Local Installation

Install LibreChat yourself with Docker, npm, or a Helm chart. It is a self-hosted web app, not a desktop installer.

Is there a Windows or macOS app?

No. LibreChat is a self-hosted web application, so there is no .exe, .dmg, or AppImage to download: you install it yourself using one of the methods below, then use it in your browser. Docker and npm run it on your own machine on Windows, macOS, or Linux and serve it at http://localhost:3080; on Windows, Docker Desktop is the simplest starting point. The Helm chart deploys to a Kubernetes cluster instead, and is reached through your cluster's networking.

Bundled with Docker

MongoDB

MeiliSearch

RAG API

Vector DB

Docker Compose handles all dependencies. With npm or Helm, you install and configure these services separately.

Choose a method

Docker Compose

RecommendedBeginner

Everything runs in containers. MongoDB, MeiliSearch, RAG API, and Vector DB are all included automatically.

~5 min

Prerequisites

Git
Docker Desktop

Commands

git clone https://github.com/danny-avila/LibreChat.git

cd LibreChat

cp .env.example .env

docker compose up -d

MongoDBMeiliSearchRAG APIVector DB

npm

Intermediate

Run LibreChat directly with Node.js. You manage external services like MongoDB and MeiliSearch yourself.

~20 min

Prerequisites

Node.js v24.16.0
Git
MongoDB

Commands

git clone https://github.com/danny-avila/LibreChat.git

cd LibreChat

cp .env.example .env # edit MONGO_URI

npm run reinstall

npm run backend

External services required

Helm Chart

Advanced

Deploy on Kubernetes using Helm. Best for production clusters and infrastructure-as-code workflows.

~15 min

Prerequisites

Kubernetes cluster
kubectl + Helm

Commands

kubectl create secret generic librechat-credentials-env ...

helm install librechat oci://ghcr.io/danny-avila/librechat-chart/librechat

External services required

Not running locally?

Remote Hosting

DigitalOcean, Railway, Azure, and more

.env Configuration

In-depth guide for environment variables

Looking for a desktop installer?

LibreChat is a self-hosted web application, not a native Windows app or Linux AppImage. There is no installer to download and run: you start the server using one of the options above, then use LibreChat in your browser.

On Windows, Docker Desktop is the simplest route.