Install Netdata with kickstart.sh
kickstart.sh is the recommended way to install Netdata.
This installation script works on all major Linux distributions. It automatically detects the best way to install Netdata for your system.
What does kickstart.sh actually do?
- Detects your OS and environment
- Checks for an existing Netdata installation
- Installs using:
- Native packages (preferred)
- Static build (fallback)
- Build from source (last resort)
- Installs an auto-update cron job (unless disabled)
- Optionally connects your node to Netdata Cloud
Quick Overview
| Task | Command / Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Install Netdata | Run kickstart.sh | Choose nightly or stable release |
| Connect to Cloud | Use claim token | Connect node to Netdata Cloud |
| Customize install | Pass flags to control behavior | Directory, release, update control |
| Export config for IaC | Copy config from Cloud UI | For automation & Infrastructure as Code |
Run the One-Line Install Command
To install and connect to Netdata Cloud in a single step from your terminal:
- wget
- curl
wget -O /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh && sh /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh
curl https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh > /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh && sh /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh
Tip Pick Stable or Nightly: Check the guide for differences.
🔍 Where to find your claim token
- Log in to Netdata Cloud
- Navigate to your Space
- Go to Space Settings → Nodes
- Click Add Node → Copy Claim Token
Optional Parameters for kickstart.sh
Use these flags to customize your installation.
| Category | Parameter | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Directory Options | --install-prefix | Custom install directory |
--old-install-prefix | Clean previous install directory | |
| Interactivity | --non-interactive | No prompts (good for scripts) |
--interactive | Force interactive prompts | |
| Release Channel | --release-channel | nightly or stable |
--install-version | Install specific version | |
| Auto-Updates | --auto-update | Enable updates |
--no-updates | Disable updates | |
| Netdata Cloud | --claim-token | Provide claim token |
--claim-rooms | Assign node to specific Cloud Rooms | |
| Reinstall/Uninstall | --reinstall | Reinstall existing Netdata |
--uninstall | Uninstall Netdata completely |
Environment Variables
These environment variables provide additional customization options (most users won't need these):
| Variable | Purpose | Default Behavior |
|---|---|---|
TMPDIR | Specify directory for temporary files | System default temp directory |
ROOTCMD | Command to run with root privileges | Uses sudo, doas, or pkexec (in order) |
DISABLE_TELEMETRY | Disable telemetry when set to non-zero value | Telemetry enabled |
[!NOTE] The user running the script needs write and execute permissions in the temporary directory specified by TMPDIR.
Verify Script Integrity
Before running the installation script, you can verify its integrity using the following command:
[ "cefd628b28aa4bf637a6388041133677" = "$(curl -Ss https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh | md5sum | cut -d ' ' -f 1)" ] && echo "OK, VALID" || echo "FAILED, INVALID"
If the script is valid, this command will return OK, VALID. We recommend verifying script integrity before installation, especially in production environments.
Notes & Best Practices
- Stop the Agent with
sudo systemctl stop netdatabefore reinstalling - Customize install location or behavior with flags
- Always verify the downloaded script for security
- Use the
--non-interactiveflag in CI/CD pipelines
Related Docs
Do you have any feedback for this page? If so, you can open a new issue on our netdata/learn repository.