> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/dotandev/hintents/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Installation

> Install Erst CLI and get ready to debug Stellar smart contracts

There are multiple ways to install Erst depending on your environment and preferences.

## Prerequisites

Before installing Erst, ensure you have:

* Go 1.24.0 or higher
* Rust 1.70 or higher (for building from source)
* Git (for cloning the repository)

<Note>
  For Rust installation, visit [rustup.rs](https://rustup.rs). For Go, visit [go.dev/doc/install](https://go.dev/doc/install).
</Note>

## Installation methods

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Go install">
    The simplest way to install Erst if you have Go installed:

    ```bash theme={null}
    go install github.com/dotandev/hintents/cmd/erst@latest
    ```

    This will install the `erst` binary to your `$GOPATH/bin` directory. Make sure this directory is in your `PATH`.

    Verify the installation:

    ```bash theme={null}
    erst version
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Build from source">
    For the latest development version or to contribute to Erst:

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Clone the repository">
        ```bash theme={null}
        git clone https://github.com/dotandev/hintents.git
        cd hintents
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Install Go dependencies">
        ```bash theme={null}
        go mod download
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Build the Rust simulator">
        ```bash theme={null}
        cd simulator
        cargo build --release
        cd ..
        ```

        <Info>
          The Rust simulator (`erst-sim`) is a critical component that integrates with `soroban-env-host` to replay transactions.
        </Info>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Build the CLI">
        ```bash theme={null}
        make build
        ```

        This creates the `erst` binary in the `bin/` directory.

        For an optimized release build:

        ```bash theme={null}
        make build-release
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add to PATH (optional)">
        ```bash theme={null}
        export PATH="$PATH:$(pwd)/bin"
        ```

        Add this line to your `~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc` to make it permanent.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Development setup">
    If you plan to contribute to Erst or need a full development environment:

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Clone and navigate">
        ```bash theme={null}
        git clone https://github.com/dotandev/hintents.git
        cd hintents
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Install dependencies">
        ```bash theme={null}
        go mod download
        cd simulator && cargo fetch && cd ..
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Build components">
        ```bash theme={null}
        cd simulator
        cargo build --release
        cd ..
        make build
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Run tests">
        Verify your setup by running the test suites:

        ```bash theme={null}
        # Go tests
        go test ./...

        # Rust tests
        cargo test --release -p erst-sim
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Set up pre-commit hooks (optional)">
        ```bash theme={null}
        pip install pre-commit
        pre-commit install
        ```

        This ensures code quality checks run before each commit.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Verify installation

After installation, verify that Erst is working correctly:

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Check version theme={null}
  erst version
  ```

  ```bash Check help theme={null}
  erst --help
  ```

  ```bash Run diagnostics theme={null}
  erst doctor
  ```
</CodeGroup>

The `erst doctor` command checks your environment and reports any configuration issues.

## Configuration

### Cache directory

Erst caches transaction data and simulation results in `~/.erst/cache` by default. You can change this location:

```bash theme={null}
export ERST_CACHE_DIR=/path/to/custom/cache
```

### RPC endpoints

You can configure custom RPC endpoints for different networks:

```bash theme={null}
export ERST_RPC_MAINNET=https://your-mainnet-rpc.com
export ERST_RPC_TESTNET=https://your-testnet-rpc.com
```

## Updating Erst

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Go install">
    Update to the latest version:

    ```bash theme={null}
    go install github.com/dotandev/hintents/cmd/erst@latest
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="From source">
    Pull the latest changes and rebuild:

    ```bash theme={null}
    cd hintents
    git pull origin main
    make clean
    cd simulator && cargo build --release && cd ..
    make build
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Auto-update">
    Erst includes an auto-update checker that notifies you when new versions are available:

    ```bash theme={null}
    erst upgrade
    ```

    <Info>
      The upgrade command checks for updates and displays installation instructions.
    </Info>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Troubleshooting

### Command not found

If you get a "command not found" error:

1. Ensure `$GOPATH/bin` is in your `PATH`:
   ```bash theme={null}
   echo $PATH | grep -q "$GOPATH/bin" || echo 'export PATH="$PATH:$GOPATH/bin"' >> ~/.bashrc
   source ~/.bashrc
   ```

2. Verify the binary location:
   ```bash theme={null}
   which erst
   ```

### Rust simulator errors

If you encounter errors related to the Rust simulator:

1. Ensure you built the simulator:
   ```bash theme={null}
   cd simulator && cargo build --release
   ```

2. Check Rust version:
   ```bash theme={null}
   rustc --version  # Should be 1.70+
   ```

### Permission denied

If you get permission errors:

```bash theme={null}
chmod +x $(which erst)
```

### Cache issues

If you experience cache-related problems:

```bash theme={null}
erst cache clear --force
```

<Warning>
  This will delete all cached transaction data. You'll need to re-fetch transactions from the network.
</Warning>

## Next steps

Now that Erst is installed, learn how to debug your first transaction:

<Card title="Quick start guide" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
  Debug a failed transaction in minutes
</Card>