Introduction
Installation of CAT will take you less than one minute. It does NOT require admin permissions.
Install CAT Using a Single Command
CAT is implemented as a PowerShell module. That means, you can install it using a single PowerShell command.
If you already have PowerShell 7.4, it is only about running this single command:
Install-Module CAT -AcceptLicense -Force -AllowClobber -Scope CurrentUser
If you don’t have PowerShell 7 or you don’t know what version of PowerShell you have, check Prerequisites.
If the command does not work for you or you need more control over where the module is installed or what version is installed, go to Install CAT.
Installation in Automated Processes
The above command is enough for exploratory testing or for trying out CAT. When you use CAT in CI/CD pipelines or other automated process, one more thing is needed. It is still one single command, but we strongly recommend doing this:
Important
When you wire CAT into your automated workflows, always fix the version you used for development of your tests.
Example:
Install-Module CAT -RequiredVersion '0.27.2.1'
# and when using CAT, also import the same version
Import-Module CAT -RequiredVersion '0.27.2.1'
It will help you to avoid dealing with potential breaking changes. There may be breaking changes between major versions of CAT (such as between 0.27.2.1 and 1.0.0.0).
Other Options - GUI, CLI
If you don’t have PowerShell 7, or you cannot install it, or you are not experienced in using command-line tools, there is no problem.
CAT PowerShell module is not the only option. CAT has also a GUI - CAT Studio. It can be installed from Microsoft Store.
There is also command-line interface, without any dependency on PowerShell - CAT CLI. It can be downloaded from releases page and installed either from command-line or by simply clicking next, next, next…