Installation

Installation

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This guide explains how to install BIT8_CLI 0.1.0, verify the CLI, and install the optional VS Code extension.

Current prebuilt platform: macOS ARM64 / Apple Silicon

Requirements

For the official prebuilt release:

• macOS
• Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer)
• A terminal
• VS Code if you want to use the BIT8_CLI VS Code extension

If you want to build BIT8_CLI from source, you will also need a Rust toolchain with Cargo.

Download BIT8_CLI

Open the BIT8_CLI 0.1.0 GitHub Release and download:

BIT8-0.1.0-macos-arm64.zip

The release also provides:

bit8-vscode-0.1.0.vsix
BIT8-0.1.0-macos-arm64.sha256

The .vsix file is the standalone VS Code extension package.

The .sha256 file can be used to verify the release files.

GitHub also automatically provides source-code archives. These are source snapshots and are different from the prebuilt macOS ARM64 package.

Package Contents

After extracting:

BIT8-0.1.0-macos-arm64/
├── bin/
│   ├── bit8
│   └── bit8-language-server
├── vscode/
│   └── bit8-vscode-0.1.0.vsix
├── README.md
├── CHANGELOG.md
└── LICENSE

bit8 is the BIT8_CLI command-line executable.

bit8-language-server provides language tooling used by the development environment.

The vscode directory contains the VS Code extension package.

Run the CLI

You can test the executable directly from the extracted directory:

./bin/bit8 --help

You can also check the version:

./bin/bit8 --version

For BIT8_CLI 0.1.0, the version should report:

0.1.0

Install the bit8 Command

If you want to run bit8 without typing its full path, place the executable in a directory included in your PATH.

For example, you may use a personal binary directory such as:

~/.local/bin

After installing it into your PATH, verify:

bit8 --version

and:

bit8 --help

If another older bit8 installation already exists in your PATH, make sure your shell is using the 0.1.0 executable.

You can inspect which executable is being used with:

which bit8

Install the VS Code Extension

The release provides:

bit8-vscode-0.1.0.vsix

In VS Code:

1. Open the Extensions view.
2. Open the Extensions menu (...).
3. Choose Install from VSIX...
4. Select bit8-vscode-0.1.0.vsix.
5. Reload VS Code if requested.

The extension provides BIT8_CLI language tooling, Map Workspace integration, Asset tools, Node editing, and BIT8 GAME.

Build from Source

If you have Rust and Cargo installed, clone the BIT8_CLI repository and run:

cargo install --path . --locked

You can also run directly from the repository during development:

cargo run -- run <project-path>

The Language Service and VS Code extension live in their own project directories inside the repository.

Run a Project

Once the bit8 command is available:

bit8 run <project-path>

For example:

bit8 run ./my-game

A BIT8_CLI project normally uses:

main.b8

as its main Script.

Host Mode

Editor and tooling integrations can start BIT8_CLI without opening the native game window:

bit8 host <project-path>

Host Mode communicates with a frontend through stdin / stdout using NDJSON.

Most users do not need to use Host Mode directly.

Troubleshooting

bit8: command not found

The bit8 executable is not available through your current PATH.

Either run it using its full path:

./bin/bit8 --help

or install it into a directory included in your PATH.

The wrong BIT8_CLI version runs

Check:

which bit8
bit8 --version

An older installation may appear earlier in your PATH.

VS Code does not show the extension after installation

Reload the VS Code window after installing or replacing the VSIX.

Next

Continue with:

Your First Project

There you will create a minimal BIT8_CLI project and run your first .b8 program.