Install swell on Linux

swell on Linux is a single self-contained binary. You download it, mark it executable, and run it. There is nothing to compile, no runtime to install, and no package manager involved, which is what makes it usable on a stripped-down host or an appliance you would never put an agent on.

What do I need before I install?

• A 64-bit Linux host, and permission to write the directory you install into.
• Outbound HTTPS on port 443 to Stairwell. If you have not confirmed that from this network yet, Pre-Deployment Check is the page that confirms it, and swell is the tool that does the confirming, so install it here first and run the checks next.
• An auth token, which you get after installing with swell auth login.

Where do I get the binary?

From swell Downloads. Copy the Linux link from there rather than typing one from memory, because the URL carries the release date and changes with every release.

swell downloads are date-pinned, so the URL carries the release date and changes with every release:

https://downloads.stairwell.com/swell/<YYYYMMDD>/swell-linux-amd64

That is worth knowing for two reasons. A link you saved months ago still works and still gives you that old build, which is convenient for reproducing something and a problem if you forgot. And any script that fetches swell has a date in it, so treat that date as a version to review rather than a constant to ignore.

How do I install it?

Substitute the current URL from the Download Center for the one below.

$ curl -fLO https://downloads.stairwell.com/swell/<YYYYMMDD>/swell-linux-amd64
$ chmod +x swell-linux-amd64
$ sudo mv swell-linux-amd64 /usr/local/bin/swell

/usr/local/bin is the conventional place and it is already on most paths. If you cannot write there, keep the binary anywhere you like and call it by path; nothing in swell depends on where it lives.

How do I confirm it worked?

Two commands. The first proves the binary runs, the second proves it can reach Stairwell.

$ swell version
$ swell verify connectivity

version prints the build you installed. Note it down: it is the first thing to check when behavior does not match the documentation.

verify connectivity probes each of Stairwell's endpoints from this host and prints a pass or fail per endpoint. Four passes and you are ready to authenticate. Anything else, read the DETAIL column and go to Pre-Deployment Check, which covers each failure and who fixes it.

Then log in and confirm you can see your own data:

$ swell auth login
$ swell foundation getenvs

A table of environments means the install is complete. See swell Configuration for how to store the environment you work in so you stop passing it.

Which distributions does Stairwell test on?

This is the set Stairwell tests, not a list of the only places the binary runs. Because swell carries its own dependencies, it usually runs on distributions outside this table. If yours is not listed and something fails, tell us at [email protected] with the output of swell version and the error.

What if it does not run?

• Permission denied. The executable bit is not set. Re-run chmod +x.
• No such file or directory on a binary that exists. You have a 32-bit or non-x86 host, or a container with no compatible loader. Check uname -m.
• command not found after moving it. The directory you installed into is not on your PATH. Call the binary by full path, or add the directory.
• A TLS or certificate error against Stairwell. Do not reach for --insecure. The error is the finding: something between this host and Stairwell is intercepting the connection. Pre-Deployment Check explains what to do.

What should I read next?

• swell Command Reference, for every command and flag.
• swell Configuration, for the auth token, the config file, and precedence.
• Install on a Linux Appliance, if the host you are really targeting is a network or security appliance.