AdGuard CLI Installer for Debian-based Linux

This repository provides a small installer based on the official AdGuard CLI installation script. It downloads the release archive from the official AdGuard CLI GitHub repository, installs the program under /usr/lib/adguard-cli, and creates a systemd service.

This is an unofficial installation wrapper. It is not an official AdGuard package or installer.

Requirements

• Debian or another systemd-based Linux distribution.
• amd64 or aarch64 architecture.
• curl, tar, and sudo when the script is not run as root.
• Root access.

Installation

Download the installer and run:

chmod +x install.sh
sudo ./install.sh

The installer downloads the official release archive and installs the files under:

/usr/lib/adguard-cli/

It also creates:

/usr/bin/adguard-cli -> /usr/lib/adguard-cli/adguard-cli
/usr/lib/adguard-cli/adguard-cli.service
/etc/systemd/system/adguard-cli.service -> /usr/lib/adguard-cli/adguard-cli.service

The installer does not create or modify a service user or group. It identifies the current user running the installer (or SUDO_USER when invoked with sudo) and replaces the SERVICE_USER and SERVICE_GROUP placeholders in the generated service unit with that user's name and primary group.

The service is not started automatically before AdGuard CLI has been configured. This avoids a restart loop on a fresh installation.

Configuration and activation

Configure AdGuard CLI as the user that will run the service:

sudo env \
  HOME="$HOME" \
  XDG_DATA_HOME="$HOME/.local/share" \
  /usr/bin/adguard-cli config

Activate a license when required:

sudo env \
  HOME="$HOME" \
  XDG_DATA_HOME="$HOME/.local/share" \
  /usr/bin/adguard-cli activate YOUR-ACTIVATION-CODE

Then enable and start the service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now adguard-cli.service

Check its status and logs:

systemctl status adguard-cli.service
sudo journalctl -u adguard-cli.service -f

Service

The installed unit is intentionally kept at:

/usr/lib/adguard-cli/adguard-cli.service

The system-wide link is:

/etc/systemd/system/adguard-cli.service

The service unit uses the installer user's account and primary group and runs:

/usr/bin/adguard-cli start

Options

The installer retains the official script options:

Usage: install.sh [-o output_dir] [-v] [-h] [-u] [-V version] [-l]

Examples:

sudo ./install.sh -v
sudo ./install.sh -V 1.4.13
sudo ./install.sh -u

By default, the current script version is used. The -l option is intended for installing a local archive with the same naming expected by the official script.

Removal

Stop and remove the installed service and program with:

sudo ./install.sh -u

The service link, service file, /usr/bin/adguard-cli link, and installed program files are removed. The service account and its data are preserved so that an accidental reinstall does not delete configuration.

Tray indicator

For a visual status indicator for the global systemd service, run the setup script as the desktop user:

./setup-adguard-tray.sh

The script installs the required packages, creates green and red status icons, installs the tray application under ~/.local/bin/, and enables automatic startup with the graphical session. The tray application controls the global adguard-cli.service through PolicyKit and checks its status every five seconds.

Start it immediately with:

~/.local/bin/adguard-cli-tray

Run the setup script as the regular desktop user, not with sudo.

License

The installer changes and repository documentation are distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. AdGuard CLI and its bundled components remain subject to their respective upstream licenses.

Links

• Project repository
• AdGuard CLI releases
• Official AdGuard CLI documentation