Getting Started with the CLI
The game-ci CLI lets you run Unity builds, activate licenses, and manage caches directly from your
terminal - no GitHub Actions or CI platform required.
Installation
Linux / macOS
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/game-ci/orchestrator/main/install.sh | sh
Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/game-ci/orchestrator/main/install.ps1 | iex
Options
| Environment variable | Description |
|---|---|
GAME_CI_VERSION | Pin a specific release (e.g. v2.0.0). Defaults to latest. |
GAME_CI_INSTALL | Override install directory. Defaults to ~/.game-ci/bin. |
# Example: install a specific version
GAME_CI_VERSION=v2.0.0 curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/game-ci/orchestrator/main/install.sh | sh
Manual Download
Pre-built binaries for every platform (Linux x64/arm64, macOS x64/arm64, Windows x64) are available
on the GitHub Releases page. Download the binary
for your OS and architecture, make it executable, and place it on your PATH.
Unity License Activation
Before building, you need a Unity license. Set one of the following environment variables:
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
UNITY_SERIAL | Unity serial key (Professional/Plus licenses) |
UNITY_LICENSE | Contents of a Unity .ulf license file (base64 or raw XML) |
You can verify your license is detected by running:
game-ci activate
This checks for valid license credentials and reports whether activation will succeed. If using a
floating license server, pass the --unity-licensing-server flag instead:
game-ci activate --unity-licensing-server http://license-server:8080
Environment Variables
Set these in your shell profile or pass them inline:
export UNITY_SERIAL="XX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX"
Or for personal licenses:
export UNITY_LICENSE="$(cat ~/Unity_v2022.x.ulf)"
Your First Build
Run a build by specifying your target platform. The Unity version is auto-detected from your
project's ProjectSettings/ProjectVersion.txt by default:
game-ci build \
--target-platform StandaloneLinux64
You can also specify the Unity version explicitly:
game-ci build \
--unity-version 2022.3.56f1 \
--target-platform StandaloneLinux64
The CLI will:
- Pull the matching Unity Docker image
- Mount your project into a container
- Run the Unity build
- Output build artifacts to the
build/directory
Specifying a Project Path
If your Unity project is not in the current directory, use --project-path:
game-ci build \
--target-platform StandaloneWindows64 \
--project-path ./my-unity-project
Common Target Platforms
| Platform | Value |
|---|---|
| Linux (64-bit) | StandaloneLinux64 |
| Windows (64-bit) | StandaloneWindows64 |
| macOS | StandaloneOSX |
| WebGL | WebGL |
| Android | Android |
| iOS | iOS |
Checking Your Setup
Use the status command to verify your environment:
game-ci status
This reports whether a Unity project is detected, the Unity version, Library cache status, Docker availability, and which license environment variables are set.
Next Steps
- Build Command Reference - full list of build flags and options
- Orchestrate Command - run builds on cloud infrastructure
- Other Commands - license activation, cache management, and more