If you don't need to install ClickHouse for production, the quickest way to get set up is using the ClickHouse CLI (clickhousectl), which helps you install local ClickHouse versions, launch servers, run queries and manage ClickHouse Cloud.

Windows users

ClickHouse runs natively on Linux and macOS. On Windows, run these steps inside the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Install the ClickHouse CLI

curl https://clickhouse.com/cli | sh

A chctl alias is also created automatically for convenience.

Install ClickHouse

Install the latest stable version of ClickHouse and make it your default:

clickhousectl local use stable

local use installs the version if it isn't already present, sets it as your default, and creates a clickhouse symlink in ~/.local/bin (on your PATH) so you can invoke the clickhouse binary directly. Any later step in these docs that runs a clickhouse command then works as-is.

Use vs install

clickhousectl local use <version> installs a version and makes it your default, updating the clickhouse symlink on your PATH. To download a version without changing your default or updating the symlink, use clickhousectl local install <version> instead.

Start clickhouse-server

clickhousectl local server start

The server runs in the background. To verify it's running:

clickhousectl local server list

Start clickhouse-client

clickhousectl local client

You will see something like this:

ClickHouse client version 24.5.1.117 (official build).
Connecting to localhost:9000 as user default.
Connected to ClickHouse server version 24.5.1.

local-host :)

You're now ready to start sending SQL commands to ClickHouse!

Tip

The Quick Start walks you through the steps for creating tables and inserting data.