Install Hardcharger™
One line installs hardcharger-server and the hardcharger client in your home directory, no sudo needed. Keep several versions side by side and switch between them in seconds.
curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | shRather not run it yourself? GizmoData Cloud runs Hardcharger for you in one click.
Pick your platform
Apple silicon, macOS 15 or later. The binaries are signed with GizmoData’s Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | shInstalls into ~/.hardcharger and prints the line that puts ~/.hardcharger/bin on your PATH (add --modify-path to have it do that). Intel Macs: use the Docker image.
First steps
Start a server with the web UI, then run a query from the command-line client. The client uses TLS unless told otherwise, so a local server started without a certificate needs --tls=false.
HARDCHARGER_ADMIN_PASSWORD='change-me' hardcharger-server --web-ui --database demo.duckdb
# open http://localhost:31337/ui and sign in as hardcharger / change-me
HARDCHARGER_PASSWORD='change-me' hardcharger --host localhost --tls=false --username hardcharger \
--command "SELECT 42 AS answer"Versions, options and uninstall
Pass options to the script after sh -s --, or set the environment variable.
curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh -s -- --version 2.0.0
# or
curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | HARDCHARGER_VERSION=2.0.0 sh$env:HARDCHARGER_VERSION = '2.0.0'; irm https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com/install.ps1 | iexcurl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh -s -- --list # installed versions
curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh -s -- --modify-path # add ~/.hardcharger/bin to your shell's PATH
curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh -s -- --uninstall 2.0.0 # remove one version
curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh -s -- --uninstall # remove everything| sh | PowerShell | Environment | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| --version <v> | -Version <v> | HARDCHARGER_VERSION | latest (the default), X.Y.Z, vX.Y.Z, or a release candidate such as 2.0.0-rc.1. latest never picks a release candidate. |
| --prefix <dir> | -Prefix <dir> | HARDCHARGER_PREFIX | Install root. Default ~/.hardcharger (%USERPROFILE%\.hardcharger on Windows). |
| --list | -List | — | Installed versions, the current one starred. |
| --uninstall [<v>] | -Uninstall [-Version <v>] | — | Remove one version, or the whole prefix. |
| --modify-path | -ModifyPath | — | Add <prefix>/bin to your shell’s startup file (Windows: your user PATH). Without it the installer only prints the line. |
| — | — | HARDCHARGER_INSTALL_MIRROR | A directory or URL laid out like the releases (vX.Y.Z/<asset>), for air-gapped installs. |
What gets installed
- hardcharger-server: the server, with the web UI compiled in (off until
--web-ui). - hardcharger: the command-line client, with history, completion and a pager.
- The licence, the changelog and THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md, which lists every bundled component and its licence.
- Each version in its own directory;
bin/links to the current one. A failed download or check leaves the previous version current.
~/.hardcharger/
├── versions/
│ └── 2.0.0/
│ ├── bin/hardcharger-server
│ ├── bin/hardcharger
│ ├── LICENSE
│ ├── CHANGELOG.md
│ └── THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md
└── bin/
├── hardcharger-server -> ../versions/2.0.0/bin/hardcharger-server
└── hardcharger -> ../versions/2.0.0/bin/hardchargerVerify what you downloaded
Checksums
The installer checks each archive against the release’s SHA256SUMS and GitHub’s own digest of the asset, and refuses a mismatch.
Signed binaries
macOS: GizmoData’s Developer ID, hardened runtime, notarized by Apple. Windows: every executable and MSI is EV code-signed (Authenticode), with an RFC 3161 timestamp.
Checked before it switches
Every binary must run --version (and on Linux fit your glibc) before the installer makes it current.
shasum -a 256 -c --ignore-missing SHA256SUMS
# hardcharger-macos-arm64.tar.gz: OKcodesign -dv --verbose=2 ~/.hardcharger/bin/hardcharger-server 2>&1 | grep -E 'Authority|TeamIdentifier'
# Authority=Developer ID Application: Gizmo Data LLC (XYB42X6NFX)
spctl -a -vv -t install ~/.hardcharger/bin/hardcharger-server
# accepted source=Notarized Developer IDGet-AuthenticodeSignature "$env:USERPROFILE\.hardcharger\bin\hardcharger-server.exe" | Format-List Status, SignerCertificateInstall FAQ
How do I install Hardcharger?
On macOS or Linux run curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh; on Windows run irm https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com/install.ps1 | iex in PowerShell. The installer puts hardcharger-server and the hardcharger client in ~/.hardcharger/bin, with no sudo. Docker images, signed Windows MSIs, release tarballs and a Python package are also available.
Which platforms does Hardcharger support?
macOS on Apple silicon (macOS 15 or later), Linux on x86-64 and arm64 with glibc 2.28 or later, and Windows on x64 and arm64. Intel Macs, Alpine (musl) and 32-bit systems can run the Docker image instead. An app for iPhone and iPad is coming soon.
How do I install a specific version or a release candidate?
Pass --version to the script, for example curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh -s -- --version 2.0.0, or set HARDCHARGER_VERSION. The default, latest, never picks a release candidate. Installed versions sit side by side, so switching back to one you already have downloads nothing.
How do I verify the download?
The installer checks every download against the release’s SHA256SUMS and GitHub’s own digest of the asset, and runs each binary before switching to it. The macOS binaries are signed with GizmoData’s Developer ID and notarized by Apple, and the Windows executables and MSIs are EV code-signed by GizmoData (Authenticode).
How do I uninstall Hardcharger?
Run curl https://install.hardcharger.gizmodata.com | sh -s -- --uninstall to remove every version, or add a version number to remove just that one. On Windows, use install.ps1 -Uninstall, or remove the MSI from Apps.
Do I need a license key?
No. Hardcharger has no editions and no license keys: every feature, including access control, SSO, instrumentation and the web UI, is in every build under Apache-2.0.