// INSTALL
Three steps to your first install
Install Sprout, add your Pollinations key, then run a real command. Sprout detects your machine before it changes anything.
- 1 Install
- 2 API key
- 3 First run
01
Install Sprout
Global npm install, one-off npx, or build from source.
method.select
npm · npx · source
npx
From source
Terminal
npm install -g sprout-install
npx sprout-install install gh
git clone https://github.com/murderszn/sprout.git && cd sprout && npm install && npm run build && npm link
02
Authorize with Pollen
Run sprout login to authorize with your Pollinations account (BYOP — uses your Pollen balance). Or paste an existing sk_ key with sprout config --set-key.
First-time setup
sprout login
Authorized keys save to ~/.sprout/config.json (chmod 600). Alternatively: sprout config --set-key or export SPROUT_API_KEY.
03
Run your first command
Install a tool, diagnose a failed attempt, or dry-run the plan with zero side effects.
Try it
sprout install gh
sprout --dry-run install node
// COMMANDS
What you run
Sprout's whole world is package managers, PATH, and shell rc files — nothing else.
cli.entrypoints
unix-first v1
install <tool>
diagnose
config
status
--dry-run
env
--yes
Seeded recipes for git, node, python, docker, gh, aws, kubectl, brew, jq, ripgrep, terraform — anything else is reasoned live. Full usage →
// HOW IT WORKS
Detect → plan → confirm → verify
A narrow CLI agent — not a general coding assistant. It orchestrates brew, apt, npm, pip, and friends instead of reimplementing them.
01
DETECT
Read this machine
OS, shell, rc file, architecture, package managers, PATH — one typed snapshot everything downstream uses.
02
PLAN
Plain English first
The model states what it'll check, install, and verify — before any command runs.
03
CONFIRM
You approve each step
Every command shows as an argv array with a reason. Sudo, system package managers, and rc edits ask [y/N] — default No.
04
VERIFY
Prove it worked
Sprout runs the tool's verify command itself and shows real output. Done means the verify passed.
05
SAFETY
Hard guardrails
No curl | bash, ever. Destructive patterns are blocked before confirmation — --yes can't override them.
06
NARROW
One job only
Won't write your code, review PRs, or answer unrelated questions. Install and repair tooling — that's it.
// BRAIN
Bring your own Pollinations key
Sprout never ships or proxies an API key. Inference goes to
Pollinations via its OpenAI-compatible API —
your sk_ key, stored in ~/.sprout/config.json (chmod 600)
or exported as SPROUT_API_KEY.
// SEEDED TOOLS
Curated install recipes
Per-OS install and verify commands for common tooling — the agent adapts when reality doesn't match the script.
git
node (nvm)
python (pyenv)
docker
gh
aws-cli
kubectl
homebrew
jq
ripgrep
terraform
// FAQ
Common questions
Straight answers before you run anything on your machine.
Do I need an API key?
Yes — inference uses your Pollinations account. Run sprout login (recommended; BYOP device flow at enter.pollinations.ai) or paste an sk_ key via sprout config --set-key. Sprout never ships or proxies a key; yours stays local.
Is it safe to run on my machine?
Every step shows the exact command and asks for confirmation before sudo, system package managers, or shell rc edits. Destructive patterns are hard-blocked — --yes cannot override them. No curl | bash, ever.
How is this different from ChatGPT or Cursor?
Those are general coding assistants. Sprout only handles installs, PATH, and shell config. It detects your OS, shell, and package managers, runs real verify commands, and refuses unrelated questions.
What if I don't use Homebrew?
Sprout detects what's actually on your machine — apt, dnf, npm, pip, and others. It picks a path for your setup and tells you when it's reasoning outside the curated knowledge base.
My install already failed — can Sprout help?
Yes. Pipe the log: brew install foo 2>&1 | sprout diagnose --tool foo or run sprout diagnose and paste the output. It proposes a fix plan the same way as a fresh install.
Does it work on Apple Silicon and Linux?
v1 targets macOS and Linux (including arm64). Windows is planned. Run sprout env to see the snapshot Sprout uses for your machine.
What does it cost?
Sprout is MIT-licensed and free. You pay Pollinations for inference from your Pollen balance (sprout login) or your own API key. npm install -g sprout-install has no subscription.