
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "$env:Path;C:\Program Files\termchat", "User")

Verify installation

Confirm the binary is available on your PATH.

which termchat    # macOS/Linux
where termchat    # Windows

termchat --version
termchat          # launch and see the auth menu

Updates and notifications

Termchat includes built-in update checks and a one-command upgrader, matching the flow described in the user guide.

Upgrade in-place
termchat --update

Downloads the correct binary for your platform, swaps it in, and verifies the result.

Installed to /usr/local/bin? Run with sudo if you see a permission error.
Launch-time notifications

Starting with v1.3.0, Termchat checks for updates when it starts. If a newer release exists, you'll see:

🚀 Update available! v1.3.0 → v1.3.1 - Run: termchat --update
  • Non-blocking: you can start chatting immediately.
  • Silent when offline: no errors appear if you are disconnected.
  • Opt-in: upgrade only when you choose.

First launch

Open Termchat and pick an option from the authentication menu.

termchat
  • Log in with an existing account.
  • Sign up to create a new account.
  • Quit to exit the app.

Keyboard shortcuts

Authentication
1 or L — Log in
2 or S — Sign up
Q — Quit
Esc — Back
Friends screen
Arrow keys — Navigate friends
Enter — Start chat
A — Add friend
I — Incoming requests
O — Outgoing requests
M — Join room by code
N — Create new room
R — Refresh list
L — Logout
Q — Quit
Friend requests
Arrow keys — Navigate requests
Enter — Accept (incoming)
D — Decline or cancel
Esc — Back
Chat
Enter — Send message
Esc — Leave room
Ctrl+C — Force quit

Troubleshooting

Permission denied
Run chmod +x termchat before moving it.
Still blocked? Check ls -l $(which termchat) for executable bits.
Command not found
Ensure the binary lives in PATH: /usr/local/bin or ~/bin.
Add PATH entries (see PATH setup above).
macOS blocked app
Run xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /usr/local/bin/termchat.
Or allow from Privacy & Security → Security.
Wrong architecture
Check uname -m and re-download matching binary.
Errors like "cannot execute binary file" usually mean the architecture is incorrect.
Can't write to /usr/local/bin
Use a user path: ~/bin or ~/.local/bin and add to PATH.
Create the directory if missing: mkdir -p.
Windows Defender blocked
Select "More info" → "Run anyway" or add an exception in Windows Security.
Connection issues
Check internet and server status.
Restart Termchat if stuck connecting; log in again if session expired.
Alternative installs & maintenance
From source (developers)
git clone https://github.com/AlNaheyan/termchat.git
cd termchat
go build -o termchat cmd/client/main.go
sudo mv termchat /usr/local/bin/
Update to latest
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AlNaheyan/termchat/main/install.sh | sh
Uninstall
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/termchat
rm -rf ~/.termchat/   # session data

Need more help? Open an issue on GitHub.