Installing & deploying rio
1. Requirements
| Component | Required on |
|---|---|
| Tcl 8.6+ and tcllib | Core host |
| Tk | GUI host |
| tcltls 1.8+ | Core host, for verified HTTPS |
| Git | Core host, for git operations |
OpenSSH 8.0+ (ssh-keygen) | Core host, for repository signature verification |
| tkdnd (optional) | Local GUI, for desktop file drops |
The installers set up and check dependencies. On Linux/BSD, package names vary; the installer reports missing packages.
2. Quick start (everything local)
Follow the quick start. Keep the checkout where installed: launchers point into it. Re-run the installer after moving it.
3. The install scripts
install-unix.sh — rio on Linux and the BSDs
./install-unix.sh
./install-unix.sh --verify-only
./install-unix.sh --launcher-only
Use --help for other options.
install-macos.sh — rio on macOS
From the release checkout:
./install-macos.sh
Installs a rio command and ~/Applications/rio.app. Source installation passed on macOS 27 without root; Homebrew and MacPorts paths remain untried. See upstream installation details for toolchain options. Re-run the installer after upgrading or moving Tcl/Tk.
install-server.sh — slim headless core
./install-server.sh
./install-server.sh --verify-only
No GUI or launcher is installed. Use --no-git only if git operations are unnecessary.
For Windows, use install-windows.ps1.
4. Deployment modes
A. Local — a spawned private core (default)
rio starts its own core and closes it when the window exits.
B. Remote — a core on another box, over an SSH tunnel
Follow Working remotely for the server, tunnel, and GUI commands. RIO_CONNECT=host:port is an alternative to --connect.
Binding & exposure
The core defaults to 127.0.0.1:7711. Keep that binding and use SSH. --any binds all interfaces; the socket has no authentication or encryption.
5. The agent — where the key and HTTPS live
Configure a provider through Extensions ▸ <provider>…. Keys, requests, TLS dependencies, and certificate trust live on the core's host. See agent setup.
For a private CA, update that host's trust store. SSL_CERT_FILE or SSL_CERT_DIR overrides it, so include public CAs too if needed. rio does not check certificate revocation.
6. Preferences, config files & shortcuts — see the manual
Preferences and paths · Keyboard shortcuts
7. Lifecycle, shutdown & troubleshooting
Save before quitting. A remote foreground core stops with Ctrl+C in its terminal. If a dependency is missing, install it on the affected host and restart the core. See Troubleshooting.
8. Platforms
Linux and Windows 11 are tested. The suite last passed on macOS 27 on 29 September 2026. BSD remains unverified. The terminal frontend is not supported yet.