Nix
Linux x86_64 + aarch64
$nix profile install github:fiorix/chan#chan-desktop
The default flake output is chan-desktop.
Install Chan
Start with the desktop app, or install the headless server on the machine you develop on remotely.
Desktop recommended
The native app includes the chan and cs command entry points.
macOS Apple Silicon
Requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later.
$brew install --cask fiorix/tap/chan-desktop
Or the disk image (the app keeps itself updated either way):
Disk image
DMG
If an update's published macOS minimum is above the version running on your Mac, the updater refuses it and keeps the installed app. Update macOS before installing that update.
Windows x64
Installer
.exe
Linux amd64 + aarch64
Distribution packages
Install chan-desktop, or chan-desktop-bin on Arch. It includes the desktop app and the chan and cs commands, and can be your default terminal through xdg-terminal-exec.
Ubuntu
24.04 LTS + 26.04 LTS, amd64 + aarch64
$sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fiorix/chan
sudo apt install chan-desktop
Fedora
Current releases + rawhide, amd64 + aarch64
$sudo dnf copr enable fiorix/chan
sudo dnf install chan-desktop
Arch + CachyOS + Omarchy
x86_64, prebuilt
$paru -S chan-desktop-bin
On Omarchy, use yay -S chan-desktop-bin. To build from source instead, install chan-desktop. Either one replaces the other, and the headless chan package, when installed.
Server
The headless chan package runs devservers without desktop dependencies.
Quick install macOS + Linux + FreeBSD + Windows
macOS and Linux:
$curl -fsSL https://chan.app/install.sh | sh
FreeBSD amd64 + arm64:
$fetch -o - https://chan.app/install.sh | sh
Windows x64, from PowerShell:
PS>irm https://chan.app/install.ps1 | iex
Installs the latest standalone chan binary and its cs command. On Windows it installs under %LOCALAPPDATA%\chan-cli\bin, adds that directory to your user PATH, and refuses to compete with a Chan Desktop install.
Packages
Install chan, not chan-desktop, on a headless machine.
Nix
Linux x86_64 + aarch64
$nix profile install github:fiorix/chan#chan
macOS
Homebrew, Apple Silicon
$brew install fiorix/tap/chan
Ubuntu
24.04 LTS + 26.04 LTS, amd64 + aarch64
$sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fiorix/chan
sudo apt install chan
Fedora
Current releases + rawhide, amd64 + aarch64
$sudo dnf copr enable fiorix/chan
sudo dnf install chan
Arch + CachyOS
x86_64, built from source
$paru -S chan
Docker
Run the headless devserver from the fiorix/chan image:
$docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8787:8787 \
-e CHAN_HOME=/data/chan \
-v ~/.chan-docker:/data/chan \
-v ~/projects:/workspaces \
fiorix/chan devserver run --bind 0.0.0.0 --port 8787
Chan Gateway self-hosting
You don't need this to use Chan. The gateway is the self-hosted tunnel that fronts remote workspaces; install it only if you run your own.
Browse Chan and gateway images on Docker Hub.
Debian service packages amd64 + arm64
Raw archives and every release artifact remain available on the GitHub releases page.