# Install the CLI (/cli/installation)



## Requirements [#requirements]

* Node.js **18.18.2 or later** (`node --version`)
* npm (bundled with Node.js)

## Install [#install]

```bash
npm install -g @alternatefutures/acc
```

Verify the installation:

```bash
acc --version
acc --help
```

<Callout type="warn" title="Renamed from af">
  The CLI was renamed from `af` to `acc` in 2026. If you have the old
  `@alternatefutures/cli` package installed, remove it with
  `npm uninstall -g @alternatefutures/cli` to avoid confusion - the old `af`
  binary no longer matches the current platform.
</Callout>

## Authenticate [#authenticate]

```bash
acc login          # browser flow: approves this CLI session from the web app
acc login --email  # email code flow, no browser needed
```

Confirm you are logged in:

```bash
acc whoami
```

## Non-interactive use (CI, agents) [#non-interactive-use-ci-agents]

Create a personal access token and export it instead of logging in:

```bash
acc pat create --name ci-runner
export AF_TOKEN=<token>
export AF_PROJECT_ID=<project-id>
acc whoami --json
```

## Updating [#updating]

```bash
npm update -g @alternatefutures/acc
```

## Troubleshooting [#troubleshooting]

* `command not found: acc` - your global npm bin directory is not on `PATH`.
  Run `npm bin -g` and add that directory to your shell profile.
* Login loops or auth errors - run `acc logout` then `acc login` again; check
  `acc whoami` afterwards.
* Corporate proxies - the CLI talks HTTPS to `alternatefutures.ai` hosts; make
  sure they are reachable.