Install Nerv¶

Download a complete compiler distribution from the Nerv 1.0.0 release. Choose its installer or portable archive for your system. When installing a newer version from all releases, match the filenames and paths below to that version.

Choose a download¶

System	Installer	Portable	Baseline
Windows x64	`nerv-1.0.0-windows-x64-setup-unsigned.exe`	`nerv-1.0.0-windows-x64-portable.zip`	Windows 10 with UCRT
Apple Silicon macOS	`nerv-1.0.0-macos-arm64-installer-unsigned.pkg`	`nerv-1.0.0-macos-arm64-portable.zip`	macOS 15
Linux x64	—	`nerv-1.0.0-linux-x64-portable.tar.gz`	glibc 2.39 or newer

Intel Macs, Windows ARM, Linux ARM, and Alpine/musl are not included in this release. Hosted-runner validation does not establish compatibility with every machine at the stated baseline.

Unsigned downloads

Windows and macOS installers are unsigned. The macOS package is not Apple-notarized. Your operating system may display a warning or block opening a downloaded file. Verify the source and checksum before using your system's approval flow. Keep normal operating-system protections enabled.

Verify the download¶

Download SHA256SUMS and release-manifest.json from the same release. Compute the archive or installer's SHA-256 hash and compare it with its entry in SHA256SUMS.

Windows PowerShellmacOSLinux

Get-FileHash .\nerv-1.0.0-windows-x64-setup-unsigned.exe -Algorithm SHA256

shasum -a 256 nerv-1.0.0-macos-arm64-installer-unsigned.pkg

sha256sum nerv-1.0.0-linux-x64-portable.tar.gz

The manifest records the source commit, target, signing status, sizes, and hashes. A matching hash detects a changed download; it is not a publisher signature.

Windows¶

Run the setup EXE. It installs for your user under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Nerv by default. Select the PATH option if you want to use nerv from any terminal. Open a new terminal after installation.

For a portable installation, extract the entire ZIP to a directory you control. Keep nerv.exe, its DLLs, and the toolchain directory together. From that extracted directory:

.\nerv.exe --version

To use a portable compiler from any directory, add the directory containing nerv.exe to your user PATH through Windows' environment-variable settings, then reopen your terminal. Extracting the ZIP does not edit PATH.

macOS¶

Open the PKG and follow the installer. It places the versioned compiler in /Library/Nerv/1.0.0 and creates /usr/local/bin/nerv. Installation refuses to replace an unrelated command at that path. Ensure /usr/local/bin is on your shell's PATH.

For a portable installation, extract the entire ZIP. Run ./nerv --version inside the extracted directory. To use it elsewhere, add that directory to PATH in your shell configuration. Keep its libraries and toolchain directory beside the executable.

If macOS blocks an unsigned download, consult Apple's instructions for opening an app from an unidentified developer. Approve only the specific verified download you intend to use.

Linux¶

Extract the archive:

tar -xzf nerv-1.0.0-linux-x64-portable.tar.gz
cd nerv-1.0.0-linux-x64
./nerv --version

There is no Linux installer, DEB, or RPM. Move the complete extracted directory to a permanent location, such as $HOME/.local/opt/nerv-1.0.0-linux-x64. Add its directory to PATH in your shell configuration:

export PATH="$HOME/.local/opt/nerv-1.0.0-linux-x64:$PATH"

Use the path where you actually extracted the compiler. Do not move only the nerv binary. This archive targets glibc systems such as Ubuntu 24.04; it does not target musl.

Check the installation¶

From a new terminal:

nerv --version
nerv new hello
cd hello
nerv check --locked
nerv test --locked
nerv run

The last command prints:

Hello from Nerv

If the command is missing, check PATH or invoke the compiler by its full path. If Nerv reports a missing toolchain, re-extract the complete matching archive. Keep old and new distributions in separate directories.

You are ready for the language guide and first project tutorial.

Update or uninstall¶

Download the next release and verify it. Windows setup updates its selected installation directory. On macOS, each version has its own directory; installation activates that version's public symlink. For portable installations, extract into a new directory and update PATH. There is no automatic updater.

Remove a Windows setup installation through Windows' installed-app settings. It removes a PATH entry only if the installer added it. To remove the macOS package version:

sudo sh /Library/Nerv/1.0.0/uninstall-macos.sh 1.0.0

The macOS script preserves files outside its installation inventory and removes the public symlink only if it selects that version. It does not automatically reactivate an older version.

For portable installations, remove the extracted compiler directory and any PATH entry you added. Keep your projects outside that directory so they remain separate from compiler updates.