How to Install rx on Linux, macOS, or Windows

Updated

rx is a minimalist, modal pixel editor that runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, provided your system supports OpenGL 3.3 or later. You can install it either by building from source with Cargo and CMake, or by downloading a pre-built binary. The source install works on all three platforms; pre-built binaries are currently limited to Linux. After installing, read the official guide to learn the command system and modal workflow.

System requirements

Before installing, confirm your machine meets these conditions:

  • Operating system: Linux, macOS, or Windows
  • Graphics: OpenGL 3.3 or later

If your GPU or drivers don't expose OpenGL 3.3, rx won't run. This is the only hard requirement stated by the project.

Option 1: Install from source (all platforms)

This is the most portable path and works on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Prerequisites

You need two tools installed first:

  • Cargo (the Rust package manager)
  • CMake

Install command

With Cargo and CMake available, run:

cargo install \
  --git https://github.com/cloudhead/rx \
  --tag v0.5.2

What this does:

  • Input: the Git repository URL and the release tag v0.5.2
  • Action: Cargo downloads that tagged stable release and compiles it
  • Expected result: the rx binary is installed under ~/.cargo/bin/rx

Installing to a different location

If you don't want the binary in ~/.cargo/bin, pass the --root flag with your target directory. For example, to install under /usr/local:

cargo install \
  --git https://github.com/cloudhead/rx \
  --tag v0.5.2 \
  --root /usr/local

macOS-specific setup

On macOS you need Xcode and the Xcode Command Line Tools. Install the command line tools with:

xcode-select --install

If CMake isn't already present, install it with Homebrew:

brew install cmake

Option 2: Pre-built binaries

If you'd rather not build from source, the project offers pre-built binary releases. Note that at the moment only Linux binaries are available — macOS and Windows users should use the source install above.

Verify the install

After installation, confirm the binary is reachable. If you installed to the default location, ~/.cargo/bin should be on your PATH. Run:

rx --version

If the command isn't found, add the install directory to your PATH (for example, export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH" on Linux/macOS) and try again.

Common sticking points

  • "OpenGL 3.3 not supported": update your graphics drivers, or check whether your GPU supports the required version. This is a hardware/driver limit, not an rx bug.
  • CMake missing: the build fails before compilation starts. Install CMake first (on macOS, brew install cmake).
  • macOS build errors: almost always a missing Xcode Command Line Tools install — run xcode-select --install.
  • Binary not on PATH: the install succeeded but the shell can't find rx. Add the install root's bin directory to your PATH.
  • Wrong platform binary: if you're on macOS or Windows and only see Linux binaries, switch to the source install.

Next steps

Once rx is installed, read the official guide to learn how it works. rx is built around a modal, command-driven system inspired by vi, so the guide is the fastest way to understand the workflow rather than guessing at menus. You can also browse the source to see how the editor is put together, and join the community on Discord to share work or ask questions.