Install MAX

Welcome to the MAX install guide!

The MAX SDK includes everything you need to develop and deploy low-latency AI inference pipelines into production and build other programs with Mojo. Read about what's included.

Updating?

If you already installed MAX, instead see the update guide.

Requirements

Mac

• Apple silicon (M1/M2/M3 processor)
• macOS Ventura (13) or later
• Python 3.9 - 3.11
• Xcode or Xcode Command Line Tools
• Homebrew

Linux

• Ubuntu 20.04/22.04 LTS
• x86-64 CPU (with SSE4.2 or newer) or AWS Graviton2/3 CPU
• Minimum 8 GiB RAM
• Python 3.8 - 3.11
• g++ or clang++ C++ compiler

Windows

Windows support is still in development.

In the meantime, you can use MAX on Windows with WSL, using a compatible version of Ubuntu (see our requirements for Linux).

Install MAX

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By downloading the MAX SDK, you understand and agree to the MAX software license.

The MAX SDK is available as either a stable build or a nightly build. We strive to release stable builds once a month and release nightly builds as often as possible (not necessarily every day).

Stable

1. Open a terminal and install the modular command line tool with this helper script:

   curl -s https://get.modular.com | sh -
   Or, click here to see the manual install commands.

   Mac

   brew update && brew install modularml/packages/modular

   Linux

   apt-get install -y apt-transport-https &&
     keyring_location=/usr/share/keyrings/modular-installer-archive-keyring.gpg &&
     curl -1sLf 'https://dl.modular.com/bBNWiLZX5igwHXeu/installer/gpg.0E4925737A3895AD.key' |  gpg --dearmor >> ${keyring_location} &&
     curl -1sLf 'https://dl.modular.com/bBNWiLZX5igwHXeu/installer/config.deb.txt?distro=debian&codename=wheezy' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/modular-installer.list &&
     apt-get update &&
     apt-get install -y modular

2. Create a virtual environment:

   venv

   For most users, we recommend venv (it's included with Python). Also make sure you're using a compatible version of Python. For example:

   python3.11 -m venv max-venv && source max-venv/bin/activate

   conda

   Only if you already use conda as your preferred environment, we suggest you use that (and make sure you use a compatible version of Python):

   conda create -n max python=3.11 -y && conda activate max

3. Create or sign into your Modular account:

   modular auth

4. Install the MAX SDK (it includes Mojo):

   modular install max

5. Install the MAX Engine Python package:

   MAX_PATH=$(modular config max.path) \
     && python3 -m pip install --find-links $MAX_PATH/wheels max-engine

   If you encounter an error here, make sure you have a compatible Python version (see the requirements).

6. Set environment variables so you can access the mojo and max tools:

   Bash

   If you're using Bash, run this command:

   MAX_PATH=$(modular config max.path) \
     && BASHRC=$( [ -f "$HOME/.bash_profile" ] && echo "$HOME/.bash_profile" || echo "$HOME/.bashrc" ) \
     && echo 'export MODULAR_HOME="'$HOME'/.modular"' >> "$BASHRC" \
     && echo 'export PATH="'$MAX_PATH'/bin:$PATH"' >> "$BASHRC" \
     && source "$BASHRC"

   ZSH

   If you're using ZSH, run this command:

   MAX_PATH=$(modular config max.path) \
     && echo 'export MODULAR_HOME="'$HOME'/.modular"' >> ~/.zshrc \
     && echo 'export PATH="'$MAX_PATH'/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc \
     && source ~/.zshrc

   fish

   If you're using fish, run this command:

   set MAX_PATH (modular config max.path) \
     && set -Ux MODULAR_HOME $HOME/.modular \
     && fish_add_path $MAX_PATH/bin

   Only if you're using conda, you need to re-activate your environment because it gets deactivated when you source the shell configuration files (the previous command):

   conda activate max

Nightly

caution

Nightly builds are not fully tested. They might include incomplete features, performance regressions, and new bugs. When using code from the max and mojo GitHub repos, be sure you checkout the nightly branch, because the main branch might not be compatible with nightly builds.

1. Open a terminal and install the modular command line tool with this helper script (this is the same for stable and nightly builds):

   curl -s https://get.modular.com | sh -
   Or, click here to see the manual install commands.

   Mac

   brew update && brew install modularml/packages/modular

   Linux

   apt-get install -y apt-transport-https &&
     keyring_location=/usr/share/keyrings/modular-installer-archive-keyring.gpg &&
     curl -1sLf 'https://dl.modular.com/bBNWiLZX5igwHXeu/installer/gpg.0E4925737A3895AD.key' |  gpg --dearmor >> ${keyring_location} &&
     curl -1sLf 'https://dl.modular.com/bBNWiLZX5igwHXeu/installer/config.deb.txt?distro=debian&codename=wheezy' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/modular-installer.list &&
     apt-get update &&
     apt-get install -y modular

2. Create a virtual environment for nightly builds:

   venv

   For most users, we recommend venv (it's included with Python). Also make sure you're using a compatible version of Python. For example:

   python3.11 -m venv max-nightly-venv && source max-nightly-venv/bin/activate

   conda

   Only if you already use conda as your preferred environment, we suggest you use that (and make sure you use a compatible version of Python):

   conda create -n max-nightly python=3.11 -y && conda activate max-nightly

3. Create or sign into your Modular account:

   modular auth

4. Install the nightly MAX SDK (it includes Mojo nightly):

   modular install nightly/max

5. Install the nightly MAX Engine Python package:

   MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH=$(modular config max-nightly.path) \
     && python3 -m pip install --find-links $MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH/wheels max-engine

   If you encounter an error here, make sure you have a compatible Python version (see the requirements).

6. Set environment variables so you can access the nightly mojo and max tools:

   Bash

   If you're using Bash, run this command:

   MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH=$(modular config max-nightly.path) \
     && BASHRC=$( [ -f "$HOME/.bash_profile" ] && echo "$HOME/.bash_profile" || echo "$HOME/.bashrc" ) \
     && echo 'export MODULAR_HOME="'$HOME'/.modular"' >> "$BASHRC" \
     && echo 'export PATH="'$MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH'/bin:$PATH"' >> "$BASHRC" \
     && source "$BASHRC"

   ZSH

   If you're using ZSH, run this command:

   MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH=$(modular config max-nightly.path) \
     && echo 'export MODULAR_HOME="'$HOME'/.modular"' >> ~/.zshrc \
     && echo 'export PATH="'$MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH'/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc \
     && source ~/.zshrc

   fish

   If you're using fish, run this command:

   set MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH (modular config max-nightly.path) \
     && set -Ux MODULAR_HOME $HOME/.modular \
     && fish_add_path $MAX_NIGHTLY_PATH/bin

   Only if you're using conda, you need to re-activate your environment because it gets deactivated when you source the shell configuration files (the previous command):

   conda activate max-nightly

Now you're ready to go.

You can verify your version by calling max or mojo with the --version option (both tools have the same version):

max --version

Get started

Start with MAX

Run a PyTorch model on MAX Engine and run Llama 3 built entirely in Mojo.

Start with Mojo

Get started in Mojo by writing "Hello world" using the Mojo REPL and compiler.

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To help us improve MAX, we collect some telemetry data and crash reports. Learn more.