Meta Title: How to Install Confluent CLI on Mac, Windows & Linux (2026)

Meta Description: Learn how to install and configure Confluent CLI on macOS, Windows, Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, and CentOS. Includes commands, login, verification, updates, and troubleshooting.

Keywords: Confluent CLI installation, install Confluent CLI Mac, Confluent CLI Windows, Confluent CLI Ubuntu, Confluent Kafka CLI, Confluent Cloud CLI, Homebrew Confluent, Confluent CLI Linux

1. Introduction

The Confluent Command Line Interface (CLI) is a powerful tool for managing Apache Kafka resources, Confluent Cloud environments, clusters, topics, API keys, connectors, and other streaming infrastructure directly from a terminal.

Instead of performing every operation through the Confluent Cloud web console, developers, DevOps engineers, platform engineers, and Kafka administrators can use the Confluent CLI to automate routine operations.

Confluent CLI is available for:

• macOS: Intel (x86_64) and Apple Silicon (ARM64)
• Windows: 64-bit Intel/AMD systems
• Linux: Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, CentOS, and supported ARM64 systems
• Alpine Linux: Supported architectures using musl-compatible binaries

In this tutorial, we will install Confluent CLI on all three major operating systems, verify the installation, authenticate with Confluent Cloud, and troubleshoot common installation problems.

2. What Is Confluent CLI?

Confluent CLI is the official command-line interface for interacting with Confluent Cloud and supported Confluent Platform deployments.

It enables administrators and developers to manage streaming infrastructure without relying entirely on the graphical user interface.

Key Features

• Manage Confluent Cloud organizations and environments
• Create, list, configure, and manage Kafka clusters
• Manage Kafka topics
• Manage API keys and access permissions
• Work with Schema Registry
• Manage Kafka connectors
• Integrate commands into automation scripts and CI/CD pipelines
• Manage supported Confluent Platform deployments
• Automate day-to-day Kafka administrative tasks

The command-line executable is named confluent.

For example:

confluent version
confluent login
confluent environment list
confluent kafka cluster listCode language: PHP (php)

These commands check the installation, authenticate to Confluent Cloud, and retrieve information about accessible infrastructure.

3. Prerequisites

Before installing Confluent CLI, ensure your system meets the following requirements.

Important: Recent Confluent CLI releases for glibc-based Linux require glibc 2.28 or newer. Alpine Linux uses separate musl-compatible binaries.

You do not need to install Apache Kafka locally just to install and use the CLI with Confluent Cloud.

4. How to Install Confluent CLI on macOS

The simplest recommended approach for macOS is using the Homebrew package manager.

This method works on both Intel-based and Apple Silicon Macs.

Step 1: Open Terminal

Open the Terminal application using Spotlight or navigate to:

Applications → Utilities → Terminal

Step 2: Check Your macOS Version

Run:

sw_vers

To check your processor architecture:

uname -m

Example results:

arm64

This indicates an Apple Silicon Mac.

Alternatively:

x86_64

This indicates an Intel architecture.

Step 3: Check Whether Homebrew Is Installed

Execute:

brew --version

If Homebrew is installed, the command will display its version.

If the terminal displays:

zsh: command not found: brewCode language: HTTP (http)

Install Homebrew by following the instructions on its official website:

After installing Homebrew, open a new terminal and verify:

brew --version

Step 4: Install Confluent CLI Using Homebrew

Run:

brew install confluentinc/tap/cli

This command installs the Confluent CLI from Confluent’s Homebrew tap.

Homebrew handles downloading the package and making the confluent executable available through the configured command path.

Step 5: Verify the Installation

Run:

confluent version

You should see output containing the installed CLI version, build information, and operating system architecture.

Example structure:

confluent - Confluent CLI

Version:     vX.Y.Z
Git Ref:     ...
Build Date:  ...
Go Version:  ... (darwin/arm64)Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

The version and build details will depend on the release installed.

Step 6: Find the Installed Executable

Execute:

which confluent

Or:

command -v confluent

The command should return the executable’s location.

For example, Homebrew’s command path may be under /opt/homebrew/bin on Apple Silicon or /usr/local/bin on Intel Macs.

The exact path depends on the Homebrew installation.

Step 7: Test the CLI

Run:

confluent --help

If the command displays the available commands and options, the executable is working.

Confluent CLI is now installed on macOS.

5. Alternative macOS Installation Without Homebrew

Confluent also provides standalone binaries and an installation script.

If you prefer not to use Homebrew, the following official script can download the appropriate release for your operating system and architecture:

curl -sL --http1.1 https://cnfl.io/cli | sh -s -- latestCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

Before running scripts downloaded from the internet, review their contents and ensure they originate from a trusted source.

Once installation is complete, ensure the directory containing the downloaded executable is included in your PATH.

Then verify:

confluent version

You can also download the appropriate Darwin ARM64 or AMD64 archive from:

For routine workstation installations, Homebrew is generally easier to maintain.

6. How to Install Confluent CLI on Windows 10/11

Windows users can install Confluent CLI using the official standalone ZIP package.

The native Windows release supports 64-bit Intel/AMD architecture.

Step 1: Open PowerShell

Open Windows PowerShell or PowerShell 7.

To inspect your operating system architecture, execute:

[System.Runtime.InteropServices.RuntimeInformation]::OSArchitectureCode language: CSS (css)

For a supported native Windows installation, the result should be:

X64

Step 2: Download the Confluent CLI

Open the official GitHub releases page:

Locate the Windows archive named similarly to:

confluent_<version>_windows_amd64.zipCode language: HTML, XML (xml)

Here, <version> represents the actual release version.

Download the ZIP file into your Downloads folder.

Step 3: Create an Installation Directory

For this tutorial, we will store the CLI under the current user’s profile.

Open PowerShell and execute:

$installDir = Join-Path $HOME "Tools\ConfluentCLI"

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $installDir -ForceCode language: PHP (php)

This creates a dedicated directory without requiring a system-wide installation.

Step 4: Extract the Downloaded ZIP

Locate the downloaded archive:

Get-ChildItem "$HOME\Downloads\confluent_*_windows_amd64.zip"Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Select the most recently downloaded matching archive:

$zip = Get-ChildItem "$HOME\Downloads\confluent_*_windows_amd64.zip" |
    Sort-Object LastWriteTime -Descending |
    Select-Object -First 1Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

Extract it:

Expand-Archive -Path $zip.FullName -DestinationPath $installDir -ForceCode language: PHP (php)

The extracted package should contain confluent.exe.

Step 5: Verify the Executable

Run:

& "$installDir\confluent.exe" versionCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

A successful installation displays the CLI version and related build information.

Step 6: Add Confluent CLI to Windows PATH

Adding the executable’s directory to PATH allows you to run confluent from any directory.

Use the following PowerShell commands:

$userPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User")

if (($userPath -split ";") -notcontains $installDir) {
    $newPath = ($userPath.TrimEnd(";") + ";" + $installDir).TrimStart(";")

    [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable(
        "Path",
        $newPath,
        "User"
    )
}Code language: PHP (php)

Now update the current PowerShell session:

$env:Path += ";$installDir"Code language: PHP (php)

The persistent user-level setting will also be available in newly opened terminal sessions.

Alternative graphical method:

1. Open Windows Environment Variables.
2. Under User variables, select Path.
3. Click Edit → New.
4. Add the directory containing confluent.exe.
5. Save and open a new PowerShell terminal.

Step 7: Verify the Windows Installation

Execute:

confluent version

Locate the executable:

Get-Command confluent

Display available commands:

confluent --help

If these commands work, Confluent CLI is successfully installed on Windows.

7. How to Install Confluent CLI on Ubuntu and Debian Linux

Ubuntu and Debian users can install Confluent CLI using the official APT repository.

Using APT makes package installation, upgrades, and removal straightforward.

Step 1: Check Your Linux Distribution

Execute:

cat /etc/os-release

Check the system architecture:

uname -m

You may see:

x86_64

or:

aarch64

Also check your glibc version:

ldd --version

Ensure your operating system meets the glibc requirements of the CLI release.

Step 2: Update APT Package Metadata

Run:

sudo apt update

Step 3: Install Required Dependencies

Install curl and GnuPG:

sudo apt install -y curl gnupg

These tools are required for downloading and installing the repository signing key.

Step 4: Create the APT Keyrings Directory

Execute:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings

Step 5: Import Confluent’s Repository Signing Key

Run:

curl -fsSL https://packages.confluent.io/confluent-cli/deb/archive.key \
  | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/confluent-cli.gpgCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

Allow APT to read the key:

sudo chmod go+r /etc/apt/keyrings/confluent-cli.gpg

The keyring permits APT to verify repository packages signed by the trusted Confluent repository key.

Step 6: Add the Confluent CLI APT Repository

Run:

echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/confluent-cli.gpg] https://packages.confluent.io/confluent-cli/deb stable main" \
  | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/confluent-cli.list >/dev/nullCode language: PHP (php)

This registers the official Confluent CLI package repository.

Step 7: Refresh Package Metadata

Execute:

sudo apt update

APT will retrieve package metadata from the newly configured repository.

Step 8: Install Confluent CLI

Execute:

sudo apt install -y confluent-cli

APT downloads and installs the package along with any required dependencies.

Step 9: Verify the Installation

Run:

confluent version

Locate the executable:

which confluent

You can also check the installed Debian package:

dpkg -l confluent-cli

Step 10: Test the CLI

Run:

confluent --help

If the help page appears, the installation is complete.

Confluent CLI is now ready on Ubuntu or Debian.

Special note for existing Confluent Platform installations: Confluent Platform can already provide its own CLI version. Installing an additional standalone version may cause package version conflicts or replacements. Check the existing packages and CLI compatibility before proceeding.

8. How to Install Confluent CLI on RHEL and CentOS

For Red Hat Enterprise Linux and compatible CentOS systems, Confluent documents installation through the YUM package manager.

Step 1: Check Your Operating System

Execute:

cat /etc/os-release

Check the architecture:

uname -m

Step 2: Import the Confluent RPM Signing Key

Execute:

sudo rpm --import https://packages.confluent.io/confluent-cli/rpm/archive.keyCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

Step 3: Install Repository Management Utilities

On YUM-based distributions supporting yum-utils, execute:

sudo yum install -y yum-utils

This provides the yum-config-manager utility where supported.

Step 4: Add the Confluent CLI Repository

Execute:

sudo yum-config-manager --add-repo \
  https://packages.confluent.io/confluent-cli/rpm/confluent-cli.repoCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

This registers the Confluent CLI RPM repository.

Step 5: Refresh YUM Metadata

Execute:

sudo yum clean all

Step 6: Install the Confluent CLI

Run:

sudo yum install -y confluent-cli

On newer RHEL-family systems, dnf may serve as the package manager instead. Use the corresponding DNF repository management utilities where necessary.

Step 7: Verify the Installation

confluent version

Confirm the executable location:

command -v confluent

Inspect the installed RPM package:

rpm -q confluent-cli

Display help:

confluent --help

Confluent CLI is now installed.

Important: If the system already has Confluent Platform installed, do not remove or replace its CLI package without checking package dependencies. On some installations, removing confluent-cli also removes the confluent-platform metapackage.

9. Alternative Installation on Linux Using a Script

For Linux systems where you prefer not to configure APT or YUM repositories, Confluent provides a script-based installation method.

Run:

curl -sL --http1.1 https://cnfl.io/cli | sh -s -- latestCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

This installation method identifies the system architecture and downloads an appropriate CLI binary.

Review the installation script before executing it in production or security-sensitive environments.

After installation, verify:

confluent version

If the shell reports that the command is unavailable, locate the downloaded executable and add its directory to PATH.

For example:

export PATH="$HOME/bin:$PATH"Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

This example assumes the binary is located in $HOME/bin. Adjust the path to the actual installation directory.

For a persistent Bash configuration, add the export to ~/.bashrc.

Recommendation: For servers, prefer controlled, version-pinned installations and follow your organization’s package validation and change management practices.

10. How to Log In to Confluent Cloud Using the CLI

After installing Confluent CLI on macOS, Windows, or Linux, the next step is authenticating with your Confluent Cloud account.

Step 1: Log In

Execute:

confluent login

Depending on your authentication configuration, the CLI may request credentials or initiate an SSO authentication workflow.

Follow the prompts to complete the login.

For environments using SSO without an accessible browser, Confluent also supports:

confluent login --no-browser

This option is useful for browserless authentication workflows.

Step 2: List Confluent Cloud Environments

Once authenticated:

confluent environment listCode language: PHP (php)

This command lists the environments visible to the authenticated account.

Step 3: List Kafka Clusters

Run:

confluent kafka cluster listCode language: PHP (php)

To list clusters across accessible environments, you can use:

confluent kafka cluster list --allCode language: PHP (php)

Step 4: Explore Available Commands

Execute:

confluent kafka --help

Or:

confluent environment --help

These commands display supported operations and their arguments.

Step 5: Log Out When Finished

Execute:

confluent logout

Logging out is particularly important on shared workstations.

11. How to Update Confluent CLI

Keeping the CLI updated provides access to newer functionality, compatibility improvements, and security fixes.

macOS — Homebrew

brew update
brew upgrade confluentinc/tap/cli

Ubuntu/Debian — APT

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade confluent-cli

RHEL/CentOS — YUM

sudo yum update confluent-cli

Standalone Installation

For supported standalone installations, Confluent provides:

confluent update

Confluent disables this update mechanism for CLI installations bundled with Confluent Platform to preserve version compatibility.

For installations managed by a package manager, prefer that package manager for upgrades.

Always verify the installed version afterward:

confluent version

12. Troubleshooting Common Confluent CLI Installation Errors

The following table summarizes frequently encountered installation problems and practical troubleshooting steps.

Troubleshooting 1: Command Not Found

On macOS or Linux:

command -v confluent

On Windows PowerShell:

Get-Command confluent

If no executable is found, confirm the package installation and the directory listed in the system PATH.

For example, on Linux:

echo "$PATH"Code language: PHP (php)

On Windows:

$env:PathCode language: PHP (php)

Troubleshooting 2: Multiple Confluent CLI Versions Installed

Multiple installation methods can cause the shell to invoke an unexpected version.

On macOS/Linux:

type -a confluent

On Windows:

where.exe confluentCode language: CSS (css)

Review the displayed locations and remove or correct unwanted installations.

Troubleshooting 3: Linux GLIBC Compatibility

Check:

ldd --version

If the system has an older glibc version, a recent standard Linux binary may not work.

Use a compatible operating system or a supported CLI release. Do not manually replace core glibc libraries on a production system merely to install the CLI.

Troubleshooting 4: Confluent Cloud Login Problems

First, confirm that the CLI is working:

confluent version

Then check basic HTTPS connectivity to the Confluent Cloud endpoint:

curl -I https://confluent.cloudCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

An HTTP response demonstrates that the endpoint is reachable, but does not guarantee successful authentication.

For corporate environments, verify proxy settings, firewalls, DNS, certificate trust, and access to any required SSO endpoints.

Troubleshooting 5: Windows CLI Works Only From the Installation Folder

This usually means the executable directory was not added to PATH.

Confirm that the Path environment variable includes the directory containing confluent.exe.

Open a new PowerShell terminal after updating it and retry:

confluent version

13. How to Uninstall Confluent CLI

The uninstall method depends on how the CLI was installed.

macOS — Homebrew

brew uninstall confluentinc/tap/cli

Ubuntu/Debian

sudo apt remove confluent-cli

RHEL/CentOS

sudo yum remove confluent-cli

Review the proposed removal transaction before confirming, especially on servers with Confluent Platform installed.

Windows

Remove confluent.exe from the installation directory and remove its directory from the Windows user Path.

If you also want to erase saved CLI sessions and configuration, the default configuration directory is:

~/.confluent/Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

On Windows, this is located under the user’s profile directory.

Warning: Removing .confluent deletes locally stored CLI settings and authentication state. Do this only when intentionally resetting or fully removing the CLI.

14. Confluent CLI Installation Command Cheat Sheet

15. Frequently Asked Questions

Is Confluent CLI free to install?

Yes. You can download and install the CLI without paying an installation fee. However, Confluent Cloud services and resources may incur usage charges.

Do I need Java to install Confluent CLI?

The standalone CLI is a prebuilt executable and does not require you to install the Java Development Kit just to run basic Confluent Cloud commands.

Can I install Confluent CLI on an Apple M-series Mac?

Yes. Confluent provides native macOS ARM64 support for Apple Silicon Macs.

Does Confluent CLI work on Windows?

Yes. Confluent provides a native executable for supported 64-bit Windows Intel/AMD systems. You can run it through PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Can I use Confluent CLI without installing Kafka locally?

Yes. For Confluent Cloud, you can authenticate directly with your cloud account and manage authorized resources remotely.

Is Confluent CLI the same as the Apache Kafka command-line tools?

No. Apache Kafka includes utilities such as kafka-topics.sh and kafka-console-consumer.sh.

Confluent CLI is a separate interface designed for managing Confluent Cloud and supported Confluent Platform resources.

How do I check which Confluent CLI version is installed?

Run:

confluent version

Can I use Confluent CLI in CI/CD pipelines?

Yes. The CLI can be integrated into automated workflows. For CI/CD systems, prefer appropriate service-account authentication, secure secret management, least-privilege access, and controlled CLI versioning rather than interactive personal-user authentication.

16. Best Practices

When using Confluent CLI in development or production environments, follow these recommendations:

1. Install the CLI using official, trusted distribution methods.
2. Confirm your operating system architecture before downloading binaries.
3. Keep the CLI version compatible with the Confluent Platform version you manage.
4. Prefer package managers for routine workstation installations.
5. Pin approved CLI versions in production automation.
6. Never hardcode credentials or API keys in shell scripts.
7. Use least-privilege service accounts for automation.
8. Avoid storing passwords or tokens in shell history.
9. Verify environment and cluster selection before running administrative commands.
10. Use --help to check command syntax for your installed CLI version.

17. Conclusion

Installing the Confluent CLI is an important first step toward managing Kafka and Confluent infrastructure from the command line.

For macOS, Homebrew offers the simplest installation experience.

For Windows, downloading and configuring the official CLI executable is a straightforward approach.

For Ubuntu and Debian, the official APT repository provides convenient package management.

For RHEL and CentOS, Confluent offers an RPM repository compatible with supported YUM-based distributions.

After installation, three essential commands provide a useful starting point:

confluent version
confluent login
confluent environment listCode language: PHP (php)

With the CLI installed and authenticated, engineers can begin exploring Kafka clusters, automating administrative operations, and integrating Confluent Cloud into DevOps workflows.

Official References

• Confluent CLI Installation Documentation
• Confluent CLI Overview and Requirements
• Confluent CLI Command Reference
• Confluent CLI Official GitHub Repository
• Confluent CLI Latest Releases

Documentation reviewed: October 2026. Available CLI versions, package requirements, and command behavior may change. Always check the official documentation when working with production infrastructure.

Rajesh Kumar

I’m Rajesh Kumar, a DevOps, SRE, DevSecOps, Cloud, and Platform Engineering expert passionate about sharing practical knowledge, real-world experiences, and industry best practices. I have worked at Cotocus and regularly write about technology, travel, investing, health, product reviews, and digital marketing through my various platforms.

I publish technical articles at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market insights at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at TrueReviewNow, and SEO and digital marketing strategies at Wizbrand.