Install with the ClickHouse CLI

Install and manage local ClickHouse versions using clickhousectl, the ClickHouse CLI

Windows users

ClickHouse runs natively on Linux and macOS. On Windows, run these steps inside the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

The ClickHouse CLI (clickhousectl) helps you install and manage local ClickHouse versions, launch servers, and run queries.

1. Install the ClickHouse CLI

   curl https://clickhouse.com/cli | sh
   

   A chctl alias is also created automatically for convenience.

2. Install ClickHouse

   Install the latest version of ClickHouse and make it your default:

   clickhousectl local use latest
   

   local use installs the version if it isn’t already present, sets it as your default, and creates a clickhouse symlink in ~/.local/bin (on your PATH) so you can invoke the clickhouse binary directly. Any later step in these docs that runs a clickhouse command then works as-is.

   You can also select a specific version:

   clickhousectl local use 26.5            # Latest 26.5.x.x
   clickhousectl local use 26.5.2.39       # Exact version
   

   Use vs install

   clickhousectl local use <version> installs a version and makes it your default, updating the clickhouse symlink on your PATH. To download a version without changing your default or updating the symlink, use clickhousectl local install <version> instead.

3. Start clickhouse-server

   clickhousectl local server start
   

   The server runs in the background. To verify it’s running:

   clickhousectl local server list
   
4. Start clickhouse-client

   clickhousectl local client
   

   You will see something like this:

   ClickHouse client version 24.5.1.117 (official build).
   Connecting to localhost:9000 as user default.
   Connected to ClickHouse server version 24.5.1.
   
   local-host :)
   

   You’re now ready to start sending SQL commands to ClickHouse!

   The Quick Start walks you through the steps for creating tables and inserting data.