CORVID

Install

You install Corvid from its source code. One command, npm run setup, checks your computer, builds Corvid, installs it and starts it.

You can also ask Claude Code to do it. Open Claude Code in the folder where you want Corvid and say "Read INSTALL.md and set up Corvid".

What you need#

  • Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel), or Linux (64-bit, with a desktop). See Platforms for what works on each one.
  • Node.js 22.18 or newer. npm comes with it.
  • git on your PATH. On macOS, run xcode-select --install to get it. On Linux, use your package manager, for example sudo apt install git.
  • Claude Code (external site), installed and signed in.
  • 3 gigabytes (GB) of free disk space.

Linux also needs a system keyring (GNOME Keyring or KWallet) to save passwords. See Linux.

Setup never installs system software. If a tool is missing, install it first.

Install Corvid#

  1. Check the tools. Run node --version, git --version and npm --version. You see three version numbers. Node must be v22.18.0 or higher.

  2. Clone the public repository and go into the folder:

    git clone <public repository URL> corvid
cd corvid

    You see a corvid folder with package.json and INSTALL.md in it.

  3. Run npm run setup. The first run takes a few minutes. Setup does these things in order:

    1. It checks Node, git, npm, Claude Code and free disk space. If something is missing, it stops and changes nothing.
    2. It makes the folder your own git repository. See Your copy of Corvid.
    3. It installs the dependencies and Electron (about 160 megabytes).
    4. It builds Corvid, installs it and starts it.
  4. Wait for the last line. You see Done. Corvid is installed and running. and the Corvid window opens.

If setup stops early, it prints To fix: and a list. Fix each item and run npm run setup again. Running it again is safe. It does not touch your Corvid data, ~/.claude or your git history.

Next: First run.

Setup options#

Run npm run setup -- --help to list the options.

OptionWhat it does
--checkRuns only the checks. Changes nothing.
--no-launchBuilds only. Does not install or start Corvid. Run npm run deploy later to do that.
--keep-gitLeaves git as it is. Use it in a folder that is not a fresh clone.

Where Corvid is installed#

WindowsmacOSLinux
The app%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Corvid~/Applications/Corvid.app~/.local/share/corvid/app
Start it fromThe Start menu~/Applications or SpotlightYour app menu

Your data is in a separate folder. See Data and backups.

Your copy of Corvid#

Setup turns a fresh clone into your own repository:

  • It renames the origin remote to upstream.
  • It turns off pushing to upstream, so nothing goes to the public repository by mistake.
  • It keeps the public history, so an update is an ordinary git merge.

Setup does this only to a fresh clone. If the folder has your own commits, changes or branches, setup says why and stops. Run npm run setup -- --keep-git to build it as it is.

To send a change back, add your own fork as a remote, push a branch to it and open a pull request.

Uninstall#

  1. Turn off Start with Windows or Open at login in Settings, if you turned it on.
  2. Quit Corvid from its tray or menu bar icon. On Linux without a tray, close the window.
  3. Delete the app folder from the table above. On Windows, also delete %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Corvid.previous and the Start menu shortcut. On Linux, delete all of ~/.local/share/corvid and ~/.local/share/applications/corvid.desktop.
  4. Delete your clone folder. Push anything you want to keep first.
  5. If you want, delete your data folder. This removes your projects, tasks, notes and board, and you cannot undo it.

Leave ~/.claude alone. It belongs to Claude Code.