Files
mintlify__docs/installation.mdx
Kathryn Isabelle Lawrence e0e665074f CLI docs update (#862)
* update cli docs

* remove CodeGroup tags

* format troubleshooting steps

---------

Co-authored-by: Ethan Palm <56270045+ethanpalm@users.noreply.github.com>
2025-06-26 14:28:29 -07:00

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---
title: "CLI installation"
sidebarTitle: "Installation"
description: "Install the CLI to preview and develop your docs locally"
icon: "terminal"
---
<img
className="block dark:hidden my-0 pointer-events-none"
src="/images/installation/local-development-light.png"
/>
<img
className="hidden dark:block my-0 pointer-events-none"
src="/images/installation/local-development-dark.png"
/>
## Installing the CLI
<Info>
**Prerequisite**: Please install [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en) before proceeding.
</Info>
<Steps>
<Step title="Install the CLI.">
Run the following command to install the [CLI](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mint):
```bash
npm i -g mint
```
</Step>
<Step title="Preview locally.">
Navigate to your docs directory (where your `docs.json` file is located) and execute the following command:
```bash
mint dev
```
A local preview of your documentation will be available at `http://localhost:3000`.
</Step>
</Steps>
Alternatively, if you do not want to install the CLI globally, you can run a one-time script:
```bash
npx mint dev
```
## Updates
If your local preview is out of sync with what you see on the web in the production version, update your local CLI:
```bash
mint update
```
If this `mint update` command is not available on your local version, re-install the CLI with the latest version:
```bash
npm i -g mint@latest
```
## Custom ports
By default, the CLI uses port 3000. You can customize the port using the `--port` flag. To run the CLI on port 3333, for instance, use this command:
```bash
mint dev --port 3333
```
If you attempt to run on a port that is already in use, it will use the next available port:
```mdx
Port 3000 is already in use. Trying 3001 instead.
```
## Additional commands
While `mint dev` is the most commonly used command, there are other commands you can use to manage your documentation.
### Finding broken links
The CLI can assist with validating reference links made in your documentation. To identify any broken links, use the following command:
```bash
mint broken-links
```
### Checking OpenAPI spec
You can use the CLI to check your OpenAPI file for errors using the following command:
```bash
mint openapi-check <openapiFilenameOrUrl>
```
You can pass in a filename (e.g. `./openapi.yaml`) or a URL (e.g. `https://petstore3.swagger.io/api/v3/openapi.json`).
### Renaming files
You can rename and update all references to files using the following command:
```bash
mint rename <oldFilename> <newFilename>
```
## Formatting
While developing locally, we recommend using extensions in your IDE to recognize and format `MDX` files.
If you use Cursor, Windsurf, or VSCode, we recommend the [MDX VSCode extension](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=unifiedjs.vscode-mdx) for syntax highlighting, and [Prettier](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=esbenp.prettier-vscode) for code formatting.
If you use JetBrains, we recommend the [MDX IntelliJ IDEA plugin](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/14944-mdx) for syntax highlighting, and setting up [Prettier](https://prettier.io/docs/webstorm) for code formatting.
## Troubleshooting
<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title='Error: Could not load the "sharp" module using the darwin-arm64 runtime'>
This may be due to an outdated version of node. Try the following:
1. Remove the currently-installed version of the mint CLI: `npm uninstall -g mint`
2. Upgrade to Node.js.
3. Reinstall the mint CLI: `npm install -g mint`
</Accordion>
<Accordion title="Issue: Encountering an unknown error">
**Solution**: Go to the root of your device and delete the `~/.mintlify` folder. Afterwards, run `mint dev` again.
</Accordion>
<Accordion title="Error: permission denied">
This is due to not having the required permissions to globally install node packages.
**Solution**: Try running `sudo npm i -g mint`. You will be prompted for your password, which is the one you use to unlock your computer.
</Accordion>
<Accordion title="The local preview doesn't look the same as my docs do on the web">
This is likely due to an outdated version of the CLI.
**Solution:** Run `mint update` to get the latest changes.
</Accordion>
<Accordion title="mintlify vs. mint package">
If you have any problems with the CLI package, you should first run `npm ls -g`. This command shows what packages are globally installed on your machine.
If you have a package named `mint` and a package named `mintlify` installed, you should uninstall `mintlify`.
1. Uninstall the old package:
```bash
npm uninstall -g mintlify
```
2. Clear your npm cache:
```bash
npm cache clean --force
```
3. Reinstall the new package:
```bash
npm install -g mint
```
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>