# Install Fabric and Fabric Samples

Please install the [Prerequisites](./prereqs.html) before following these install instructions.

We think the best way to understand something is to use it yourself.  To help you use Fabric, we have created a simple Fabric test network using Docker compose, and a set of sample applications that demonstrate its core capabilities.

We also have precompiled `Fabric CLI tool binaries` and `Fabric Docker Images` which will be downloaded to your environment, to get you going.

The `install-fabric.sh` script introduced in the next section automates the process to set up your environment. Specifically, it performs the following steps:

* Clones the [hyperledger/fabric-samples](https://github.com/hyperledger/fabric-samples) repository.
* Downloads the latest Hyperledger Fabric Docker images and tags them as `latest`
* Downloads the following platform-specific Hyperledger Fabric CLI tool binaries and config files into the `fabric-samples` `/bin` and `/config` directories. These binaries will help you interact with the test network.
  * `configtxgen`,
  * `configtxlator`,
  * `cryptogen`,
  * `discover`,
  * `ledgerutil`,
  * `orderer`,
  * `osnadmin`,
  * `peer`,
  * `fabric-ca-client`,
  * `fabric-ca-server`

## Download Fabric samples, Docker images, and binaries

A working directory is required - for example, Go Developers use the `$HOME/go/src/github.com/<your_github_userid>` directory.  This is a Golang Community recommendation for Go projects.

```shell
mkdir -p $HOME/go/src/github.com/<your_github_userid>
cd $HOME/go/src/github.com/<your_github_userid>
```

To get the install script:

```bash
curl -sSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hyperledger/fabric/main/scripts/install-fabric.sh && chmod +x install-fabric.sh
```

Run the script with the `-h` option to see the options:

```bash
./install-fabric.sh -h
Usage: ./install-fabric.sh [-f|--fabric-version <arg>] [-c|--ca-version <arg>] <comp-1> [<comp-2>] ... [<comp-n>] ...
        <comp>: Component to install one or more of  d[ocker]|b[inary]|s[amples]. If none specified, all will be installed
        -f, --fabric-version: FabricVersion (default: '2.5.9')
        -c, --ca-version: Fabric CA Version (default: '1.5.12')
```

## Choosing which components

To specify the components to download add one or more of the following arguments. Each argument can be shortened to its first letter.

* `docker` to use Docker to download the Fabric Container Images
* `podman` to use podman to download the Fabric Container Images
* `binary` to download the Fabric binaries
* `samples` to clone the fabric-samples github repo to the current directory

To pull the Docker containers and clone the samples repo, run one of these commands for example

```bash
./install-fabric.sh docker samples binary
or
./install-fabric.sh d s b
```

If no arguments are supplied, then the arguments `docker binary samples` are assumed.

## Choosing which version

By default the latest version of the components are used; these can be altered by using the options `--fabric-version` and `-ca-version`.  `-f` and `-c` are the respective short forms.

For example, to download the v2.5.9 binaries, run this command

```bash
./install-fabric.sh --fabric-version 2.5.9 binary
```

You have completed installing Fabric samples, Docker images, and binaries to your system.

* If you are looking to set up your environment to start contributing to Fabric, please refer to the instructions for [Setting up the contributor development environment](https://hyperledger-fabric.readthedocs.io/en/latest/dev-setup/devenv.html).

> Note: this is an updated install script with the same end-result as the existing script, but with an improved syntax. This script adopts the positive opt-in approach to selecting the components to install.  The original script is still present at the same location `curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hyperledger/fabric/main/scripts/bootstrap.sh| bash -s`

* If you need help, post your questions and share your logs on the **fabric-questions** channel on [Hyperledger Discord Chat](https://discord.com/invite/hyperledger) or on [StackOverflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/hyperledger-fabric).

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