+++
date = 2023-11-08
title = "Installing scli on Alpine Linux (musl)"
description = "Learn how to properly configure scli for musl-based systems."
+++

[scli](https://github.com/isamert/scli) is a command-line tool that
allows you to connect to your Signal messenger account. This program
utilizes a two-pane display that shows you chats on the left and the
focused conversation on the right.

This guide will show you how to install `scli` and its
dependencies on Alpine Linux, which requires some extra work due to
musl.

If you're using a non-musl system, you can likely following the
`scli` README and download the packaged binaries for an
easier installation process.

## Dependencies

In order to use `scli`, you need a few dependencies:

-   `openjdk17-jre` - Used as a dependency for the
    `signal-cli` tool. Version may vary.
-   `signal-cli` - Used as the backbone of the
    `scli` tool.
-   `findutils` - Replaces the standard Busybox version of
    `xargs`.
-   `urwid` - A console user interface library for Python.
-   `urwid-readline` - For GNU emacs-like keybinds on the
    input line.
-   `qrencode` - Displays a QR code in the terminal to link
    the device using your phone. Not necessary if you're only linking
    on desktop and can copy/paste the connection URL.

Let's start by installing the packages available via Alpine's
repositories. Be sure to install the latest version of
`openjdk`. If you run into Java-related issues, uninstall
`openjdk` and install an older version.

```sh
doas apk add openjdk17-jre findutils qrencode
```

Next, let's install `signal-cli`. Be sure to export the
version of `signal-cli` that you want. I use version
`0.12.4` below, but that may be outdated by the time you're
reading this.

```sh
export VERSION="0.12.4"
wget https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli/releases/download/v"${VERSION}"/signal-cli-"${VERSION}".tar.gz
doas tar xf signal-cli-"${VERSION}".tar.gz -C /opt
doas ln -sf /opt/signal-cli-${VERSION}"/bin/signal/cli /usr/local/bin
```

Finally, install the `urwid` packages using the Python
packaging utility.

```sh
pip3 install urwid urwid-readline
```

## Installation

Now that we have all of the dependencies we need, we can install
`scli`. Start by simply cloning the repository.

```sh
git clone https://github.com/isamert/scli
```

When I cloned this repository on 2023-11-08, I found a bug in the logic
that required a fix. You must edit the `scli` file and
replace the one instance of `RLIMIT_OFILE` with
`RLIMIT_NOFILE`.

```sh
cd scli
nano scli
```

Once complete, you can move this program to anywhere on your
`$PATH`. I chose the following directory.

```sh
doas mv scli /usr/local/bin/scli
```

## Initial Setup

Now that everything is installed, we can login and configure the client.
Start by generating a connection link.

```sh
signal-cli link -n "YOUR-DEVICE-NICKNAME" | tee >(xargs -L 1 qrencode -t utf8)
```

This will generate a connection link and related QR code for you to use
to link the devices together. Once complete, **wait patiently** for the
connection process to finish.

Once it completes, it will exit and return you to the prompt. From here,
you need to perform an initial `receive` command to start
things off. The `USERNAME` variable should be your phone
number, such as `+15551237890`.

```sh
signal-cli -u USERNAME receive
```

Also be sure to test the daemon to ensure it works properly. If no
errors occur, it's working. If you run into errors because you're not
running a DBUS session, see my notes below.

```sh
signal-cli -u USERNAME daemon
```

Once the initial reception is complete, you are ready to use
`scli`.

This process will differ depending on your desktop environment (DE). If
you are running a DE, you likely have a DBUS session running already and
can simply launch the program.

However, if you're like me and running your computer straight on the
TTY without a DE, you'll need to start a DBUS session for this program.

```sh
# If you're not running a DBUS session yet, you need to start one for scli
dbus-run-session -- scli

# OR - If you're already running a DBUS session, simply run scli
scli
```

## Configuration

Lastly, there are a number of configuration options that you can pass
via the command or in the `~/.config/sclirc` file. See the
Github README for more information on configuration options.

```sh
nano ~/.config/sclirc
```

```conf
# ~/.config/sclirc

wrap-at = 80
enable-notifications = true
```

That's it! Following this guide, I have a functional `scli`
program that successfully sends messages to my contacts and myself!