Get started / Installation
Install Flux.
One command puts the workspace on your machine. A short setup window takes care of the extras you need.
Flux v0.2.0 is available. The desktop release includes macOS builds for Apple Silicon and Intel, and a Debian/Ubuntu package for x86-64 Linux. Read the release notes.
One line to install
Open Terminal on macOS, or your terminal on Linux, and paste:
curl -fsSL https://fluxsci.org/install.sh | bashThe installer downloads the latest public release, verifies its SHA-256 checksum, installs Flux, and opens it. On macOS, it uses /Applications or your user Applications folder. On Linux, it installs a .deb through apt, which may ask for your password. It adds one marked line to your shell profile so new terminals can find the flux command.
Read the installer · View its source on GitHub
Windows and other Linux distributions do not yet have a supported installer.
Set up what you need
The first launch opens Set up Flux. You can return to it through Settings → General → Setup, or search Set up Flux… in the command palette.
| What you want to do | What to set up |
|---|---|
| Compose figures, present slides, read PDFs, or export a PDF from Flux | Ready in the app. |
Export a Word document or use flux compile |
Install Quarto from the setup window. |
Build a PDF through Quarto or flux compile --to pdf |
Add TinyTeX from the setup window. |
| Make semantic plots in Python | Add fluxplot to your analysis environment. |
| Work with Claude Code or Codex | Install and sign in to your agent, then connect it through the AI agents row. |
Quarto and TinyTeX are optional. Flux’s own PDF export works without either. The setup window installs companions in your user folders and checks for tools you already have.
Add fluxplot to an analysis environment
In an existing uv project:
uv add fluxplotFor 3D mesh exports:
uv add "fluxplot[mesh]"Using another Python environment? Run pip install fluxplot there. For a new uv project, run uv init first. Keep fluxplot beside your analysis code: each plot’s recipe records how to regenerate it.
Connect your AI collaborator
Open AI in the Flux title bar, choose Connect for your agent, review any proposed replacements, then restart open agent sessions. The connection panel provides the command to start working with a particular project. Read the agent connection guide.
Check the installation
Open a new terminal after installing:
flux versionThis prints the installed build. If you connected an agent, check its setup with:
flux connect doctorTo check fluxplot from your analysis project:
uv run python -c "import fluxplot; print('fluxplot is ready')"Keep Flux up to date
Run the installation command again to update to the latest public release. Flux can also check for updates once a day; turn that check on or off in Settings.
On macOS, Update now waits for Flux to close, replaces the app, and reopens it. On Linux, Flux offers the update command to copy, because apt may need your password.
To choose a specific published release:
curl -fsSL https://fluxsci.org/install.sh | bash -s -- --version v0.2.0If something needs attention
The command cannot find a public release
Check that you can reach GitHub Releases from your network. If you use --version, copy the exact tag of a published release, such as v0.2.0. A misspelled tag or unavailable release cannot be downloaded.
My terminal says “flux: command not found”
Open a new terminal so the installer’s PATH change takes effect. If the command is still unavailable, open Set up Flux → flux in the terminal to install the launcher.
Word export or a Quarto PDF will not build
For Word, install Quarto in the setup window. For flux compile --to pdf, add TinyTeX too. Journal PDF styles may also need TeX packages or an SVG converter; the companion-tool reference lists those requirements. Flux’s own PDF export remains available without this setup.
The installer reports a checksum mismatch
No app was installed. Run the command again to download a fresh copy. If it persists, check the release’s published checksums and report the problem in Flux issues.
I want to uninstall Flux
On macOS, delete Flux from the Applications folder where it was installed. On Linux, run sudo apt remove flux. Your projects and ~/FluxConfig remain in place. Keep that folder if you want to retain your library, context, and reusable plots.
Run from source
Contributors and early testers can run the current source checkout with Node.js 22.15 or newer:
git clone https://github.com/fluxsci/flux
cd flux
npm ci
node node_modules/electron/install.js
npm run electron:devThe Electron download is a separate step. A source checkout is also needed for the separate Lighttable companion.