# Installation and Setup

### Requirements

- **Node.js** >= 18 (check with `node --version`)
- An active **Elestio account** with a verified email, payment method, and API token
- **Git** (required only for the Agent Skill installer)

---

#### Step 1 – Create an Elestio account (manual)

<div class="flex flex-col text-sm pb-25" id="bkmrk-you-need-to-do-these"><article class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&:has([data-writing-block])>*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-testid="conversation-turn-2" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:ad58309d-7597-4811-be3d-a275bf5aa3d9-0" dir="auto" tabindex="-1">You need to do these steps yourself, manually, using a web browser. They cannot be done automatically or through the command line (CLI).

</article></div>1. Sign up at <span style="color: rgb(230, 126, 35); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[Dashboard](https://dash.elest.io/signup "https://dash.elest.io/signup")</span>
2. Verify your email address
3. Add a credit card at [https://dash.elest.io/account/payment-options](https://dash.elest.io/account/payment-options "https://dash.elest.io/account/payment-options")
4. Wait for account approval (usually instant; can take up to 30 minutes to 48 hours for new accounts)

---

#### Step 2 – Generate an API token

1. Go to [https://dash.elest.io/account/security](https://dash.elest.io/account/security "https://dash.elest.io/account/security")
2. Click **Manage API Tokens → Create Token**
3. Copy the token value (it is shown only once)

---

#### Step 3 – Install the Elestio CLI

```bash
npm install -g elestio
```

Verify the installation:

```bash
elestio --version
```

---

#### Step 4 – Configure credentials

```bash
elestio login --email "you@example.com" --token "your_api_token"
```

Test that authentication works:

```bash
elestio auth test
# Expected: [SUCCESS] Authenticated as you@example.com
```

---

#### Step 5 – (Optional) Set a default project

Avoid passing `--project` on every command by setting a default:

```bash
# List your projects to find the ID
elestio projects

# Set the default
elestio config --set-default-project 112

```

---

### Installing the Agent Skill

#### Automatic (recommended)

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elestio/elestio-skill/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
```

The installer will:

1. Detect which AI tools you have installed (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode)
2. Install the Elestio CLI globally via npm
3. Copy `SKILL.md` to each detected agent's skills directory

#### Via skills.sh

```bash
npx skills add elestio/elestio-skill
```

#### Manual installation

```bash
# 1. Install the CLI
npm install -g elestio

# 2. Clone the skill repo
git clone https://github.com/elestio/elestio-skill.git /tmp/elestio-skill

# 3. Copy SKILL.md to your agent
# Claude Code
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/elestio
cp /tmp/elestio-skill/SKILL.md ~/.claude/skills/elestio/

# Cursor
mkdir -p ~/.cursor/rules
cp /tmp/elestio-skill/SKILL.md ~/.cursor/rules/elestio.md

```

#### Update the skill

Re-run the installer at any time to get the latest version:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elestio/elestio-skill/main/scripts/install.sh | bash
```

---

#### Verify everything is working

```bash
# Authentication
elestio auth test

# List your projects
elestio projects

# Browse the template catalog (no auth required)
elestio templates search postgresql
```