
Quick Start Guide
Running your first scan using Safety CLI takes less than a minute and can be performed via our Command Line Interface or through the GitHub Action . Below we detail 1. Installation, 2. Authentication, and 3. Running your first scan.
To learn more about upgrading from Safety 2.x to Safety CLI please check out our Migration guide.
Command Line Interface
1. Installation
Begin by installing Safety on your development machine.
Open your Terminal
Run the following command to install:
pip install safety
2. Log In or Register
1. Once installed, try to run your first scan using the following command:
safety scan
2. If you are already logged in, Safety will perform the scan. If you are not already authenticated, Safety CLI will prompt you to create an account or log in using existing credentials.

In both cases, a browser window will open with clear instructions on how to log in or create a new account. Once logged in, Safety CLI will show that you are authenticated and can proceed with the next step.
You will be unable to perform vulnerability scans unless you are authenticated. Create an account and access your free trial here. If you require assistance, please email [email protected].

3. Running Your First Scan
Using the Terminal, navigate to a project, e.g.
cd my/project/
. (This root folder would normally contain files such ascomposer.lock
,requirements.txt
,READMEs
,Pipfile.lock
,pyproject.toml
,.gitignores
etc.)Run the
safety scan
command.Safety will now perform a scan of the current project directory, detecting all Python installations and requirements files. The output of the scan will be presented in the Terminal window.

Jupyter Notebook Quickstart
For users who prefer a more interactive environment, we also provide a Jupyter Notebook Quickstart guide. This notebook offers step-by-step instructions for running Safety CLI within a Jupyter environment, making it easier to explore the functionality and perform your first scan in a familiar interface.
You can access the quickstart notebook here: Jupyter Notebook Quickstart.
Basic Commands
The following are the most commonly used commands. A full glossary of available commands can be found here.
safety --help
accesses Help and displays all available commands, utility commands, and options.safety auth
starts the authentication flow if not logged in and displays authentication status if logged in.safety scan
performs a vulnerability scan in the current directory.safety system-scan
performs a vulnerability scan across the entire development machine.safety scan --apply-fixes
performs a scan and automatically updates vulnerable dependencies to the next secure version.
GitHub Action
The quickest way to test Safety CLI in CI/CD is by using our GitHub Action, new in Safety CLI. Full documentation on the GitHub Action is available here:
If you require assistance, please email [email protected].
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