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Getting Started

FlexVault offers two ways to get started, depending on your workflow and role on the team:

  • FlexVault Desktop: A graphical application and automatic background snapshot service for Windows. Recommended for game developers, artists, designers, and team members who want visual source control without managing terminal commands.
  • Command Line (CLI): A fast command-line tool for developers, repository administrators, and automation pipelines.

Install FlexVault

Download FlexVault for Windows

The setup wizard (FlexVaultSetup.exe) installs FlexVault for your Windows user account without requiring administrator permissions. It installs the complete desktop suite:

  • FlexVault Desktop: Graphical client for browsing history and reviewing changes.
  • FlexVault Agent: System tray app that takes automatic snapshots while you work.
  • fxv CLI: Core command-line engine (added to your PATH for terminal use).

After installation, see Getting Started with FlexVault Desktop to open your project and start collaborating.

For headless or terminal-only setups, run the install script:

irm https://fxv.dev/install.ps1 | iex

The script installs fxv into %LOCALAPPDATA%\fxv\bin and adds it to your user PATH. Open a new terminal window for the updated PATH to take effect.

Then see Getting Started with the CLI to create your first repository and workspace.

Run the install script in your terminal:

curl -fsSL https://fxv.dev/install.sh | bash

The script installs fxv into ~/.local/bin and adds that directory to your shell configuration if needed.

Then see Getting Started with the CLI for the command-line tutorial.

macOS builds are planned but not published yet. Check fxv.dev/download for updates.

Windows Defender and SmartScreen warnings

Because release binaries and installers are newly published, Windows Defender or SmartScreen may display a warning ("Windows protected your PC") when running FlexVaultSetup.exe or install.ps1. Click More info and then Run anyway to proceed.

Choose your guide

Follow the guide tailored to your workflow:

  • Getting Started with FlexVault Desktop walks through opening an existing workspace, working with automatic background snapshots, reviewing visual diffs, and publishing changes with the desktop app.
  • Getting Started with the CLI walks through provisioning cloud storage, creating a repository with fxv repo new, initializing a workspace, and running command-line snapshots and syncs.