> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.crystalforrubyists.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.crystalforrubyists.com/book/chapter-2-installing-crystal.md).

# Chapter 2: Installing Crystal

### Binary installers <a href="#binary-installers" id="binary-installers"></a>

The Crystal project provides official binary installers. You can get both releases and nightlies. Binary installers are the fastest and easiest way to get going with Crystal. Because Crystal is written in Crystal, compiling the Crystal compiler actually entails compiling it three times! This means it’s quite slow. But a binary install should be snappy!

Crystal has a [lovely installation page](https://crystal-lang.org/install), so I recommend you just go check that out and download the proper version.

Note that this book has been tested with Crystal 1.5.0, and so if you use the latest nightly, something may have changed.

### From Source <a href="#from-source" id="from-source"></a>

You will probably build the nightly version if you build from source, so be ready for some bugs in the code samples. This book was written for 1.5.0.

The [Crystal README](https://crystal-lang.org/install/from_sources/) has great instructions for building from source. Just got follow their instructions!

#### Future Proofing <a href="#future-proofing" id="future-proofing"></a>

The version this book is written for is 1.5.0

If you run

```
$ crystal
```

and it spits out a bunch of help information, you’re good to go with Crystal.