/Installation
Getting Started

Installation

Install OpenHelm on your Mac and connect it to Claude Code.

System Requirements

  • macOS 13 (Ventura) or later
  • Apple Silicon or Intel Mac
  • Claude Code v2.0.0 or later, installed and authenticated

No other dependencies required — the app is fully self-contained.

Download

Download the correct build for your Mac from the releases page:

  • Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4): OpenHelm_0.1.0_aarch64.dmg
  • Intel Mac: OpenHelm_0.1.0_x64.dmg

If you're unsure which chip you have: Apple menu → About This Mac → look for "Apple M" (Silicon) or "Intel" in the chip/processor line.

Install

  1. Open the downloaded .dmg file
  2. Drag OpenHelm into your Applications folder
  3. Launch from Applications (or Spotlight)

On first launch, macOS may show a security prompt for an unverified developer. If that happens: System Settings → Privacy & Security → scroll to the Security section → click Open Anyway.

Setting Up Claude Code

OpenHelm requires Claude Code to be installed and authenticated on your machine.

  1. Install Claude Code if you haven't already
  2. Run claude in your terminal at least once to complete authentication
  3. On first launch, OpenHelm auto-detects Claude Code in your PATH, Homebrew, and global npm paths

If Claude Code is installed in a non-standard location, go to Settings → Claude Code Path and set the path manually.

Verify Setup

On first launch, OpenHelm shows a setup screen. Once Claude Code is detected and a green checkmark appears next to the version, you're ready to create your first project.

Uninstall

Drag OpenHelm from your Applications folder to the Trash. All app data is stored in ~/Library/Application Support/ai.openhelm.app/ — delete this directory to fully remove all data.