Installing
You can install Bob Shell an installation script, your package manager, or the command palette.
System requirements
Operating systems
macOS, Linux, or Windows
Memory
Minimum 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
Storage
Minimum 500 MB available disk space
Network
Active internet connection
Node.js
Version 22.15.0 or later
Package manager or Bob IDE
Install with terminal commands or the command palette
Installation
Choose to install Bob Shell with an installation script, your package manager, or the command palette.
Using installation scripts
Select your operating system, then copy and run the command to install Bob Shell.
curl -fsSL https://bob.ibm.com/download/bobshell.sh | bashcurl -fsSL https://bob.ibm.com/download/bobshell.sh | bashpowershell -ep Bypass 'irm -Uri "https://bob.ibm.com/download/bobshell.ps1" | iex'Installing from the downloaded package
If you have manually downloaded the Bob Shell package from the Releases page, you can install it by using one of the following package managers:
You must revise the following commands to use the actual path where you downloaded the file.
You must run the following Windows commands with Powershell.
Using the command palette
You must have Bob IDE installed to use the command palette to install Bob Shell.
Install Bob Shell directly from the command palette:
Open the command palette
Press Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS.
Authentication
Choose from 2 authentication methods, depending on your use case.
| Method | Use case | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| IBMid | Interactive sessions | Valid IBMid account, browser access |
| API key | Automation, CI/CD pipelines, non-interactive environments | API key from the Bob web portal, environment variable |
IBMid authentication (default)
When using Bob Shell, you will be prompted to authenticate with your internet browser and IBMid. After authenticating, close your browser and return to your Bob Shell instance.
This is the default authentication method and provides seamless integration with IBM's identity management system.
API key authentication
API key authentication is ideal for automation, CI/CD pipelines, and non-interactive environments where browser-based authentication is not available.
Create an API key with Scope set to Inference in the Bob web portal. For detailed instructions, see API keys.
After generating the key, download it or copy the key value. Store it securely as you won't be able to view it again.
Never share your API key with anyone.
Set the BOBSHELL_API_KEY environment variable with your API key value:
export BOBSHELL_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"To make this permanent, add it to your shell profile (~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, etc.):
echo 'export BOBSHELL_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' >> ~/.bashrc$env:BOBSHELL_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"To make this permanent, use:
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('BOBSHELL_API_KEY', 'your-api-key-here', 'User')Start Bob Shell using the --auth-method api-key parameter:
bob --auth-method api-key -p "Explain this project"Bob Shell will use the API key from the BOBSHELL_API_KEY environment variable for authentication.