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Cove

Install Cove on Linux

The Linux native release is for 64-bit x86 (x64) systems. Cove’s automatic managed-PostgreSQL setup currently supports Debian- and Ubuntu-family distributions. For another distribution, use Docker or install PostgreSQL 18 and pgvector locally so a compatible pg_ctl is available on PATH. For a Linux ARM64 host, use Docker because Cove does not publish a native ARM64 application archive.

Download and extract Cove

Section titled “Download and extract Cove”

  1. Open the latest Cove release.

  2. Download cove-linux-x64.tar.gz. You can also download its .sha256 file if you want to verify the archive against the published checksum.

  3. In a terminal, change to the directory containing the download and extract it:

    Terminal window
    tar --extract --gzip --file cove-linux-x64.tar.gz
    chmod u+x Cove Cove.InstanceManager

  4. Keep Cove and Cove.InstanceManager together in a directory that will remain in place.

  5. Start the manager from that directory:

    Terminal window
    ./Cove.InstanceManager

On the first start, Cove uses a compatible system PostgreSQL 18 installation when one is available. Otherwise, on a Debian- or Ubuntu-family distribution, it downloads the managed PostgreSQL components into the instance home. Cove may also download FFmpeg. Keep the computer online and allow additional startup time.

Cove does not download Debian packages on other Linux distribution families. This page intentionally does not provide untested distribution-specific installation commands; use Docker or install PostgreSQL 18 and pgvector locally so a compatible pg_ctl is available on PATH.

Start an instance

Section titled “Start an instance”
  1. Use the provided Default instance unless you need multiple isolated Cove libraries.
  2. Select Start.
  3. Wait for its status to change from Starting to Running.
  4. Select Open. The Cove setup wizard opens in your browser.

The manager gives every instance its own home directory, database, configuration, generated assets, backups, and logs. It displays the home path for each instance. Use the manager to start and stop the instance instead of launching Cove separately.

Verify the native installation

Section titled “Verify the native installation”

Keep Cove Instance Manager open and confirm that Default remains Running. If the instance stops during first startup, open its logs from the manager and follow startup troubleshooting.

Once the setup wizard appears, continue with Complete first-run setup.