# How to Install OpenSRE on Linux or macOS: 3 Official Methods

> Install OpenSRE on Linux or macOS with 3 official methods: the install script, Homebrew, or Python package from source. Get started quickly and easily.

- Repository: [Tracer/opensre](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre)
- Tags: getting-started
- Published: 2026-04-18

---

**You can install OpenSRE on Linux or macOS using the official install script, Homebrew, or by installing the Python package from source.**

OpenSRE is an open-source Site Reliability Engineering CLI tool maintained in the `Tracer-Cloud/opensre` repository. Whether you need a quick binary installation for production use or a development environment for contributing, this guide covers the exact steps to install OpenSRE on Linux or macOS using the official methods documented in the source code.

## Install OpenSRE Using the Official Script (Linux and macOS)

The fastest way to install OpenSRE on Linux or macOS is using the official [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/install.sh) script located in the repository root. This script automatically detects your operating system and architecture, downloads the correct pre-built binary, verifies its integrity, and installs it to your local bin directory.

Run the one-liner installation command:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/main/install.sh | bash

```

### What the Install Script Does

According to the source code in [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/install.sh), the installer performs the following steps:

1. **OS/Architecture Detection**: Detects `Linux` or `Darwin` (macOS) and CPU type (`x64` or `arm64`).
2. **Release Query**: Fetches the latest GitHub release tag (or uses the version specified in the `OPENSRE_VERSION` environment variable).
3. **Download**: Retrieves the appropriate archive `opensre_<VERSION>_<OS>-<ARCH>.tar.gz` and its corresponding `.sha256` checksum file.
4. **Verification**: Validates the SHA-256 checksum using `sha256sum`, `shasum`, or `openssl` depending on system availability.
5. **Installation**: Extracts the archive and copies the `opensre` binary to `~/.local/bin` by default, or to the directory specified by `OPENSRE_INSTALL_DIR`.
6. **Path Warning**: Displays a warning if the installation directory is not detected in the user's `$PATH`.

### Customizing the Installation Directory

To install OpenSRE to a custom location, export the `OPENSRE_INSTALL_DIR` variable before running the script:

```bash
export OPENSRE_INSTALL_DIR=$HOME/.local/sre/bin
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/main/install.sh | bash

```

## Install OpenSRE Using Homebrew (macOS and Linux)

If you already use Homebrew (or Linuxbrew) to manage packages, you can install OpenSRE using the official tap. The Homebrew formula points to the same pre-built binaries that the [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/install.sh) script downloads, ensuring consistency across installation methods.

Install OpenSRE via Homebrew:

```bash
brew install Tracer-Cloud/opensre/opensre

```

After installation, verify that the binary is correctly linked and accessible:

```bash
opensre --version

```

If you need a specific version that differs from the latest release, you can manually download the desired binary from the GitHub releases page and place it in a directory included in your `$PATH`.

## Install OpenSRE from Source as a Python Package

For development work, debugging, or if you need to modify the source code, install OpenSRE as an editable Python package. This method uses the configuration defined in [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/pyproject.toml) and installs the `opensre` CLI as a console script entry point.

### Clone and Setup Development Environment

First, clone the repository and navigate into the project directory:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre.git
cd opensre

```

Create and activate a virtual environment to isolate dependencies:

```bash
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate

```

Install the package in editable mode with development dependencies:

```bash
pip install -e ".[dev]"

```

This command reads the [`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/pyproject.toml) file, installs the `opensre` package in editable mode (so changes to the source code reflect immediately without reinstallation), and pulls in all optional development dependencies including linters and testing tools.

Verify the installation by running the CLI:

```bash
opensre --help
opensre onboard

```

## Key Files and References

The installation methods are implemented and documented in the following source files:

- **[`install.sh`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/install.sh)**: The official bash installer that handles OS detection, binary downloads, checksum verification, and installation to `~/.local/bin`. Located at the repository root.
- **[`README.md`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/README.md)**: Contains the quick-install one-liner and Homebrew instructions in the Install section.
- **[`SETUP.md`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/SETUP.md)**: Detailed development environment setup guide covering virtual environment creation and editable Python package installation.
- **[`pyproject.toml`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/pyproject.toml)**: Defines the Python package metadata, console script entry point for the `opensre` CLI, and optional development dependencies (`[dev]` extra).
- **`Makefile`**: Provides convenience targets such as `make install`, `make test-cov`, and `make lint` for development workflows.

## Summary

- **Official Install Script**: Use `curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/main/install.sh | bash` for the fastest binary installation on Linux or macOS. The script detects your architecture, verifies SHA-256 checksums, and installs to `~/.local/bin` by default.
- **Homebrew**: Run `brew install Tracer-Cloud/opensre/opensre` if you prefer package manager-based installation.
- **Python Package**: Clone the repository and run `pip install -e ".[dev]"` for an editable development installation that lets you modify the source code.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the quickest way to install OpenSRE on macOS?

The quickest method is running the official install script with `curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/main/install.sh | bash`. This one-liner automatically detects your Mac's architecture (Intel or Apple Silicon), downloads the correct pre-built binary, verifies its SHA-256 checksum, and places the executable in `~/.local/bin`.

### Can I install OpenSRE without Python?

Yes. The official install script and Homebrew method both install a standalone pre-built binary that does not require a Python environment. The [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/install.sh) script downloads the compiled `opensre` executable directly from GitHub releases, making it suitable for production systems where you want to avoid Python dependency management.

### How do I verify my OpenSRE installation?

After installation, run `opensre --version` in your terminal to confirm the binary is in your `$PATH` and executing correctly. If you installed via the official script, you can also check that the binary exists in `~/.local/bin/opensre` (or your custom `OPENSRE_INSTALL_DIR`) and that the directory is included in your shell's `$PATH` environment variable.

### Where does the install script place the OpenSRE binary by default?

By default, the [`install.sh`](https://github.com/Tracer-Cloud/opensre/blob/main/install.sh) script copies the `opensre` binary to `~/.local/bin`. You can override this location by setting the `OPENSRE_INSTALL_DIR` environment variable before running the script. For example, `export OPENSRE_INSTALL_DIR=/usr/local/bin` will install the binary system-wide (assuming you have write permissions).