Install Dante in three minutes - and what the packs cost

You need Node.js and one command. No account, no sign-up, no background service unless you agree to one.

   ①  Node.js         ②  terminal           ③  one line
  ┌──────────┐      ┌────────────┐      ┌──────────────────┐
  │ nodejs.org│ ──▶ │ ▌          │ ──▶ │ npx dante-watch  │
  └──────────┘      └────────────┘      └──────────────────┘
       once              open it               press Enter

That is the whole install.

Three steps. Really.

Get Node.js (once)

Dante runs on Node.js, a free runtime that many tools already need. Download the LTS version from nodejs.org and click through the installer. Already have it? Check in step 2 with node -v. A number of 18 or higher means you can skip this step.

Open a terminal

Where is my terminal? It is a program that is already on your computer:

Mac

Press ⌘ + Space, type Terminal, press Enter.

Windows

Press the Win key, type PowerShell, press Enter.

Linux

Press Ctrl + Alt + T, or search your apps for Terminal.

A window with a blinking cursor opens. That is it. Nothing you type there can break anything by itself.

Terminal

you@computer % node -v
v22.12.0

If you see a number like this, Node.js is installed. (Example output.)

Paste one line

Copy this line, paste it into the terminal and press Enter:

npx dante-watch

The first time, your computer fetches Dante (a few seconds). Then he opens, like this:

Terminal — dante-watch

      ▄▀▀▀▀▄     ▀
     ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀    ▀▀
    ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀  ▀▀▀▀
    ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀   ▀▀
     ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀

  ___     _    _  _  _____  ___
 |   \   /_\  | \| ||_   _|| __|
 | |) | / _ \ | .` |  | |  | _|
 |___/ /_/ \_\|_|\_|  |_|  |___|

  I am Dante. I walk through hell and bring back the map.

  ● awake · I watch over localhost. Say help when you need the words.

user ❯

What you see after pressing Enter (layout of the real program). Dante waits for you to say what you want.

Now just say what you want in a normal sentence, for example check my computer. That is the whole install.

System notes

Windows: Dante reads services anyone can overwrite, unquoted service paths, writable PATH folders, AlwaysInstallElevated and stored autologon passwords. He does not read the list of running processes yet and says so on start.

Linux: install Node.js with your package manager, then the same line.

Want one word to summon him later? Run npm i -g dante-watch, then type dante. (Careful: npx dante is a different, unrelated package.)

A hand typing on a laptop that shows code — Three minutes, one line.

Talk to him

Dante understands normal sentences in German, English and Spanish. Try:

user ❯ check my computer
user ❯ what is my system?
user ❯ deep                                  (secrets in your project folders)
user ❯ check my server root@host
user ❯ fix                                   (shows the plan; nothing changes without your yes)
user ❯ help

Illustration of the format, shortened. Real results show the command output they come from.

On the first start he asks "May I look around?". If you say yes he reads names of your project folders and SSH hosts and writes them to ~/.dante/user.md, a plain file you can open and edit. He reads no file contents for that.

What is free, what costs money

Free: the program, all built-in checks, the first rule pack, everything offline. MIT-licensed source.
Knowledge packs: fresh rules and knowledge as signed data files. The newest pack costs 4 EUR; older ones cost 0.80 EUR each. No subscription, no expiry on what you own. Packs are signed data, never code.
Bait watch: first month free, then 1.99 EUR for each further month. See bait files.

Payments go through SumUp on the shop page at api.nm-streetwear.space/dante. Type buy in Dante and he checks the public catalog (a single command he shows first) and offers to open the shop page.

Updates, and what the network is used for

Dante makes no network calls on his own. Exactly three things can: update (fetch the latest pack, with your license token), the public catalog (buy), and the optional bait watch. Each starts only after you answer yes to the command Dante prints first. The free state works fully offline, and you can install a downloaded pack with pack <file> without Dante touching the network at all.

Remove it

Dante keeps its files in ~/.dante. Delete that folder and it is gone. If you agreed to a schedule, type disarm first; it removes the schedule entry and shows what it removes.

Still reading?

Then you are three minutes from knowing. Pick one thing you are curious about: your own machine, a server you pay for, or whether that old project still holds a key. Dante starts with the one you name.

npx dante-watch

Nothing to lose by looking.Dante only reads. It asks before every change and shows the command first. No account. Delete the folder ~/.dante and it is gone.

Your next stepBack to the start: why an agent needs a different kind of protection →

Questions people ask

Where do I find the terminal?

On a Mac press Command and Space, type Terminal and press Enter. On Windows press the Windows key, type PowerShell and press Enter. On Linux press Ctrl, Alt and T. It is a program that is already on your computer.

How do I install Dante?

Install Node.js 18 or newer, open a terminal and type npx dante-watch. No account or sign-up is needed.

Does Dante work on Windows?

Yes. It runs natively on Windows and checks Windows-specific items such as writable services, unquoted service paths, PATH folders and stored autologon passwords. It does not read running processes yet.

How much does Dante cost?

The program and the first rule pack are free. The newest knowledge pack costs 4 EUR, older ones 0.80 EUR, and the bait watch is free for the first month and 1.99 EUR per further month.

Does Dante need an account?

No.