bench is a command-line utility that helps you to install apps, manage multiple sites and update Frappe / ERPNext apps on */nix (macOS, Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc) for development and production.
> **Note**: If you are looking for easier ways to get started and evaluate ERPNext, [download the Virtual Machine](https://erpnext.com/download) or take [a free trial on erpnext.com](https://erpnext.com/pricing).
**Optional**: If the database for the site does not reside on localhost or listens on a custom port, you can use the flags `--db-host` to set a custom host and/or `--db-port` to set a custom port.
_Note:_ Apart from `bench init`, all other bench commands have to be run having the respective bench directory as the working directory. _(`bench update` may also be run, but it's behaviour is covered in depth in the docs)_
For more in depth information on commands and usage follow [here](https://github.com/frappe/bench/blob/master/docs/commands_and_usage.md). As for a consolidated list of bench commands, go through [this page](https://github.com/frappe/bench/blob/master/docs/bench_usage.md).
To do this install, you must have basic information on how Linux works and should be able to use the command-line. bench will also create nginx and supervisor config files, setup backups and much more. If you are using on a VPS make sure it has >= 1Gb of RAM or has swap setup properly.
As bench is a python application, its installation really depends on `python` + `pip` + `git`. The Frappe Framework, however has various other system dependencies like `nodejs`, `yarn`, `redis` and a database system like `mariadb` or `postgres`. Go through the [installation requirements](https://github.com/frappe/bench/blob/master/docs/installation.md) for an updated list.
Want to utilize a bench command you've added in your custom Frappe application? [This](https://github.com/frappe/bench/blob/master/docs/bench_custom_cmd.md) guide might be of some help.
- If you find any problems, post them on the forum: [https://discuss.erpnext.com](https://discuss.erpnext.com/c/bench) with the `installation_problem` under "Install / Update" category.
Releases can be made for [Frappe](https://github.com/frappe/frappe) apps using bench. More information about this process can be found [here](https://github.com/frappe/bench/blob/master/docs/releasing_frappe_apps.md).
[Bench Manager](https://github.com/frappe/bench_manager) is a graphical user interface to emulate the functionalities of Frappe Bench. Like the command line utility it helps you install apps, manage multiple sites, update apps and much more. Install just by executing the following command in the respective bench directory.
