> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mochiii.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Install with npm

> Install the Mochiii terminal app with npm, start it in a project, and update or remove it.

## Before you start

You need [Node.js](https://nodejs.org) version 18 or later, which includes npm.

Mochiii has builds for:

| System | Notes |
| - | - |
| Linux, x64 and ARM64 | The regular build needs glibc for code search. On a system that uses musl, such as Alpine, npm installs a build **without code search**. |
| macOS, Apple Silicon | Intel Macs are not supported. |
| Windows, x64 and ARM | On ARM, Windows runs the x64 build. |

## Install

```bash theme={null}
npm install -g mochiii
```

npm installs the `mochiii` package and the one platform package that matches your computer.

Check that it worked:

```bash theme={null}
mochiii --version
```

## Start it in a project

Go to a project folder and run:

```bash theme={null}
cd path/to/your/project
mochiii
```

Mochiii works on the folder it starts in. If you start it in your home folder, it prints a note saying that is not a project folder, and never offers to index it.

### First run in a folder

Before the chat opens, Mochiii offers to download its code-search model, once for your computer, and to index the folder:

```text theme={null}
Index /path/to/your/project now? [Y/n/never]
```

* `Y`, or Enter, builds the index.
* `n` skips it. Mochiii asks again next time.
* `never` skips it, and Mochiii does not ask again for that folder.

Options for this step:

| Command | Effect |
| - | - |
| `mochiii --index` | Index the folder, or index it again, then open the chat |
| `mochiii --no-index` | Do not offer to index this folder |
| `MOCHIII_NO_INDEX=1 mochiii` | The same as `--no-index`, set as an environment variable |

Mochiii also needs a model before it can answer. If you ask a question before one is set up, it asks you to paste a provider API key.

## Update

```bash theme={null}
npm install -g mochiii@latest
```

## Stop and remove

Mochiii runs a background service for each project folder you use it in. In each folder you used, run:

```bash theme={null}
mochiii --stop
```

Then remove the package:

```bash theme={null}
npm uninstall -g mochiii
```

## If it does not start

If `mochiii` says the package for your computer is not installed, run `npm install -g mochiii` again. The `mochiii` package depends on a separate package for each platform, and your install is missing the one for your computer.


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