Azure Cosmos DB Shell is available through three distribution methods. Choose the one that best fits your workflow.
Option 1: VS Code extension (recommended)
The VS Code extension provides seamless integration with the code editor.
Method 1a: Install from VS Code Marketplace
Open VS Code
- Launch Visual Studio Code on your machine
Open Extensions Marketplace
- Click the Extensions icon (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Or go to View > Extensions
Search for Cosmos DB
- Type "Cosmos DB" in the search box
- Look for the "Azure Cosmos DB" extension by Microsoft
Install the Extension
- Click the Install button
- Wait for installation to complete
Verify Installation
- The extension should appear in your installed extensions list
- You can now access Cosmos DB Shell from the command palette
Method 1b: Install from VSIX file
Download Extension
- Download
vscode-cosmosdb-0.33.3.vsix(or latest version) from the releases
- Download
Install Extension
- Open VS Code
- Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Click the "..." menu and select "Install from VSIX"
- Select the downloaded file
Complete Installation
- Wait for the installation to finish
- Reload VS Code if prompted
VS Code extension requirements
- VS Code Version: 1.85 or later
- Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
- Disk Space: ~50 MB
For detailed VS Code integration features, see Visual Studio Code Extension Setup.
Option 2: NuGet package (.NET global tool)
Install as a .NET global tool for command-line access.
Prerequisites
- .NET SDK: Version 10.0 or later
- Platform Support: Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux (x64 and ARM)
Installation steps
Open Terminal or Command Prompt
- Windows: Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
- macOS/Linux: Open Terminal
Install Global Tool
dotnet tool install --global CosmosDBShell --prereleaseVerify Installation
cosmosdbshell --version
Update to latest version
dotnet tool update --global CosmosDBShell --prerelease
Uninstall
dotnet tool uninstall --global CosmosDBShell
Package details
- Package Name: CosmosDBShell
- Version: 1.0.213-preview
- NuGet URL: CosmosDBShell on NuGet.org
- License: MIT
Option 3: Self-contained binary (no .NET required)
Download and extract a self-contained binary for your platform.
Prerequisites
- No runtime requirements (includes .NET runtime)
- Sufficient disk space (~200 MB)
Installation steps
Download
- Choose your platform:
- Windows (x64):
cosmosdbshell-win-x64.zip - Windows (ARM):
cosmosdbshell-win-arm64.zip - macOS (Intel):
cosmosdbshell-macos-x64.tar.gz - macOS (Apple Silicon):
cosmosdbshell-macos-arm64.tar.gz - Linux (x64):
cosmosdbshell-linux-x64.tar.gz - Linux (ARM64):
cosmosdbshell-linux-arm64.tar.gz
- Windows (x64):
- Choose your platform:
Extract Archive
Windows:
Expand-Archive -Path cosmosdbshell-win-x64.zip -DestinationPath "C:\Program Files\CosmosDBShell"macOS/Linux:
mkdir -p ~/cosmosdbshell tar -xzf cosmosdbshell-macos-x64.tar.gz -C ~/cosmosdbshellAdd to PATH (Optional)
Windows:
- Add
C:\Program Files\CosmosDBShellto your system PATH - Or use the full path:
C:\Program Files\CosmosDBShell\cosmosdbshell.exe
macOS/Linux:
export PATH="$HOME/cosmosdbshell:$PATH" # Add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc for persistence- Add
Run
cosmosdbshell
Verification
Test your installation
For NuGet Installation:
cosmosdbshell --versionFor Binary Installation:
./cosmosdbshell --versionFor VS Code Extension:
- Open the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P)
- Type "Cosmos DB Shell"
- You should see Cosmos DB Shell commands
Troubleshooting
"Command not found" (NuGet installation)
- Ensure .NET SDK 10.0+ is installed:
dotnet --version - Restart your terminal after installation
- Check that
$HOME/.dotnet/toolsis in your PATH
"File not found" (binary installation)
- Verify the archive extracted successfully
- Check file permissions:
chmod +x cosmosdbshell(macOS/Linux) - Use the full path to the executable
VS Code extension not appearing
- Ensure VS Code version is 1.85 or later
- Restart VS Code
- Check the Extensions marketplace for the "Azure Cosmos DB" extension
Next steps
- Quick Start Guide - Get started with basic commands
- Command Reference - Learn all available commands
- Security Best Practices - Secure your setup
Support
If you encounter issues: