---
sidebar_label: Install
toc_max_heading_level: 3
doc_id: 6214b178-d819-46a1-9034-4d06aa32b74d
description: >-
  How to install the nullplatform agent (np-agent) via Helm on a Kubernetes cluster
  or as a local binary for development and testing.
keywords:
  - agent installation
  - np-agent
  - helm
  - local install
  - kubernetes
  - nullplatform
---

# Install the agent

The agent connects your environment to nullplatform so it can run actions, respond to events, and execute workflows inside your infrastructure. Setting it up takes three steps:

1. **[Authenticate the agent](authentication.md)**: create an API key with the **agent** and **ops** roles.
2. **Install the agent**: use Helm for production clusters, or run the binary locally for development.
3. **[Create a notification channel](agent-channel.md)**: connect the agent to platform events. Without this, the agent registers but stays idle.

## Which install method is right for me?

| | [Install with Helm](install-helm.md) | [Local install](install-local.md) |
|---|---|---|
| **Best for** | Production and Kubernetes clusters | Local development and testing |
| **Requires Kubernetes** | Yes | No |
| **Setup time** | A few minutes | Under a minute |

## Before you start

Both methods need an **API key with the agent and ops roles**. See [Authenticate the agent](authentication.md) to set one up.

## Pick your path

- [Install with Helm](install-helm.md): for Kubernetes environments and production.
- [Local install](install-local.md): run the agent directly in your terminal. No Kubernetes required.

:::tip
Installing on Kubernetes and pulling agent code from a private GitHub repo? See [Authenticate private repos with a GitHub App](install-helm-github-app.md) for a more secure alternative to personal access tokens.
:::