cradle-install

Install Cradle's components (User will be prompted for further details)

$ cradle install

$ cradle install [[-f|--force]]

$ cradle install --skip-sql

$ cradle install --skip-versioning

$ cradle install -h [hostname] -u [username] -p [password]

cradle install target [--global] [--version=version] [--path=path]

target
    The executable to install. This can be a predefined name, a direct URL to a binary, or a GitHub repository specified as user/repo.

--global
    Installs the executable into a globally accessible directory, typically ~/.cradle/bin, assuming this directory is in the user's PATH.

--version=version
    Specifies a particular version of the executable to install. If omitted, cradle typically attempts to install the latest stable version.

--path=path
    Specifies an alternative directory for installation instead of the default ~/.cradle location.

cradle-install is a subcommand of the cradle tool, designed to simplify the process of acquiring and setting up binary executables on Linux. It allows users to download, extract, and install command-line tools from various sources, such as direct URLs, GitHub repositories, or by a predefined name. Unlike system package managers, cradle-install focuses on individual binaries, often used in development workflows for tools not typically distributed via apt, dnf, or pacman. It aims to provide a quick and convenient way to get external tools operational, often placing them in a user's local directory (like ~/.cradle) and optionally adding them to the system's PATH.

cradle-install is not a full-fledged system package manager and does not handle dependencies like apt or yum. It's primarily for individual binary installation. The cradle project itself appears to be infrequently maintained, which may lead to compatibility issues with newer systems or tools. Users should exercise caution when installing binaries from untrusted URLs due to potential security risks. Installed executables may require manual PATH configuration if not using the --global option or if the default ~/.cradle/bin is not in the system PATH.

By default, cradle installs executables into the ~/.cradle directory. A symbolic link to the executable is typically created in ~/.cradle/bin, which users often add to their system's PATH variable to make the installed commands directly accessible.

cradle-install is particularly useful for quickly installing specific versions of command-line tools that are not available through system package managers or for managing project-specific binaries without polluting the global environment (unless --global is used). It simplifies the setup of tools often distributed as standalone archives or GitHub releases.

The cradle project emerged as a lightweight solution for installing and managing executable binaries, particularly within the Node.js development ecosystem. It was designed to simplify the process of acquiring command-line tools that weren't easily managed by typical system package managers or required specific versions. While initially offering a convenient method, its development activity has significantly decreased over time, suggesting that its role might have been superseded by other distribution channels or more focused tooling.

npm(1), curl(1), wget(1), brew(1), apt(8)