# How to Install OfficeCLI Using npm: Complete Setup Guide > Easily install OfficeCLI using npm with our complete setup guide. This command installs the CLI globally, automating native binary downloads for your platform. - Repository: [OfficeAI/OfficeCLI](https://github.com/iofficeai/OfficeCLI) - Tags: getting-started - Published: 2026-07-09 --- **Install OfficeCLI globally by running `npm install -g @officecli/officecli`, which automatically downloads the appropriate native binary for your platform during the postinstall phase.** OfficeCLI is a command-line interface distributed by the **iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI** repository as the npm package `@officecli/officecli`. The installation process handles platform detection and binary management automatically, making it available as the `officecli` command in your terminal. ## Quick Installation via npm You can install OfficeCLI using npm in two ways: globally for permanent access or temporarily via npx. ### Global Installation The recommended approach installs the CLI permanently and adds it to your system PATH: ```bash npm install -g @officecli/officecli ``` ### Running Without Installation To execute OfficeCLI without installing it globally, use npx: ```bash npx @officecli/officecli --help ``` ## How the npm Installation Works The `@officecli/officecli` package is not pure JavaScript; it contains a thin wrapper that downloads the native binary for your operating system during installation. According to the iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI source code, this process is orchestrated through several key files in the `npm/` directory. When you run `npm install`, the `postinstall` hook defined in **[`npm/package.json`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/package.json)** executes **[`npm/install.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/install.js)**. This script invokes **[`npm/lib/install-binary.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/lib/install-binary.js)**, which performs the following steps: 1. Detects your current platform and CPU architecture (macOS, Linux glibc/musl, or Windows). 2. Downloads the appropriate binary from the official mirror at `https://d.officecli.ai`, with fallback to GitHub releases if needed. 3. Verifies the download integrity against the published `SHA256SUMS` file. The **[`npm/officecli.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/officecli.js)** file serves as the executable shim that forwards CLI arguments to the downloaded native binary. Typical output after installation shows the automatic binary fetching: ```bash > npm install -g @officecli/officecli ... Downloading OfficeCLI binary for linux x64... Verifying SHA256 checksum… OK Installation complete. Use the `officecli` command. ``` ## Skipping the Binary Download During Installation If you prefer to defer the binary download, set the `OFFICECLI_SKIP_BINARY_DOWNLOAD` environment variable before installing: ```bash export OFFICECLI_SKIP_BINARY_DOWNLOAD=1 npm install -g @officecli/officecli ``` With this setting, the binary will be fetched lazily the first time you invoke the `officecli` command: ```bash officecli --help Downloading OfficeCLI binary for linux x64... ``` ## Verifying Your Installation After installation, confirm that OfficeCLI is available and the binary was downloaded correctly: ```bash officecli --version ``` You should see version information without any "binary not found" errors, indicating that the [`npm/lib/install-binary.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/lib/install-binary.js) script successfully placed the executable in the package directory. ## Summary - Install globally with `npm install -g @officecli/officecli` to add the `officecli` command to your PATH. - The installation triggers a `postinstall` script in [`npm/package.json`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/package.json) that runs [`npm/install.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/install.js) and [`npm/lib/install-binary.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/lib/install-binary.js) to download platform-specific binaries. - Downloads are automatically verified against `SHA256SUMS` and sourced from `https://d.officecli.ai` with GitHub fallback. - Set `OFFICECLI_SKIP_BINARY_DOWNLOAD=1` to defer binary downloads until first runtime. - Use `npx @officecli/officecli` for temporary execution without global installation. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What npm package name should I use to install OfficeCLI? The official package is **`@officecli/officecli`**. Install it using `npm install -g @officecli/officecli` to get the command-line interface with automatic binary management. ### Why does npm install OfficeCLI trigger a binary download? OfficeCLI is distributed as a **platform-specific binary** rather than pure JavaScript. The `postinstall` hook in [`npm/package.json`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/package.json) runs [`npm/install.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/install.js), which downloads the correct binary for your operating system (macOS, Linux, or Windows) and verifies its integrity using SHA256 checksums. ### Can I install OfficeCLI without downloading the binary immediately? Yes. Set the environment variable `OFFICECLI_SKIP_BINARY_DOWNLOAD=1` before running `npm install`. The binary will then be downloaded on-demand the first time you execute the `officecli` command, handled by the logic in [`npm/lib/install-binary.js`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/lib/install-binary.js). ### How do I verify that OfficeCLI installed correctly? Run `officecli --version` in your terminal. If the binary downloaded successfully during installation (or on first run if you skipped the initial download), you will see the version number. If you encounter errors, check that the `postinstall` script in [`npm/package.json`](https://github.com/iOfficeAI/OfficeCLI/blob/main/npm/package.json) executed without network issues.