# Install bitwarden-cli with Homebrew, chocolatey, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget Secure and free password manager for all of your devices. Version 2026.6.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:bitwarden-cli ``` ## Agent safety answer bitwarden-cli accesses vault items and secrets from local workflows. - **Credential access:** Can read passwords, notes, tokens, and vault metadata after unlock. - **Remote mutation:** Can create, edit, delete, and sync vault items. - **Publish/artifact risk:** Can export secrets into files or downstream release commands. - **Recommended control:** Gate item reads, exports, unlock, and mutations. - **Agent-use guidance:** Allow metadata-only operations; require approval for secret retrieval, export, and item changes. Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install bitwarden-cli ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install bitwarden-cli ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: security/bitwarden-cli/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#bitwarden-cli ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bi/bitwarden-cli/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S bitwarden-cli ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: bitwarden-cli from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ### Windows - Chocolatey (92%): ```sh choco install bitwarden-cli ``` Evidence: Chocolatey community package catalog: bitwarden-cli from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','backupper-standard' - Scoop (92%): ```sh scoop install main/bitwarden-cli ``` Evidence: Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/bitwarden-cli.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id Bitwarden.CLI -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: Bitwarden.CLI from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:bitwarden-cli - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2026.6.0 - **Source summary:** Secure and free password manager for all of your devices - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-only - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-25T21:14:47Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-10T07:20:53+00:00 ## Executables - bw (cli) - bw (alias) ## Dependencies - node ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on all ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-10 - Package-manager version: 2026.6.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-25 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/bitwarden/clients - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage Bitwarden CLI, invoked as bw, is the command-line client for Bitwarden Password Manager. Official docs describe it as a full-featured vault-management tool whose features mostly parallel Bitwarden's desktop and browser clients. The package is significant because it puts an end-to-end encrypted password manager into shell scripts, CI jobs, server migration workflows, and terminal-first daily use. ### Project history The Bitwarden clients repository was created in 2016 and houses the web, browser extension, desktop, and CLI clients, with mobile clients split into separate iOS and Android repositories. By the 2020s, the CLI had dedicated release tags in the clients repository, including cli-v2022.6.0 and continuing through cli-v2026.6.0. Bitwarden's CLI docs now document native executable downloads, npm installation, Chocolatey, Snap, Flatpak use through the desktop app, and GitHub checksums. ### Adoption history The input package-manager data shows broad package adoption across Homebrew, Chocolatey, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Scoop, and winget. The official docs also list npm, Chocolatey, Snap, native executables, and Flatpak-mediated use. Bitwarden's own help center positions the CLI for interactive login, API-key login, SSO login, server geography selection, and self-hosted deployments, which explains its reach beyond personal password lookup into business and automation workflows. ### How it is used Typical CLI use starts with bw login, then bw unlock to generate a session key for commands that touch encrypted vault data. Official docs also document API-key login through BW_CLIENTID and BW_CLIENTSECRET environment variables for automated work. The CLI can list, get, edit, generate, encode, import, export, and serve vault data. Package users care about the serve mode and raw/JSON output options because they let local tools consume vault data without binding to Bitwarden's GUI clients. Bitwarden documents BITWARDENCLI_APPDATA_DIR for separate data.json configurations, which lets users keep multiple accounts or environments isolated. ### Why package nerds care bitwarden-cli is one of the canonical examples of a security GUI product with a serious command-line surface. It lets package managers deliver a password-vault client into headless machines and scripted environments without requiring a desktop app. Its package story is also interesting because the official docs distinguish OSS and non-OSS CLI bundles on GitHub while common distribution platforms carry the default build. That distinction matters to users who audit package provenance. For shell users, bw is a bridge between human secret storage and automation: strong enough for personal use, but scriptable enough for infrastructure migration and controlled retrieval. ### Timeline - 2016: bitwarden/clients repository created. - 2022-07-05: cli-v2022.6.0 release published in the clients repository. - 2024: Official CLI docs reference OSS and non-OSS bundle naming examples such as bw-oss-windows-2024.12.0.zip and bw-windows-2024.12.0.zip. - 2026-06-25: cli-v2026.6.0 release published. ### Related projects - bitwarden/server provides the backend infrastructure for Bitwarden. - bitwarden/ios and bitwarden/android provide the mobile clients outside the clients monorepo. - bitwarden/directory-connector supports enterprise directory synchronization. - Bitwarden Secrets Manager is a related Bitwarden product for machine secrets, but it is distinct from the Password Manager CLI. ### Sources - - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for bitwarden-cli. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## Configuration and credential file locations These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval. ## Credential files - macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Bitwarden CLI/data.json ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** bitwarden-cli - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - bitwarden-cli: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bi/bitwarden-cli/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman - bitwarden-cli - 2026.2.0-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: bitwarden-cli from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | The command line vault | https://github.com/bitwarden/clients - MacPorts - bitwarden-cli: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: security/bitwarden-cli/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Chocolatey - bitwarden-cli: normalized package name match | Chocolatey community package catalog: bitwarden-cli from http://community.chocolatey.org/api/v2/Packages?$filter=IsLatestVersion&$select=Id&$top=1000&$skiptoken='11','backupper-standard' - Scoop - main/bitwarden-cli: normalized package name match | Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/bitwarden-cli.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Main/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - winget - Bitwarden.CLI: normalized package name match | Windows Package Manager source index: Bitwarden.CLI from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Security and crypto packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/security-crypto-tools/) - Matched security, identity, cryptography, password, signing, or certificate metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [node](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/node/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [clipsafe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/clipsafe/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, password-manager, security. - [go-passbolt-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go-passbolt-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, password-manager, security. - [gokey](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gokey/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, password-manager, security. - [prs](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/prs/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, password-manager, security. - [pwsafe](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pwsafe/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, password-manager, security. - [rbw](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rbw/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, password-manager, security. - [aide](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aide/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, security. - [aircrack-ng](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aircrack-ng/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, security. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/bitwarden-cli.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/bitwarden-cli.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph - curated agent safety answer