Getting Started

Install the agent

Install the verified TheSpider agent on Linux, macOS, or Windows

The installer downloads a signed release, checks its SHA-256, and only then replaces any existing binary.

Skip this page if your coding agent will talk to TheSpider over MCP. That path does not need the CLI.

Requirements

Linux or macOS, x86_64/amd64 or aarch64/arm64.
Windows x86_64/amd64 with Git for Windows. The agent runs model commands through Git's sh.exe, which it finds on its own. WSL also works (install the Linux binary there). Native cmd and PowerShell are not supported.
POSIX sh, uname, curl, and sha256sum or shasum -a 256.
Pre-release macOS builds are ad-hoc signed, not Apple-notarized. Use the installer rather than a browser download so Gatekeeper quarantine does not attach.
The Windows executable is unsigned. SmartScreen may prompt on first run ("More info" → "Run anyway"). You can also check the checksum in SHA256SUMS yourself.

Install

(
  set -eu
  umask 077
  tmp_dir=$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/thespider-install.XXXXXX")
  trap 'rm -rf "$tmp_dir"' EXIT
  trap 'exit 1' HUP INT TERM
  curl -fsSL https://thespider.xyz/install.sh -o "$tmp_dir/install.sh" --proto '=https' --proto-redir '=https' --max-redirs 0
  sh "$tmp_dir/install.sh"
)

The binary lands in ~/.local/bin/thespider-agent. On Windows it is ~/bin/thespider-agent.exe, because git-bash puts ~/bin on PATH. Set THESPIDER_INSTALL_DIR to pick another directory. If that directory is not on PATH, the installer prints the export PATH=... line. It does not edit your shell startup files.

Platform ID	Operating system	Architecture
`linux-x86_64`	Linux	x86_64 / amd64
`linux-aarch64`	Linux	aarch64 / arm64
`darwin-x86_64`	macOS	Intel x86_64
`darwin-arm64`	macOS	Apple silicon arm64
`windows-x86_64`	Windows (git-bash)	x86_64 / amd64

Binaries come from https://thespider.xyz/downloads/agent/. Do not swap in a private URL or a source build for Cloud setup.

If Windows cannot find Git's shell, set THESPIDER_SH to sh.exe.

Update

setup --model / --agent needs agent v0.3.0 or newer. If thespider-agent setup --help does not list those flags, update first.

thespider-agent update

Same verified channel as the installer. A failure leaves the current binary in place. On Windows the running .exe is moved aside, then the new one takes its name.

Command	What it does
`thespider-agent update`	Install the latest, or say you already have it
`thespider-agent update --check`	Report only. Exit `0` if current, `2` if a newer release exists
`thespider-agent update --version v0.2.2`	Install that exact version
`thespider-agent update --force`	Reinstall even if the version matches

The download origin is the server in .thespider/config.toml when you are in a project, otherwise your default server, otherwise https://thespider.xyz. Override with --server URL. No credentials required.

If the install directory is not writable (for example /usr/local/bin), re-run with the user that owns it, or reinstall with the script above.

Optional: coding-agent skills

npx skills add https://thespider.xyz -g

-g installs for your user, not into the repo you are auditing. On-prem, pass that instance's origin. See AI setup.

Next: Cloud quickstart.

AI Setup Wizard

Let a coding agent install TheSpider and run one bounded audit

Cloud quickstart

Bind a local model CLI and run one Security or Bugs slice