Run OpenChatCut from source

Running from source is best for development, debugging, and contributions. For a quick try, use desktop installers—see the desktop install guide.

Requirements

• Node.js 24.x (see repository package.json / .nvmrc)
• npm (bundled with Node)
• macOS / Windows / Linux development machine

With nvm, fnm, or mise, switch to the major version the repo expects first.

Install and start

git clone https://github.com/0xsline/OpenChatCut.git
cd OpenChatCut
npm install
npm run dev

Open the dev URL printed in the terminal (commonly http://localhost:5199).

Desktop shell development:

npm run desktop:dev

Confirm script names in the repository package.json.

Configure AI features

Core timeline, local projects, and manual editing do not require cloud services. Configure providers and keys in app settings only when you need the agent, transcription, or online generation.

Keep secrets on the local server side. Do not commit them or put them in client-bundled env vars.

Verify changes

Minimum check used in the repo:

npx tsc --noEmit

For cross-cutting or release-facing changes, also run tests and build (see AGENTS.md / README). Template or sandbox work needs the repo’s dedicated check script.

Projects and data

• Local project library lives under the OpenChatCut data path in your user directory
• Browser mode uses IndexedDB and related local caches
• Deleting node_modules does not delete your project media

Next steps

• MCP setup
• Docs hub
• Changelog
• GitHub