---
layout: "docs"
page_title: "Install Vault"
sidebar_current: "docs-install"
description: |-
  Learn how to install Vault.
---

# Install Vault

Installing Vault is simple. There are two approaches to installing Vault:
downloading a precompiled binary for your system, or installing from source.

Downloading a precombiled binary is easiest, and we provide downloads over
TLS along with SHA256 sums to verify the binary is what we say it is.
However, we use a 3rd party storage host, and some people feel that
due to the importance of security with Vault, they'd rather compile it
from source.

For this reason, we also document on this page how to compile Vault
from source, from the same versions of all dependent libraries that
we used for the official builds.

## Precompiled Binaries

To install the precompiled binary,
[download](/downloads.html) the appropriate package for your system.
Vault is currently packaged as a zip file. We don't have any near term
plans to provide system packages.

Once the zip is downloaded, unzip it into any directory. The
`vault` binary inside is all that is necessary to run Vault (or
`vault.exe` for Windows). Any additional files, if any, aren't
required to run Vault.

Copy the binary to anywhere on your system. If you intend to access it
from the command-line, make sure to place it somewhere on your `PATH`.

## Compiling from Source

To compile from source, you'll need [Go](https://golang.org) installed
and configured properly. You'll also need Git.

  1. Clone the Vault repository into your GOPATH: https://github.com/hashicorp/vault

  1. Verify that the file `$GOPATH/src/github.com/hashicorp/vault/main.go`
     exists. If it doesn't, then you didn't clone Vault into the proper
     path.

  1. Run `make updatedeps`. This will download all the dependencies.

  1. Run `make dev`. This will build Vault for your current system
     and put the binary in `bin` (relative to the git checkout).

~> **Note:** We'll be vendoring all our dependencies prior to release so
that consistent builds can be made. This is to avoid malicious upstream
dependencies if possible.

## Verifying the Installation

To verify Vault is properly installed, execute the `vault` binary on
your system. You should see help output. If you are executing it from
the command line, make sure it is on your PATH or you may get an error
about `vault` not being found.
