Install & Setup
Install the AirStrings CLI, initialize a workspace, and manage environments.
The airstrings CLI manages strings, locales, sections, and publishing from the terminal. It is the recommended tool for scripted and AI-assisted workflows.
Install
npm install -g @airstrings/cliOr run any command without installing:
npx -p @airstrings/cli airstrings <command>Requires Node.js 18+. Only the package name is scoped — the installed commands are airstrings and airstrings-mcp. The package downloads the prebuilt binary for your platform and verifies it against the SHA256 checksum published with each release.
brew install symbionix-sl/airstrings/airstringsmacOS and Linux.
Both paths ship the CLI and the airstrings-mcp binary used by the MCP server.
Set up a workspace
Initialize
Run init in your project directory with an API key from the dashboard:
cd my-project
airstrings init ask_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxThis validates the key, auto-detects your project and environments, and stores everything in .airstrings/config.json. Pass --url <base-url> if your team uses a non-default base URL.
Gitignore the config directory
Add
.airstrings/to your.gitignore. It holds your API key. The CLI writes it with restrictive permissions (0600files), but it must never be committed.
Verify
airstrings status
airstrings doctorstatus shows the current project, active environment, and key. doctor runs platform checks against your installation and workspace, including seed-integration checks that confirm your app picks up the bundled fallback seed (see Publishing & Bundles).
How the workspace works
Each project gets its own .airstrings/ directory. There is no shared global config. The workspace is discovered by walking up the directory tree, like .git, so every command works from any subdirectory of your project.
Environments
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
airstrings env | List environments (✓ marks the active one) |
airstrings env use staging | Switch the active environment |
airstrings env add <api-key> | Add credentials for another environment |
airstrings env rm staging | Remove an environment's credentials |
airstrings env create staging | Create a new environment |
airstrings status | Show current project, environment, and key |
airstrings project | Show project info |
airstrings -e -u staging is shorthand for env use staging.
String Variants
A/B test string values by attaching an experiment to a key: deterministic, stateless, cross-platform selection driven by an assignment id, with exposure events you forward to your own analytics.
Managing Strings
Local-first string editing with CSVs, sections, and the text and icu formats.