---
name: instructlab-cli-install
title: Installing the Red Hat AI InstructLab CLI
description: You can use the `ilab` CLI plug-in to manage your InstructLab resources.
last-updated: 2025-04-16
---

# Installing the Red Hat AI InstructLab CLI
{: #cli-install}


You can use the `ilab` CLI plug-in to manage your InstructLab resources.
{: shortdesc}


## Running the installation command
{: #step1-install-idt}
{: step}

The latest version of the IBM Cloud CLI is installed when you run the command. As the CLI installs, keep an eye on the command line to authenticate as needed.

* For MacOS, run the following command:
   ```curl
   curl -fsSL https://clis.cloud.ibm.com/install/osx | sh
   ```
   {: codeblock}

* For Linux™, run the following command:
   ```curl
   curl -fsSL https://clis.cloud.ibm.com/install/linux | sh
   ```
   {: codeblock}

* For Windows™, run the following command in PowerShell as an administrator:
   ```curl
   iex (New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://clis.cloud.ibm.com/install/powershell')
   ```
   {: codeblock}

   To open PowerShell, right-click the Windows™ PowerShell icon, and select **Run as administrator**.
   {: tip}

* For WSL2 on Windows™, run the following command:
   ```curl
   curl -fsSL https://clis.cloud.ibm.com/install/linux | sh
   ```

## Verifying the installation
{: #step2-verify-idt}
{: step}

To verify that the CLI was installed successfully, run the `help` command:
```text
ibmcloud help
```
{: codeblock}

The output lists the usage instructions, the current version, and the supported commands.

## Installing CLI plug-ins and tools
{: #step3-install-idt-manually}
{: step}

To manually install the CLI plug-ins and tools, see [Extending IBM Cloud CLI with plug-ins](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cli?topic=cli-plug-ins).

- To install the `ilab` plug-in, run the following command.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud plugin install ilab
    ```
    {: pre}

- To install the `cos` plug-in, run the following command.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud plugin install cos
    ```
    {: pre}

- To install the `secrets-manager` plug-in, run the following command.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud plugin install secrets-manager
    ```
    {: pre}

- Optional: Install the [Git CLI](https://docs.github.com/en/get-started/git-basics/set-up-git) to store and manage your taxonomies.



## Updating the IBM Cloud CLI
{: #update-ibmcloud-cli}

Use the latest version of the CLI. If you aren't using the latest version, run the following command to update your CLI:

```bash
ibmcloud update
```
{: codeblock}

To determine your IBM Cloud CLI version, run the following command:
```bash
ibmcloud -v
```
{: codeblock}

If you are running the current release, the following output is displayed:
```bash
Checking for updates...
No update required. Your CLI is already up-to-date.
```
{: screen}

To get notified about new IBM Cloud CLI releases, subscribe to the [IBM Cloud CLI releases repository](https://github.com/IBM-Cloud/ibm-cloud-cli-release/releases/){: external}.

## Updating installed plug-ins
{: #cli-update-plugin}

Use the `plugin update` command to update the plug-ins that are installed in IBM Cloud CLI. The `plugin update` command returns the following information for each plug-in that is installed:

* The current plug-in version
* The latest plug-in version that is available

```bash
ibmcloud plugin update
```
{: pre}


## Logging in to the CLI
{: #cli-login}

1. Log in to your IBM Cloud account from the CLI.

    ```sh
    ibmcloud login -a https://cloud.ibm.com --sso -r us-east
    ```
    {: pre}

1. If you plan to allow InstructLab to create IBM Cloud® Object Storage Instance resources for you, target a resource group.
    ```sh
    ibmcloud target -g <resource_group>
    ```
    {: pre}

    Example:
    ```sh
    ibmcloud target -g Default
    ```
    {: pre}