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Install Carina

This page covers every supported install path for the self-hosted Carina agent. For the hosted browser app, see Carina Cloud instead.

Prerequisites​

RequirementVersionNotes
Node.js22+Required for npm and source installs
pnpm9+Required for source builds only
PostgreSQL16+Optional but recommended for episodic memory and RAG
Redis7+Optional; used for session persistence and Scout kill-switch
DockerLatestOptional; required for sandboxed shell and code execution

You also need at least one model provider API key before your first chat.

Option 1: Quick install (macOS and Linux)​

curl -fsSL https://get.carinaai.uk | bash

The installer downloads the latest CLI, places the carina binary on your PATH, and creates ~/.carina/ for config and data.

Verify:

carina --version
carina doctor

Option 2: npm global install​

npm install -g carina-agent
carina --version

Package: carina-agent on npm. Requires Node.js 22+.

On first run, Carina can walk you through setup with carina onboard.

Option 3: Docker​

docker pull ghcr.io/verlox/carina:latest
docker run -d \
  --name carina \
  -p 3333:3333 \
  -v ~/.carina:/home/node/.carina \
  -e ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-key \
  ghcr.io/verlox/carina:latest

Mount ~/.carina so sessions, memory, and config survive container restarts. Point your client or gateway at port 3333.

Check health from inside the container or host:

carina doctor
curl -s http://localhost:3333/health

Option 4: Build from source​

git clone https://github.com/verlox/carina.git
cd carina/backends/servers/core.carinaai.uk
pnpm install
pnpm build
pnpm link --global
carina --version

Use this path for contributors or when you need unreleased features from main.

Verification checklist​

StepCommandExpected
CLI presentcarina --versionPrints semver
Healthcarina doctorNo critical failures
First chatcarina or carina onboardGuided setup or TUI launcher
Gateway (optional)carina gateway startListens on configured port

Next steps​