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Before you begin

VectorLint requires Node.js 18 or later. Node.js 22 LTS is recommended. If you need to install or update Node.js, use nvm (recommended) or download directly from nodejs.org.
Installing VectorLint makes the CLI available, but the tool requires a configured LLM provider to evaluate content. If you run vectorlint against a file before completing provider configuration, you get no output and no error. After installing, complete Configuring LLM providers before running your first check.

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Option 1: Global install

Install VectorLint globally from npm: 
npm install -g vectorlint
Verify the installation: 
vectorlint --help
A global install makes the vectorlint command available from any directory on your machine. Use this option if you plan to run VectorLint regularly across multiple projects. For a full reference of commands and flags, see CLI reference.

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Option 2: Run with npx

Run VectorLint without installing it: 
npx vectorlint path/to/doc.md
With this option, you don’t need to install or manage versions, since npx downloads and runs the latest version of VectorLint on demand. Use this option for one-off checks or to try VectorLint before committing to a global install. If you use npx regularly, pin a specific version to avoid unexpected behavior when VectorLint releases updates: 
npx vectorlint@2.5.0 path/to/doc.md

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Next steps

  • Quickstart — configure your LLM provider and run your first check end to end
  • Configuring LLM providers — set up your API key for OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Azure OpenAI, or Amazon Bedrock
  • Using VECTORLINT.md — start evaluating content without writing any rule pack files