meteor-cli-installation

Install and repair the Meteor CLI

Make the Meteor CLI available without changing an application or deleting state that the user did not place in scope. npx meteor runs the official npm installer and creates a user-wide Meteor installation; it does not add the installer permanently to global npm packages.

Decision flow

1. Classify the request before changing the machine.
   • Install a missing CLI when the user asks to set up Meteor or requests a local create, run, test, build, or deploy operation that requires it.
   • For explanation, review, or planning only, report the missing prerequisite and the install command without running it.
   • Require explicit confirmation before any recovery operation that removes state: meteor reset, meteor reset --db, npm cache clearing, targeted global metadata cleanup, uninstall, or full reinstall.
   • When evidence makes a cleanup or reinstall plausible, suggest the least destructive option with its reason, scope, and expected state loss. Do not execute it until the user explicitly confirms that operation.
2. Inspect the host and intended project. Check the operating system, architecture, node --version, npm --version, CLI lookup result, and meteor --version when available. In an application, read .meteor/release before selecting a release.
3. Distinguish the requested version:
   • The npm selector in npx meteor@<version> chooses an installer package.
   • A Meteor application is pinned to a framework release in .meteor/release. Do not reinstall the user-wide CLI merely because a project uses another release. Before selecting Meteor 3.6 for existing local data, read local database preparation. Its bundled MongoDB 8 requires host checks and MongoDB 7 FCV preparation under the previous release before the new release starts.
4. For a missing CLI, PATH failure, npm installer failure, or host prerequisite, follow Installation and PATH.
5. For a project release, cache reset, corrupted dev bundle, uninstall, or clean reinstall, follow Releases, reset, and reinstall. Use Reinstall decision guide before recommending a user-wide reinstall for an observed failure.
6. Verify the result with meteor --version. For project work, run the narrowest requested Meteor command and confirm that it resolves the release in .meteor/release. Report commands run, selected versions, state removed, and anything the user must do in a new shell.

Installation rules

Situation	Action
Latest supported CLI	Run npx meteor.
Pinned installer package	Run npx meteor@<version> install, then verify the reported Meteor release.
Linux or macOS alternative	curl https://install.meteor.com/ | sh remains documented. Keep npx meteor as the primary cross-platform command.
npm fallback	Run npm install -g meteor --foreground-script only after the documented npx recovery steps fail.
Existing project needs another release	Use the project's pin or a Meteor --release command. Do not replace the user-wide installation first.

Never run npx install meteor. Never add the npm meteor installer to an application's package.json; it is an installer, not the framework runtime.

State boundaries

State	Scope	Safe operation
User Meteor directory	Downloaded tools, releases, dev bundles, and CLI state for the user	npx meteor uninstall removes the whole installation. Use only for an authorized uninstall or clean reinstall.
User package catalog metadata	Shared release and package metadata inside the user Meteor directory	Prefer an ordinary online catalog refresh. Treat targeted metadata rebuilding as an advanced, confirmation-required recovery.
.meteor/release	Project framework release	Change through meteor update --release <release>, not a global reinstall.
.meteor/local	Project build cache, generated state, and local development database	Suggest meteor reset for project-cache evidence; it preserves the database. meteor reset --db deletes it. Run either only after confirmation.
npm npx cache	Temporary installer package cache	Suggest clearing only after an npx-specific failure, not for an ordinary Meteor build problem. Run only after confirmation.

Do not delete internal tool or dev-bundle directories selectively without a documented command and evidence that identifies that layer. Use meteor reset for project cache corruption. Use a complete, authorized reinstall only when the user-wide installation itself is corrupt. Never recommend hidden Meteor administration commands as user-facing cache cleaners.

Handoffs

• The CLI starts but the application fails: meteor-debugging.
• The application must move from Meteor 2 to Meteor 3: migrate-to-meteor-3.
• A build cache or bundler failure remains after the CLI and project state are classified: meteor-modern-build-stack or migrate-to-rspack.
• Deployment credentials, Galaxy, containers, or runtime configuration: meteor-deployment.

References

• Installation and PATH
• Releases, reset, and reinstall
• Reinstall decision guide
• Evaluation cases