ghost-cli

library1.29.2jsnpmunverified

Ghost-CLI is the official command-line tool for installing, updating, and managing Ghost (content management system) on production and local environments. Current stable version is 1.29.2, with regular patch releases (approximately monthly). It manages the entire lifecycle: setup, configuration, backups, SSL via Let's Encrypt, Nginx, and Systemd on Ubuntu. Key differentiators: single-command install/update, recommended stack enforcement (Ubuntu, Nginx, MySQL, Node.js), and minimal configuration options to reduce maintenance complexity. Supports both production and local installs.

devops web-framework

npm install ghost-cli

github ↗package ↗homepage ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · GHOST-CLI

ghost-cli

devopsjavascriptv1.29.2

harness data pending

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

No compatibility data collected yet for this library.

Code

Verified usage

Shows global install, production vs local setup, and basic commands for Ghost management.

npm install -g ghost-cli@latest # Production install (interactive prompts) ghost install # Local install for development ghost install local # Or setup a directory: mkdir my-ghost cd my-ghost ghost install --no-setup-nginx --no-setup-ssl --no-setup-systemd # Update Ghost to latest version: ghost update # Check status: ghost status

ghost --version

Debug

Known issues

breakingGhost-CLI requires Node.js ^20.11.1 || ^22.11.0 || ^24.0.0. Older Node versions are not supported.

fix

Update Node.js to a supported version (20.11.1+, 22.11.0+ or 24.0.0+).

affects: <1.29.0

deprecatedGhost-CLI does not support Ghost versions < 1.0.0.

fix

Use Ghost-CLI only with Ghost 1.0.0 and above. For older versions, use legacy tooling.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaGhost-CLI is designed for the recommended stack (Ubuntu, Nginx, MySQL, Systemd). Other environments may not work correctly.

fix

Use the recommended stack for production, or use 'ghost install local' for development.

affects: >=1.0.0

breakingGhost 5.x introduced a new content API and admin client; Ghost-CLI v1.28+ is required for compatibility.

fix

Update Ghost-CLI to >=1.28.0 to manage Ghost 5.x.

affects: <1.28.0

gotchaThe 'ghost backup' command may fail for Ghost v6+ if the database configuration has changed.

fix

Ensure the database config (docker-compose or direct) is properly set and accessible.

affects: >=1.29.0

deprecatedThe --auto option has been removed in recent versions; use environment variables or config file.

fix

Set environment variables (e.g., GHOST_URL, MAILGUN_SMTP_USERNAME) or use a config.local.json.

affects: >=1.29.0

gotchaGhost-CLI uses 'portfinder' which may conflict with firewall or Docker networking.

fix

If port usage issues occur, specify port via --port or adjust firewall rules.

affects: >=1.28.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

ghost: command not found

Ghost-CLI not installed globally or PATH not set.

fix

Run 'npm install -g ghost-cli@latest' and ensure npm global bin directory is in PATH.

Fatal error: Node version must be >=20.11.1

Node.js version is too old.

fix

Update Node.js to 20.11.1, 22.11.0, or 24.0.0 using nvm or installer.

ghost install: EACCES: permission denied

Missing permissions to write to /etc/nginx or system directories.

fix

Run 'ghost install' with sudo or install locally with 'ghost install local'.

Error: connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:3306

MySQL/MariaDB not running.

fix

Start MySQL service: 'sudo systemctl start mysql' or 'sudo service mysql start'.

Error: getaddrinfo ENOTFOUND api.github.com

Internet connectivity or DNS issue during update/install.

fix

Check internet connection and DNS settings. If behind proxy, set HTTP_PROXY/HTTPS_PROXY.

Upgrade

Version history

1.29.2latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

noderequiredRequired runtime engine: ^20.11.1 || ^22.11.0 || ^24.0.0

Agent activity

4 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubhttps://github.com/TryGhost/Ghost-CLI ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/ghost-cli ↗

homepagehttps://ghost.org ↗