LiveKit docs › Developer tools › LiveKit CLI › Overview --- # LiveKit CLI > Install the LiveKit CLI, set up a project, and create apps from templates. ## Overview The LiveKit CLI (`lk`) is the primary interface for managing LiveKit Cloud projects, creating applications from templates, and deploying agents. For a conceptual overview of the CLI and its key workflows, see the [CLI introduction](https://docs.livekit.io/intro/basics/cli.md). - **[GitHub repository](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli)**: Source code and releases for the LiveKit CLI. ## Setup Install the CLI, authenticate with LiveKit Cloud, and link a project to get started. ### Install the CLI **macOS**: Install the LiveKit CLI with [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/): ```text brew install livekit-cli ``` --- **Linux**: ```text curl -sSL https://get.livekit.io/cli | bash ``` > 💡 **Tip** > > You can also download the latest precompiled binaries [here](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli/releases/latest). --- **Windows**: ```text winget install LiveKit.LiveKitCLI ``` > 💡 **Tip** > > You can also download the latest precompiled binaries [here](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli/releases/latest). --- **From Source**: This repo uses [Git LFS](https://git-lfs.github.com/) for embedded video resources. Please ensure git-lfs is installed on your machine before proceeding. ```text git clone github.com/livekit/livekit-cli make install ``` ### Update the CLI Update the CLI regularly to ensure you have the latest features and bug fixes: **macOS**: Update the LiveKit CLI with [Homebrew](https://brew.sh/): ```text brew update && brew upgrade livekit-cli ``` --- **Linux**: ```text curl -sSL https://get.livekit.io/cli | bash ``` > 💡 **Tip** > > You can also download the latest precompiled binaries [here](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli/releases/latest). --- **Windows**: ```text winget upgrade LiveKit.LiveKitCLI ``` > 💡 **Tip** > > You can also download the latest precompiled binaries [here](https://github.com/livekit/livekit-cli/releases/latest). --- **From Source**: This repo uses [Git LFS](https://git-lfs.github.com/) for embedded video resources. Please ensure git-lfs is installed on your machine before proceeding. Before updating, make sure you've recently pulled the latest changes from `main`. ```text make install ``` ### Add a project Link a LiveKit project to the CLI to use it. This can be a LiveKit Cloud project or a self-hosted LiveKit server instance. To link a LiveKit Cloud project, run the following command then follow the instructions in your browser to authenticate: ```shell lk cloud auth ``` To add a different project, see the [Project management](https://docs.livekit.io/reference/developer-tools/livekit-cli/projects.md) guide. > 💡 **Tip** > > If you're looking to explore LiveKit's [Agents](https://docs.livekit.io/agents.md) framework, use [Agent Console](https://docs.livekit.io/agents/start/console.md) to test agents and the [token server](https://docs.livekit.io/frontends/build/authentication/sandbox-token-server.md) to prototype frontend apps. ### Generate access token A participant creating or joining a LiveKit [room](https://docs.livekit.io/intro/basics/rooms-participants-tracks.md) needs an [access token](https://docs.livekit.io/frontends/authentication/tokens.md). You can generate one using the CLI: **Localhost**: ```shell lk token create \ --api-key devkey --api-secret secret \ --join --room test_room --identity test_user \ --valid-for 24h ``` > 💡 **Tip** > > Make sure you're running LiveKit server locally in [dev mode](https://docs.livekit.io/transport/self-hosting/local.md#dev-mode). --- **Cloud**: ```shell lk token create \ --api-key --api-secret \ --join --room test_room --identity test_user \ --valid-for 24h ``` You can also [generate tokens from your project's dashboard](https://cloud.livekit.io/projects/p_/settings/keys). ### Test with LiveKit Meet Use [LiveKit Meet](https://meet.livekit.io) to preview your LiveKit instance. Enter the token you [previously generated](#generate-access-token) in the "Custom" tab. After you connect, your microphone and camera stream in realtime, and any other participant who connects to the same room can see and hear you. > 💡 **Tip** > > If you're testing a LiveKit Cloud instance, you can find your `Project URL` (it starts with `wss://`) in the project settings. - **[LiveKit Meet](https://github.com/livekit-examples/meet)**: Full source code for the LiveKit Meet example app. #### Simulating another publisher One way to test a multi-user session is by [generating](#generate-access-token) a second token (ensure `--identity` is unique), opening the LiveKit Meet example app in another [browser tab](https://meet.livekit.io) and connecting to the same room. Another way is to use the CLI as a simulated participant and publish a prerecorded video to the room: **Localhost**: ```shell lk room join \ --url ws://localhost:7880 \ --api-key devkey --api-secret secret \ --publish-demo --identity bot_user \ my_first_room ``` --- **Cloud**: ```shell lk room join \ --url \ --api-key --api-secret \ --publish-demo --identity bot_user \ my_first_room ``` This command publishes a looped demo video to `my_first_room`. Due to how the file was encoded, expect a short delay before your browser has sufficient data to render frames. ## App templates The LiveKit CLI can help you bootstrap applications from a number of convenient template repositories, using your project credentials to set up required environment variables and other configuration automatically. For agent templates (voice agents and other LiveKit Agents projects), use `lk agent init`: ```shell lk agent init my-agent --template agent-starter-python # or: --template agent-starter-node ``` Then follow the CLI prompts to finish your setup. Omit the `--template` flag to see a list of all available templates. First-party templates: | **Template Name** | **Language/Framework** | **Description** | | [agent-starter-python](https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-python) | Python | A starter project for Python, featuring a simple voice agent implementation | | [agent-starter-react](https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-react) | TypeScript/Next.js | A starter app for Next.js, featuring a flexible voice AI frontend | | [agent-starter-android](https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-android) | Kotlin/Android | A starter project for Android, featuring a flexible voice AI frontend | | [agent-starter-swift](https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-swift) | Swift | A starter project for Swift, featuring a flexible voice AI frontend | | [agent-starter-flutter](https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-flutter) | Flutter | A starter project for Flutter, featuring a flexible voice AI frontend | | [agent-starter-react-native](https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-react-native) | React Native/Expo | A starter project for Expo, featuring a flexible voice AI frontend | | [agent-starter-embed](https://github.com/livekit-examples/agent-starter-embed) | TypeScript/Next.js | A starter project for a flexible voice AI that can be embedded in any website | | [token-server](https://github.com/livekit-examples/token-server-node) | Node.js/TypeScript | A hosted token server to help you prototype your mobile applications faster | | [meet](https://github.com/livekit-examples/meet) | TypeScript/Next.js | An open source video conferencing app built on LiveKit Components and Next.js | | [multi-agent-python](https://github.com/livekit-examples/multi-agent-python) | Python | A team of writing coach agents demonstrating multi-agent workflows | | [outbound-caller-python](https://github.com/livekit-examples/outbound-caller-python) | Python | An agent that makes outbound calls using LiveKit SIP | - **[LiveKit Template Index](https://github.com/livekit-examples/index)**: Browse all available first-party templates. ## Docs search The `lk docs` subcommand gives you full access to the LiveKit documentation from your terminal. Search, browse pages, look up SDK code, and check changelogs without leaving your workflow: ```shell # Search the docs lk docs search "voice agent quickstart" # Fetch a specific page lk docs get-page /agents/start/voice-ai-quickstart # Search SDK source code lk docs code-search "class AgentSession" --repo livekit/agents ``` This is especially useful for [coding agents](https://docs.livekit.io/intro/coding-agents.md) that can run CLI commands — it gives them direct access to up-to-date LiveKit documentation and SDK references. - **[Docs search reference](https://docs.livekit.io/reference/developer-tools/livekit-cli/docs.md)**: Full command reference for `lk docs`. --- This document was rendered at 2026-06-07T11:31:58.571Z. For the latest version of this document, see [https://docs.livekit.io/reference/developer-tools/livekit-cli.md](https://docs.livekit.io/reference/developer-tools/livekit-cli.md). To explore all LiveKit documentation, see [llms.txt](https://docs.livekit.io/llms.txt).