---
title: Install and use the influx CLI
description: Use the influx and influxd command line interfaces to interact with and manage InfluxDB.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb/v2/tools/influx-cli/
estimated_tokens: 4771
product: InfluxDB OSS v2
version: v2
---

# Install and use the influx CLI

This page documents an earlier version of InfluxDB OSS. [InfluxDB 3 Core](/influxdb3/core/) is the latest stable version.

#### API token hashing is enabled by default in InfluxDB OSS 2.9.0

Stronger token security: tokens are stored as hashes on disk, so a copy of the database file doesn’t expose usable tokens. Existing tokens are hashed on first startup and the original strings can’t be recovered afterward — **capture any plaintext tokens you still need before you upgrade**.

For more information, see [Token hashing](/influxdb/v2/admin/tokens/#token-hashing).

Use the `influx` CLI to interact with and manage your InfluxDB instance. Write and query data, generate InfluxDB templates, export data, and more.

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

-   [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

<!-- Tabbed content: Select one of the following options -->

**macOS:**

Do one of the following:

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

### Use Homebrew

```sh
brew install influxdb-cli
```

If you used Homebrew to install **InfluxDB 2.9**, 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
```

### Manually download and install

1. 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
    
    [influx CLI v2.8.0 (macOS)](https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-darwin-amd64.tar.gz)
    
    #### Download from the command line
    
    ```sh
    curl -LO https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-darwin-amd64.tar.gz \
        --output-dir ~/Downloads
    ```
    
2. Unpackage the downloaded binary.
    
    Do one of the following:
    
    -   In **Finder**, double-click the downloaded package file.
        
    -   In your terminal (for example, **Terminal** or **[iTerm2](https://www.iterm2.com/)**) use `tar` to extract the package–for example, enter the following command to extract it into `~/Downloads`:
        
        ```sh
        tar zxvf ~/Downloads/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-darwin-amd64.tar.gz \
          --directory ~/Downloads
        ```
        
3. Optional: Place the `influx` binary in your `$PATH`–for example, copy the binary to `/usr/local/bin`:
    
    ```sh
    sudo cp ~/Downloads/influx /usr/local/bin/
    ```
    
    With the `influx` binary in your `$PATH` (`/usr/local/bin`), you can enter `influx` in your terminal to run the CLI.
    
    If you do not move the `influx` binary into your `$PATH`, enter the path to the binary to run the CLI–for example:
    
    ```sh
    ~/Downloads/influx
    ```
    
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 prevents it from running. To authorize the `influx` binary:
    
    **Allow the binary on macOS Ventura**
    
    1. Follow the preceding instructions to attempt to start `influx`.
    2. Open **System Settings** and click **Privacy & Security**.
    3. Under the **Security** heading, there is a message about “influxd” being blocked, click **Allow Anyway**.
    4. When prompted, enter your password to allow the setting.
    5. Close **System Settings**.
    6. Attempt to start `influx`.
    7. A prompt appears with the message *“macOS cannot verify the developer of “influx”…”"*. Click **Open**.
    
    **Allow the binary on macOS Catalina**
    
    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**.

**Linux:**

1. 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
    
    [influx CLI v2.8.0 (amd64)](https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-linux-amd64.tar.gz) [influx CLI v2.8.0 (arm)](https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-linux-arm64.tar.gz)
    
    #### Download from the command line
    
    ```sh
    # amd64
    wget https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-linux-amd64.tar.gz
    ```
    
    ```sh
    # arm
    wget https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-linux-arm64.tar.gz
    ```
    
2. Unpackage the downloaded binary.
    
    ***Note:** The following commands are examples. Adjust the filenames, paths, and utilities if necessary.*
    
    ```sh
    # amd64
    tar xvzf ./influxdb2-client-2.8.0-linux-amd64.tar.gz
    ```
    
    ```sh
    # arm
    tar xvzf ./influxdb2-client-2.8.0-linux-arm64.tar.gz
    ```
    
3. Optional: Place the unpackaged `influx` executable in your system `$PATH`.
    
    ```sh
    # amd64
    sudo cp ./influx /usr/local/bin/
    ```
    
    ```sh
    # arm
    sudo cp ./influx /usr/local/bin/
    ```
    
    If you do not move the `influxd` binary into your `$PATH`, enter the path to the binary to start the server–for example:
    
    ```sh
    ./influx
    ```

**Windows:**

We recommend running `influx` CLI commands in Powershell. Command Prompt is not fully compatible.

1. Download the `influx` CLI package.
    
    [influx CLI v2.8.0 (Windows)](https://dl.influxdata.com/influxdb/releases/influxdb2-client-2.8.0-windows-amd64.zip)
    
2. Expand the downloaded archive.
    
    Expand the downloaded archive into `C:\Program Files\InfluxData\` and rename it if desired.
    
    ```powershell
    > Expand-Archive .\influxdb2-client-2.8.0-windows-amd64.zip -DestinationPath 'C:\Program Files\InfluxData\'
    > mv 'C:\Program Files\InfluxData\influxdb2-client-2.8.0-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**.

<!-- End tabbed content -->

## 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/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 ORG \
  --token API_TOKEN \
  --active
```

Replace the following:

-   `CONFIG_NAME`: Connection configuration name.
-   `ORG_NAME`: your InfluxDB [organization](/influxdb/v2/admin/organizations/).
-   `API_TOKEN`: your [API token](/influxdb/v2/admin/tokens/).

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

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

#### Authenticate with a username and password

The **`influx` CLI 2.4.0+** lets you create connection configurations that authenticate with **InfluxDB OSS 2.4+** 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/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 prompts for a password after each command that requires authentication.

```sh
influx config create \
  -n CONFIG_NAME \
  -u http://localhost:8086 \
  -p USERNAME:PASSWORD \
  -o ORG
```

Replace the following:

-   `CONFIG_NAME`: Connection configuration name.
-   `ORG`: [your organization name](/influxdb/v2/admin/organizations/).
-   `USERNAME:PASSWORD`: your UI username and password combination.

### Enable shell completion (Optional)

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

#### Related

-   [influx - InfluxDB command line interface](/influxdb/v2/reference/cli/influx/)

[cli](/influxdb/v2/tags/cli/)