How to update dsh: npx auto-update, npm update -g, or git pull

Updating dsh takes three steps: check the current version, update according to your install type — npx always uses the latest, global installs run npm update -g, source builds run git pull plus a rebuild — then verify the version. This guide covers backup before updating, the update commands for all three install types, post-update verification and a troubleshooting table.

Overview: know how you installed, then pick the update command

How you update dsh depends on how you installed it: npx stays latest automatically, npm globals use the update command, and source installs re-pull and rebuild. All three routes share the same data directory (~/.dsh), so updating the binary does not affect plugins or configs (source). Three steps overall:

1. Check: confirm the current and the latest version;
2. Update: run the matching command for your install type;
3. Verify: check the version number and restart to confirm.

The update path for each install type, at a glance:

Step 1: check the current version

First find out what version you have and what the latest is, then decide whether to update. Steps:

1. Open a terminal and run the version command that matches your install type:

# Globally installed: current version
dsh --version

# npx route: current version (same command)
npx @deepseek-ai/dsh --version

2. Query the latest version on npm:

npm view @deepseek-ai/dsh version

3. Compare the two numbers: identical means you are up to date; otherwise move to the next step (source).

Tip: forgot how you installed it? Run which dsh — a path means global install; no output means the npx route.

Step 2: back up before updating (optional but recommended)

Take 10 seconds to back up the data directory so you can always roll back. Everything lives in ~/.dsh:

# Back up the data directory (configs, sessions and plugin list)
cp -r ~/.dsh ~/.dsh.backup-$(date +%Y%m%d)

# Confirm the backup
ls ~/.dsh.backup-*

If an update fails or plugins misbehave, compare against the backup instead of losing your setup.

Step 3: update by install type

Three install types, three update routes — pick the one you originally used.

Route 1: npx (automatic)

npx re-pulls the latest version on every run, so it updates itself — no command needed. Just make sure the npm cache does not hold a stale package:

# Start directly; this already runs the latest version
npx @deepseek-ai/dsh web

If the launched version still looks old, the cache is probably stale — force a refresh:

# Clean the npm cache and restart
npm cache clean --force
npx @deepseek-ai/dsh web

# More thorough: delete the npx cache directory and restart
rm -rf ~/.npm/_npx
npx @deepseek-ai/dsh web

Route 2: npm global install

If you installed with npm install -g @deepseek-ai/dsh, upgrade with npm update -g — one command. Steps:

1. Run the global update command:

npm update -g @deepseek-ai/dsh

2. Wait for npm to download and replace the old version; output with changed or a version number means success;
3. Confirm the version with dsh --version.

If you used pnpm or yarn, use the equivalent: pnpm add -g @deepseek-ai/dsh@latest or yarn global add @deepseek-ai/dsh.

Route 3: source build

If you cloned and built from source, pull the latest code in the repo directory and rebuild. Steps:

# Enter the source repo (where you originally cloned)
cd ~/dev/deepseek-harness

# Pull the latest code
git pull

# Reinstall dependencies and rebuild (same as the initial install)
npm install
# Run the build command from the repo docs, e.g. npm run build

3. After the build finishes, restart dsh web:

npx @deepseek-ai/dsh web

Conflict fallback: if git pull fails with "local changes", stash them first, then pull:

git stash        # save local changes
git pull         # pull the latest
git stash pop    # restore local changes (resolve conflicts manually if any)

Step 4: verify after the update

Do not jump straight in after updating — confirm the version and functionality first. Steps:

1. Re-run the version command and confirm the number is now the latest (compare with the npm view result);
2. Restart dsh web and confirm the service starts and the page opens;
3. Open Settings → Plugin Center and confirm installed plugins load normally (with DSH Plugin Hub installed, you will see the plugin list and versions);
4. Check Settings → System Logs for any update-related errors.

dsh-plugin-hub · confirm update

Update failed? Troubleshooting table

Read the error type first, then fix accordingly. Common issues:

Still stuck? Open Settings → System Logs for the full error and handle it accordingly.

One more thing: updating dsh vs updating plugins

This guide updates the DeepSeek Harness (dsh) core; plugins are updated separately in the Plugin Center. Do not mix them up:

• dsh core: use one of the three routes above;
• DSH plugin: open Settings → Plugin Center → Installed, update plugins one by one, or run dsh plugin --profile web list to check versions. If a plugin update fails, reinstall it from DSH Plugin Hub.

Quick reference

In one sentence: check with dsh --version, update by install type (npx automatic / npm update -g / git pull + build), then restart and verify. Four reminders:

1. Back up ~/.dsh before updating so you always have a way back;
2. The npx route barely needs manual updates — only a stale cache requires a forced refresh;
3. Global installs are one command: npm update -g @deepseek-ai/dsh;
4. Always verify after updating: version + restart + Plugin Center.

Sources: dsh CLI README, DeepSeek Harness docs - Quickstart, dshplugin/dsh-plugin-hub