Skip to main content
Vale is distributed as a single binary with no dependencies. Choose the installation method that works best for your operating system and workflow.

​
macOS

The recommended method for macOS users:
brew install vale
To upgrade Vale:
brew upgrade vale
Homebrew installs Vale from the official formula repository and keeps it up to date with brew upgrade.

​
Linux

Download and install the .deb package:
wget https://github.com/errata-ai/vale/releases/download/v{version}/vale_{version}_Linux_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i vale_{version}_Linux_amd64.deb
Download and install the .rpm package:
wget https://github.com/errata-ai/vale/releases/download/v{version}/vale_{version}_Linux_amd64.rpm
sudo rpm -i vale_{version}_Linux_amd64.rpm
Install from the Arch User Repository:
yay -S vale
# or
paru -S vale
Install from the Snap Store:
sudo snap install vale

​
Windows

The recommended method for Windows users:
choco install vale
To upgrade Vale:
choco upgrade vale
Chocolatey automatically adds Vale to your PATH, making it available from any command prompt or PowerShell window.

​
Docker

Vale is available as a Docker image, ideal for CI/CD pipelines: 
docker pull jdkato/vale
Lint files in the current directory:
docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/app jdkato/vale /app
Run with a custom config:
docker run --rm \
  -v $(pwd):/app \
  -v $(pwd)/.vale.ini:/root/.vale.ini \
  jdkato/vale /app/docs
CI/CD pipeline example (GitHub Actions):
- name: Run Vale
  uses: docker://jdkato/vale:latest
  with:
    args: --config=/app/.vale.ini /app/docs
The Docker image supports both linux/amd64 and linux/arm64 platforms.

​
Build from Source

If you prefer to build Vale yourself or need the latest development version:
1

Install Go

Vale requires Go 1.21 or later. Download it from golang.org.
2

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/errata-ai/vale.git
cd vale
3

Build Vale

go build -ldflags "-s -w -X main.version=dev" -o bin/vale ./cmd/vale
This creates a binary at bin/vale.
4

Install (optional)

Move the binary to your PATH:
# macOS/Linux
sudo mv bin/vale /usr/local/bin/

# Or add to PATH in your shell profile
export PATH="$PATH:/path/to/vale/bin"
The build process uses CGO for spell checking functionality, so you’ll need a C compiler (GCC or Clang) installed on your system.

​
Verify Installation

After installing Vale, verify it’s working correctly: 
vale --version
You should see output like: 
vale version 3.0.0
Run vale --help to see all available commands and options:
vale --help
This displays usage information, available flags, and commands like sync, ls-config, and ls-dirs.

​
Environment Variables

Vale supports two environment variables for configuration:
VariableDescriptionExample
VALE_CONFIG_PATHOverride the default config file searchexport VALE_CONFIG_PATH=/path/to/.vale.ini
VALE_STYLES_PATHSpecify the default styles directoryexport VALE_STYLES_PATH=~/.config/vale/styles
These variables are useful in CI/CD environments where you want to control Vale’s configuration without modifying the filesystem structure.

​
Editor Integration

Once Vale is installed, you can integrate it with your favorite editor:

VS Code

Install the Vale VSCode extension for real-time linting as you write.

Vim/Neovim

Use ALE or Neomake for Vale integration.

Sublime Text

Install SublimeLinter-vale via Package Control.

Emacs

Use flycheck-vale for real-time checking.
Editor integrations require Vale to be installed and available in your PATH.

​
Next Steps

Now that Vale is installed, you’re ready to start linting:

Quick Start

Set up your first Vale project in minutes.

Configuration

Learn about .vale.ini and how to configure Vale.

Styles

Explore pre-built styles or create your own.

CI Integration

Add Vale to your continuous integration pipeline.

​
Troubleshooting

If you get a “command not found” error after installation:
  1. Check your PATH: Ensure the Vale installation directory is in your PATH
  2. Restart your terminal: Some installations require a new shell session
  3. Verify the binary location: Run which vale (Unix) or where vale (Windows)
For binary installations, you may need to manually add Vale to your PATH. See the installation steps for your platform above.
If you encounter permission errors when running Vale:On macOS/Linux:
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/vale
On Windows: Run your terminal as Administrator or adjust the file permissions in the security settings.
If vale sync fails with SSL errors, your system may have outdated CA certificates:On Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ca-certificates
On macOS:
brew install ca-certificates

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us