Skip to content

Installation

This page covers everything you need to install and run goflow.

Prerequisites

Before installing goflow, make sure you have:

Requirement Why You Need It How to Check
Go 1.21+ goflow is written in Go go version
macOS, Linux, or Windows Supported operating systems —
Copilot CLI (optional) Required for real AI calls, not needed for --mock mode which copilot

Windows Support

goflow and Copilot CLI run on Windows via PowerShell and WSL. All workflow features work on Windows — hooks support both bash and powershell script paths.

Don't have Copilot CLI?

You can still learn and test goflow using --mock mode, which simulates AI responses without making real API calls.

This is the fastest way to get started if you already have Go installed.

Step 1: Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/alxayo/goflow.git
cd goflow

Step 2: Build the binary

go build -o goflow ./cmd/workflow-runner/main.go

This creates a goflow executable in your current directory.

Step 3: Verify installation

./goflow version

You should see version information with the build date and commit hash.

Step 4 (Optional): Add to PATH

To run goflow from anywhere:

# Move to a directory in your PATH
sudo mv goflow /usr/local/bin/

# Or add the current directory to your PATH
export PATH="$PATH:$(pwd)"

Option 2: Download Pre-built Binaries

Visit the Releases page and download the archive for your system:

Operating System Architecture File
macOS Intel goflow_VERSION_darwin_amd64.tar.gz
macOS Apple Silicon goflow_VERSION_darwin_arm64.tar.gz
Linux x64 goflow_VERSION_linux_amd64.tar.gz
Linux ARM64 goflow_VERSION_linux_arm64.tar.gz
Windows x64 goflow_VERSION_windows_amd64.zip
Windows ARM64 goflow_VERSION_windows_arm64.zip

Extract and install

tar -xzf goflow_VERSION_darwin_arm64.tar.gz
sudo mv goflow /usr/local/bin/

Extract the zip file and add the folder to your PATH.

Option 3: Homebrew (macOS/Linux)

If a Homebrew tap has been configured for your organization:

brew install your-org/tap/goflow

Verify Your Installation

Run this command to confirm everything is working:

goflow version

Expected output:

goflow version v1.0.0 (abc1234) built 2026-03-15T10:30:00Z

Setting Up Copilot CLI (For Real AI Calls)

goflow uses the Copilot CLI to communicate with AI models. If you want to run workflows with real AI responses (not mock mode), you need Copilot CLI installed.

Check if Copilot CLI is installed

which copilot
# or
copilot --version

If not installed

Follow the Copilot CLI installation guide from GitHub.

Mock Mode Works Without Copilot CLI

If you're just learning goflow or testing workflow structures, you can use --mock mode which doesn't require Copilot CLI: 

goflow run --workflow my-workflow.yaml --mock --verbose

Next Steps

Now that goflow is installed: