Takes: 2-10 minutes, mostly automatic downloads. You need: Node.js 22+ and Python 3.12+ (checked below). Disk: about 1 GB. No git, no build tools, no account.
No command-line experience? You only need to copy and paste three lines into the terminal (the text command app — Terminal on macOS, PowerShell on Windows). Each step below tells you exactly what you should see.
Before you install
OpenCompany needs two free tools. Check whether you already have them:v22 or higher. Then:
Python 3.12 or higher.
Missing one? Install Node.js from nodejs.org (choose the LTS version) and Python from python.org/downloads. On Windows, tick Add python.exe to PATH in the Python installer. Then open a new terminal window and re-check.
Install (3 steps)
1
Install the app
Run: company start.2
Start it
3
Open it
Go to http://localhost:3000 in your browser.
The workflow canvas appears — no login needed — and the Welcome Guide walks you through the basics.
You see the canvas with a component palette on the left and three example workflows in the sidebar. You’re in.
One-command installers
Don’t want to install Node and Python yourself? These scripts install the prerequisites AND OpenCompany in one go:company start and open http://localhost:3000.
Windows note: slow first install or startup
Windows note: slow first install or startup
Windows Defender scans every new Python file, which can make the first install or start slow. If it drags: open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage settings → Exclusions, and add the
server\.venv folder inside your OpenCompany install. A reboot after first install also helps.Everyday commands
The old
machina command still works as a deprecated alias of company.Settings you might change later
OpenCompany creates its settings file (.env) automatically — you do not need to touch it to get started. Two settings people ask about:
Ports
Ports
The app uses port 3000 (what you open in the browser) and 3010 (the backend). If another program owns one of them, edit the
.env file inside the install folder and change VITE_CLIENT_PORT or PYTHON_BACKEND_PORT, then restart.Login screen
Login screen
Local installs have no login (
VITE_AUTH_ENABLED=false by default) — the app is only reachable from your own machine. Cloud deployments created with company deploy turn the login gate on automatically. To require a login locally, set VITE_AUTH_ENABLED=true in .env and restart.For developers
Run from source (contributors)
Run from source (contributors)
This path needs git and pnpm in addition to Node 22+ and Python 3.12+:
pnpm run dev starts the hot-reload dev stack (Vite + backend + workflow engine). The npm scripts are thin wrappers over the company CLI (python -m cli dev). The backend environment is managed by uv against server/uv.lock — pnpm run build sets it up for you. Handy dev flags: company dev --force (re-bundle frontend dependencies) and company dev --daemon (expose the backend on your network).If something went wrong
Troubleshooting
Version checks, port conflicts, Defender slowdowns, and clean rebuilds — with exact commands.
Next step
Add your AI key
Connect one AI provider (2 minutes) — or run free local models.