generated: '2026-07-21'
method: searched
source: https://smallstep.com/docs/step-cli/installation/
note: >-
  Smallstep's first-party developer distribution is the open-source `step` CLI and the `step-ca`
  certificate-authority server (both Go). The `step` CLI is also the sanctioned way to authenticate to
  the Smallstep Platform API (`step api token create` exchanges a client certificate for a bearer token).
  There is no separate language-specific HTTP client SDK; the Go modules are importable as libraries.
packages:
  - language: go
    registry: github-releases
    name: step
    url: https://github.com/smallstep/cli
    install: 'go install github.com/smallstep/cli/cmd/step@latest'
    version: v0.30.6
    official: true
    description: >-
      step CLI — zero-trust swiss-army knife for X.509/SSH certificates, keys, JWT/JWK/JOSE, OAuth/OIDC,
      and driving step-ca and the Smallstep Platform API.
  - language: go
    registry: github-releases
    name: step-ca
    url: https://github.com/smallstep/certificates
    install: 'go install github.com/smallstep/certificates/cmd/step-ca@latest'
    version: v0.30.2
    official: true
    description: 'step-ca — private X.509 & SSH certificate authority and ACME server.'
  - language: go
    registry: go-modules
    name: github.com/smallstep/cli
    url: https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/smallstep/cli
    install: 'go get github.com/smallstep/cli'
    official: true
    description: 'Importable Go library surface of the step CLI.'
  - language: shell
    registry: homebrew
    name: step
    url: https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/step
    install: 'brew install step'
    official: true
  - language: docker
    registry: docker-hub
    name: smallstep/step-ca
    url: https://hub.docker.com/r/smallstep/step-ca
    install: 'docker pull smallstep/step-ca'
    official: true