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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.kafkalabs.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

System Requirements

Node.js

Version 14.0.0 or higher

npm

Comes with Node.js

Operating System

Windows, macOS, or Linux

Disk Space

~50MB for installation

Installation Methods

Install KafkaCode globally to use it anywhere on your system:
npm install -g kafkacode
Verify the installation:
kafkacode --version
Global installation is recommended if you plan to use KafkaCode across multiple projects.

Platform-Specific Instructions

First, ensure Node.js is installed:
brew install node
Then install KafkaCode:
npm install -g kafkacode

Permissions Issues?

If you encounter permission errors, use one of these solutions:Option 1: Use a version manager like nvm (recommended)
# Install nvm
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash

# Install Node.js
nvm install node

# Now install KafkaCode
npm install -g kafkacode
Option 2: Configure npm to use a different directory
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
npm install -g kafkacode

Ubuntu/Debian

# Install Node.js and npm
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Install KafkaCode
sudo npm install -g kafkacode

Fedora/RHEL/CentOS

# Install Node.js and npm
curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo bash -
sudo yum install -y nodejs

# Install KafkaCode
sudo npm install -g kafkacode
# Install nvm
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash

# Restart your terminal or run:
source ~/.bashrc

# Install Node.js
nvm install node

# Install KafkaCode (no sudo needed)
npm install -g kafkacode
  1. Download Node.js from nodejs.org
  2. Run the installer (.msi file)
  3. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
  4. Install KafkaCode:
npm install -g kafkacode

Using Windows Package Manager (winget)

# Install Node.js
winget install OpenJS.NodeJS

# Install KafkaCode
npm install -g kafkacode

Using Chocolatey

# Install Node.js
choco install nodejs

# Install KafkaCode
npm install -g kafkacode
On Windows, you may need to run your terminal as Administrator for global installations.

Verifying Installation

After installation, verify that KafkaCode is working correctly:
1

Check Version

kafkacode --version
Should output: 1.2.0 (or your installed version)
2

View Help

kafkacode --help
Should display the help menu with available commands
3

Run Test Scan

mkdir test-project
echo "const apiKey = 'AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE';" > test-project/test.js
kafkacode scan test-project
Should detect the AWS key and display a report

Updating KafkaCode

Keep KafkaCode up to date to get the latest features and security improvements:
npm update -g kafkacode

Uninstallation

If you need to remove KafkaCode:
npm uninstall -g kafkacode

Troubleshooting

If you get command not found: kafkacode after installation:
  1. Check your PATH includes npm’s global bin directory:
    npm config get prefix
    
  2. Add npm’s bin directory to your PATH:
    # For bash
    echo 'export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
    source ~/.bashrc
    
    # For zsh
    echo 'export PATH="$(npm config get prefix)/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
    source ~/.zshrc
    
  3. Alternatively, use npx:
    npx kafkacode scan ./
    
If you encounter EACCES permission errors:
  1. Never use sudo with npm - This can cause permission issues
  2. Use nvm (Node Version Manager) instead:
    curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash
    nvm install node
    npm install -g kafkacode
    
  3. Or configure npm to use a different directory (see platform-specific instructions)
If installation fails due to network issues:
  1. Configure npm proxy:
    npm config set proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080
    npm config set https-proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080
    
  2. Or disable SSL verification (not recommended for production):
    npm config set strict-ssl false
    
  3. Clear npm cache:
    npm cache clean --force
    npm install -g kafkacode
    
If you’re running an old version of Node.js:
  1. Check your current version:
    node --version
    
  2. KafkaCode requires Node.js 14.0.0 or higher
  3. Update Node.js:
    • Using nvm: nvm install node
    • Using package manager: Reinstall from nodejs.org

Next Steps

Quickstart Guide

Run your first scan in 5 minutes

CLI Options

Learn about all available options

CI/CD Integration

Integrate into your pipeline

Troubleshooting

Solve common issues