Installation

The CLI is published to npm as @asymmetric-ai/cli and is free to use. Install it, make sure Docker is running, and you’re ready to spin clones. Clone images are pulled for free on first use — nothing is built locally.

Requirements

Tool	Version	Why
Docker	running	Clones run as containers; spin shells out to `docker` and `docker compose`.
Node.js	`>= 18`	Runs the CLI (`npx` / `npm install -g`).
`psql` client	any	Only if you run `asym db` and want a local shell; `query` runs `psql` inside the container, so it’s optional.

An ANTHROPIC_API_KEY is needed only for AI seeding.

Install

Run it with no install at all:

npx @asymmetric-ai/cli quickstart

Or install it globally:

npm install -g @asymmetric-ai/cli

The package installs two equivalent commands: asym (recommended, used throughout these docs) and asymmetric (an alias). Use whichever you like.

Verify the install

asym --version
asym doctor

doctor reconciles your local registry against Docker and reports the basics:

home:    /Users/you/.asymmetric (local)
docker:  available
shared:  postgres unknown
clones:  0  environments: 0

If doctor runs, you’re set. Head to the Quickstart.

Where state lives

asymmetric keeps everything under ~/.asymmetric/:

File	Holds
`config.json`	Your profile, control-plane URL/token, and the port range (default `3000–3999`).
`registry.json`	Every clone and environment, with ids, ports, database names, state, and seed. Schema-versioned; migrated on read.

Override the location with the ASYM_HOME environment variable — useful for isolating CI runs from your local clones.

Local mode needs no account or login. asym login only matters for the planned connected/cloud mode.

Get started

Concepts

Guides

Templates

Reference

Requirements

Install

Verify the install

Where state lives

​Requirements

​Install

​Verify the install

​Where state lives

Requirements

Install

Verify the install

Where state lives