Install Fern
Fern runs on Linux, macOS (10.12 or later), and Windows. Pick whichever installation method suits you. A complete list of installation options can always be found on the README.md in the repo.
Binary release (recommended)
Pre-built binaries are available on the releases page.
- Download the archive for your platform.
- Extract the
fernbinary (orfern.exeon Windows). - Move it somewhere on your
$PATH, for example/usr/local/binon Linux or macOS.
Homebrew (macOS and Linux)
brew tap InodeLabs/tap https://codeberg.org/InodeLabs/homebrew-tap
brew install --cask fern
Scoop (Windows)
scoop bucket add InodeLabs https://codeberg.org/InodeLabs/scoop-bucket
scoop install fern
Linux packages (DEB / RPM)
Pre-built .deb and .rpm packages are available on the releases page.
# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo dpkg -i fern_*.deb
# Fedora / RHEL / openSUSE
sudo rpm -i fern_*.rpm
# or with dnf:
sudo dnf install fern_*.rpm
Snap
snapcraft pack
sudo snap install fern_*.snap --dangerous
Fern stores its config, indexes, and state inside the snap's common per-user data area so they persist across snap revisions. Vaults in your home directory work through the home interface. If you keep vaults on USB drives or other external media, connect removable-media after install:
sudo snap connect fern:removable-media
Go install
If you have Go 1.25 or later installed:
go install codeberg.org/InodeLabs/fern@latest
The binary is placed in ~/go/bin (Linux/macOS) or %HOME%\go\bin (Windows).
Note: if running fern gives a "command not found" error, add the Go bin directory to your $PATH:
# Linux / macOS - add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export PATH="$PATH:$(go env GOPATH)/bin"
On Windows, add %HOME%\go\bin to your user Path environment variable in System Settings.
Build from source
You will need Go installed first.
git clone https://codeberg.org/InodeLabs/fern
cd fern
go install
Verify the installation
Run:
fern --version
You should see the current version number printed.
If the command is not found, re-check that the install directory is on your $PATH.
Next: Create a vault