- name
- near-tools
- description
- NEAR Protocol CLI installation and setup guide. Use when: (1) User asks how to install NEAR CLI, (2) User needs help setting up near-cli-rs, (3) User wants to verify NEAR CLI installation, (4) User needs to install near-cli-rs, (5) user wants to use near cli to perform any action on the blockchain. AGENTS MUST ALWAYS get the absolute path of the 'near' binary before execution.
NEAR Tools - NEAR CLI Installation & Setup
CRITICAL FOR AGENTS: Before calling anynearcommand, you MUST find the absolute path of thenearbinary (e.g., usingwhich nearorwhereis near) and use that absolute path in your commands. This ensures consistency across different shell environments.
This skill provides comprehensive guidance for installing and setting up the NEAR Protocol CLI (near-cli-rs) on any platform.
Installation Methods
Choose the installation method that works best for your system:
Option 1: Shell Script (Linux, macOS, WSL)
Best for: Most Linux and macOS users
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://github.com/near/near-cli-rs/releases/latest/download/near-cli-rs-installer.sh | shif not add near to PATH: find the near binary by whereis near
Add to PATH:
# Temporary (current session only)
export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"
# Permanent (add to your shell config)
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc # For bash
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc # For zshReload your shell or run:
source ~/.bashrc # or ~/.zshrcOption 2: npm/npx (Any Platform with Node.js)
Best for: JavaScript/TypeScript developers, Windows users
Run directly without installation:
npx near-cli-rsInstall globally:
npm install -g near-cli-rsOr add to package.json:
npm install --save-dev near-cli-rsThen use:
npx near-cli-rsOption 3: Windows Installer
Best for: Windows users without Node.js or Cargo
- Visit: https://github.com/near/near-cli-rs/releases/latest
- Download the Windows MSI installer (e.g.,
near-cli-rs-installer-x64.msi) - Double-click the installer and follow the wizard
- The installer automatically adds NEAR CLI to your PATH
Option 4: Cargo (Rust)
Best for: Rust developers, custom builds
Prerequisites: Install Rust first from https://rustup.rs/
Install:
cargo install near-cli-rsOr install latest from git:
cargo install --git https://github.com/near/near-cli-rsLinux users may need:
# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install libudev-dev
# Fedora/Red Hat
sudo dnf install libudev-develVerification
After installation, verify it's working:
near --versionExpected output:
near-cli-rs 0.23.6 # or newer versionIf the command is not found:
- Make sure the installation directory is in your PATH:
echo $PATH | grep cargo # Check if cargo/bin is in PATH- If not found, add it manually:
export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"- Test again:
near --versionConfiguration
View Configuration Location
near --help
# Output will show where config is stored, typically:
# "near CLI configuration is stored in ~/.config/near-cli/config.toml"View Available Commands
near --helpMain command groups:
- account - Manage accounts (view, create, import, export)
- tokens - Manage token assets (NEAR, FT, NFT)
- staking - Manage staking (view, add, withdraw)
- contract - Manage smart contracts (deploy, call functions)
- transaction - Operate transactions
- config - Manage connections in config.toml
First Steps
View Your Account Summary
If you already have a NEAR account:
near account view-account-summary <your-account.near> network-config mainnet nowExample:
near account view-account-summary near network-config mainnet nowImport an Existing Account
If you have a seed phrase or key:
near account import-accountFollow the interactive prompts to sign in.
Create a New Account
If you don't have an account yet:
near account create-accountFollow the prompts to create a new account (requires existing account to fund it).
Troubleshooting
"near: command not found"
Cause: NEAR CLI is not in your PATH
Solution:
# For shell script installation
export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH"
# For npm global installation
export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"
# Make it permanent by adding to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc"Permission denied" when running installer
Cause: Lack of execute permissions
Solution:
chmod +x near-cli-rs-installer.sh
./near-cli-rs-installer.sh"near-cli-rs-installer.sh: No such file"
Cause: Download didn't work or file name changed
Solution:
# Check the releases page manually
curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/near/near-cli-rs/releases/latest | grep "browser_download_url" | grep "installer.sh"Installation hangs or is slow
Cause: Network issues or slow connection
Solution:
# Use a longer timeout with curl
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf --connect-timeout 30 --max-time 300 https://github.com/near/near-cli-rs/releases/latest/download/near-cli-rs-installer.sh | shVersion Information
- Latest stable version: 0.23.6 (as of documentation date)
- Check for updates: Visit https://github.com/near/near-cli-rs/releases
- Update: Re-run the installation command with the desired version
Additional Resources
- Official GitHub: https://github.com/near/near-cli-rs
- NEAR Protocol Docs: https://docs.near.org/
- NEAR Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/nearprotocol
- NEAR Discord: https://discord.gg/near
Quick Reference
# Install (Shell script)
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -LsSf https://github.com/near/near-cli-rs/releases/latest/download/near-cli-rs-installer.sh | sh
# Install (npx)
npx near-cli-rs
# Verify installation
near --version
# View account
near account view-account-summary <account-id> network-config mainnet now
# Import account
near account import-account
# Help
near --help
near account --help
near tokens --help