Installation
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Install MatchBox
The official installer offers a release or snapshot and installs the Fat CLI, including embedded runners for supported deployment targets. Running ordinary BoxLang code does not require a JVM.
Linux and macOS
curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ortus-boxlang/matchbox/master/install/install.sh | bash
Windows PowerShell
iex (Invoke-RestMethod -Uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ortus-boxlang/matchbox/master/install/install.ps1)
These commands download and execute an installer. Review the shell installer or PowerShell installer before running it if you prefer. Follow its PATH instructions and open a new terminal if needed.
Verify the installation
matchbox --version
matchbox --help
matchbox
The last command starts the REPL. Try println("Hello from MatchBox!");, then press Ctrl+D to exit.
Choose a distribution
| Distribution | Intended use |
|---|---|
Fat CLI (matchbox) | Development, compilation, REPL, and bundled target runners. Recommended starting point. |
Slim CLI (matchbox-slim) | Local execution and CI when embedded cross-target stubs are not needed. |
Server (matchbox-server) | Native webroot and routed application-server deployments. |
| Docker | Containerized CLI without installing MatchBox on the host. |
For Docker, see the Docker guide. For repeatable builds, choose a pinned version from GitHub Releases instead of relying on a moving snapshot or latest tag.
Do I need Rust?
Not to run the prebuilt CLI or ordinary standalone applications. Rust is required to build MatchBox from source or compile Native Fusion code. Browser packaging and ESP32 builds have additional target-specific toolchain requirements; see JavaScript and WebAssembly and the ESP32 guide.