---
title: Install and use the influx CLI
description:
  Use the `influx` and `influxd` command line interfaces to interact with and
  manage InfluxDB.
menu:
  influxdb_2_4:
    name: Use the influx CLI
    parent: Tools & integrations
    identifier: influx-cli-task-based
weight: 101
influxdb/v2.4/tags: [cli]
aliases:
  - /influxdb/v2.4/tools/clis/
related:
  - /influxdb/v2.4/reference/cli/influx/
---

Use the `influx` CLI to interact with and manage your
InfluxDB {{% cloud-only %}}Cloud{{% /cloud-only %}} instance.
Write and query data, generate InfluxDB templates, export data, and more.

{{% oss-only %}}

{{% note %}}
The [`influx` CLI](/influxdb/v2.4/reference/cli/influx) is packaged and versioned
separately from the InfluxDB server (`influxd`).
{{% /note %}}

{{% /oss-only %}}

- [Install the influx CLI](#install-the-influx-cli)
- [Set up the influx CLI](#set-up-the-influx-cli)
- [Use influx CLI commands](#use-influx-cli-commands)

## Install the influx CLI

{{< tabs-wrapper >}}
{{% tabs %}}
[macOS](#)
[Linux](#)
[Windows](#)
{{% /tabs %}}

<!-------------------------------- BEGIN macOS -------------------------------->
{{% tab-content %}}

Do one of the following:

- [Use Homebrew](#use-homebrew)
- [Manually download and install](#manually-download-and-install)

### Use Homebrew
```sh
brew install influxdb-cli
```

{{% oss-only %}}

{{% note %}}
If you used Homebrew to install **InfluxDB v{{< current-version >}}**, the `influxdb-cli`
formula was downloaded as a dependency and should already be installed.
If installed, `influxdb-cli` will appear in the output of the following command:

```sh
brew list | grep influxdb-cli
```
{{% /note %}}

{{% /oss-only %}}

### Manually download and install

1. **Download the `influx` CLI package.**

    <a class="btn download" href="https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-darwin-amd64.tar.gz" download>influx CLI v{{< latest-patch cli=true >}} (macOS)</a>

2. **Unpackage the downloaded package.**

    Do one of the following:
    
    - Double-click the downloaded package file in **Finder**.
    - Run the following command in a macOS command prompt application such
    **Terminal** or **[iTerm2](https://www.iterm2.com/)**:

        ```sh
        # Unpackage contents to the current working directory
        tar zxvf ~/Downloads/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-darwin-amd64.tar.gz
        ```

3. **(Optional) Place the binary in your `$PATH`.**

    ```sh
    # (Optional) Copy the influx binary to your $PATH
    sudo cp ~/Downloads/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-darwin-amd64/influx /usr/local/bin/
    ```

    If you do not move the `influx` binary into your `$PATH`, prefix the executable
    `./` to run it in place.

4. **(macOS Catalina and newer) Authorize the `influx` binary.**

    macOS requires downloaded binaries to be signed by registered Apple developers.
    When you first attempt to run `influx`, macOS will prevent it from running.
    To authorize the `influx` binary:

    1. Attempt to run an `influx` command.
    2. Open **System Preferences** and click **Security & Privacy**.
    3. Under the **General** tab, there is a message about `influx` being blocked.
      Click **Open Anyway**.

{{% /tab-content %}}
<!--------------------------------- END macOS --------------------------------->

<!-------------------------------- BEGIN Linux -------------------------------->
{{% tab-content %}}

1. **Download the influx CLI package.**

    Download the `influx` CLI package [from your browser](#download-from-your-browser)
    or [from the command line](#download-from-the-command-line).

    #### Download from your browser

    <a class="btn download" href="https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-amd64.tar.gz" download >influx CLI v{{< latest-patch cli=true >}} (amd64)</a>
    <a class="btn download" href="https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-arm64.tar.gz" download >influx CLI v{{< latest-patch cli=true >}} (arm)</a>

    #### Download from the command line

    ```sh
    # amd64
    wget https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-amd64.tar.gz

    # arm
    wget https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-arm64.tar.gz
    ```

4. **Unpackage the downloaded package.**

    _**Note:** The following commands are examples. Adjust the filenames, paths, and utilities if necessary._

    ```sh
    # amd64
    tar xvzf path/to/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-amd64.tar.gz

    # arm
    tar xvzf path/to/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-arm64.tar.gz
    ```

3. **(Optional) Place the unpackaged `influx` executable in your system `$PATH`.**

    ```sh
    # amd64
    sudo cp influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-amd64/influx /usr/local/bin/

    # arm
    sudo cp influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-linux-arm64/influx /usr/local/bin/
    ```

    If you do not move the `influx` binary into your `$PATH`, prefix the executable
    `./` to run it in place.

{{% /tab-content %}}
<!--------------------------------- END Linux --------------------------------->

<!-------------------------------- BEGIN Windows -------------------------------->
{{% tab-content %}}

1. **Download the `influx` CLI package.**

    <a class="btn download" href="https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-windows-amd64.zip" download>influx CLI v{{< latest-patch cli=true >}} (Windows)</a>

2. **Expand the downloaded archive.**
  
    Expand the downloaded archive into `C:\Program Files\InfluxData\` and rename it if desired.

    ```powershell
    > Expand-Archive .\influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-windows-amd64.zip -DestinationPath 'C:\Program Files\InfluxData\'
    > mv 'C:\Program Files\InfluxData\influxdb2-client-{{< latest-patch cli=true >}}-windows-amd64' 'C:\Program Files\InfluxData\influx'
    ```

3. **Grant network access to the `influx` CLI.**

    When using the `influx` CLI for the first time, **Windows Defender** displays
    the following message:

    > Windows Defender Firewall has blocked some features of this app.

    To grant the `influx` CLI the required access, do the following:

    1. Select **Private networks, such as my home or work network**.
    2. Click **Allow access**.

{{% /tab-content %}}
<!--------------------------------- END Windows --------------------------------->
{{< /tabs-wrapper >}}

## Set up the influx CLI

- [Provide required authentication credentials](#provide-required-authentication-credentials)
- [Enable shell completion (Optional)](#enable-shell-completion-optional)

### Provide required authentication credentials
To avoid having to pass your InfluxDB **host**, **API token**, and **organization**
with each command, store them in an `influx` CLI configuration (config).
`influx` commands that require these credentials automatically retrieve these
credentials from the active config.

Use the [`influx config create` command](/influxdb/v2.4/reference/cli/influx/config/create/)
to create an `influx` CLI config and set it as active:

```sh
influx config create --config-name <config-name> \
  --host-url http://localhost:8086 \
  --org <your-org> \
  --token <your-auth-token> \
  --active
```

For more information about managing CLI configurations, see the
[`influx config` documentation](/influxdb/v2.4/reference/cli/influx/config/).

For instructions on how to create API tokens, see [Create a token](/influxdb/v2.4/security/tokens/create-token/).

{{% oss-only %}}

#### Authenticate with a username and password

The **`influx` CLI 2&period;4.0+** lets you create connection configurations
that authenticate with **InfluxDB OSS 2&period;4+** using the username and
password combination that you would use to log into the InfluxDB user interface (UI).
The CLI retrieves a session cookie and stores it, unencrypted, in your
[configs path](/influxdb/v2.4/reference/internals/file-system-layout/#configs-path).

Use the `--username-password`, `-p` option to provide your username and password
using the `<username>:<password>` syntax.
If no password is provided, the CLI will prompt for a password after each
command that requires authentication.

```sh
influx config create \
  -n config-name \
  -u http://localhost:8086 \
  -p example-user:example-password \
  -o example-org
```

{{% /oss-only %}}

### Enable shell completion (Optional)

To install `influx` shell completion scripts, see
[`influx completion`](/influxdb/v2.4/reference/cli/influx/completion/#install-completion-scripts).

## Use influx CLI commands
_For information about `influx` CLI commands, see the
[`influx` CLI reference documentation](/influxdb/v2.4/reference/cli/influx/)._