docs/dev-tools/backends/index.md
A backend tells mise where to find a tool's versions and how to install them.
Use a registry shorthand such as ripgrep for the default selection, or specify
a backend explicitly, such as github:BurntSushi/ripgrep.
Start by checking the registry:
mise registry ripgrep
mise ls-remote ripgrep
mise use ripgrep
mise exec -- rg --version
mise use installs the tool and records it in the project's mise.toml.
Add -g for your global configuration. You can use an explicit backend even
when a tool has no registry shorthand; a registry submission is not required.
| Source | Backends | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Signed publisher manifests | Packslip | The publisher must provide Packslip releases and a verifiable signer. |
| Curated binary recipes | Aqua | The aqua registry must have an entry for the tool and platform. No aqua CLI is required. |
| Release assets | GitHub, GitLab, Forgejo | Releases must include an installable asset for your platform. |
| Direct downloads | HTTP, S3 | Supply download URLs and, for version discovery, a version source. |
| Language packages | Cargo, Go, npm, pipx, gem, .NET, Swift Package Manager | Read the backend's runtime and build prerequisites. |
| Binary package ecosystems | Conda, pkgx (experimental) | Packages and their runtime dependencies must support your platform. |
| Plugin-defined installation | vfox, asdf (legacy) | Review the plugin and its dependencies before installation. |
| Legacy release installer | ubi (deprecated) | Migrate existing configurations to the appropriate release backend. |
Built-in language support is documented in the language guides. Plugin authors can also create custom backends that manage a family of tools.
A listed version does not guarantee that its publisher ships an artifact for your
OS and architecture. Check installation and the actual executable with
mise exec -- <command> --version. If selection fails, the backend's guide
explains its asset names, authentication, and platform options.
For reproducible installations, record concrete versions and supported-platform checksums in mise.lock. Verification coverage differs by backend; see security and the individual guide before relying on a particular signature or provenance check.
See backend architecture for selection, installation dependencies, and the implementation lifecycle.