npm package
npm install -g gitlocal
gitlocal .
Opens in your default browser. Keep the terminal window open while you use it.
INSTALL
Install GitLocal
Choose the npm package for any OS, or the native macOS app if you'd rather skip the terminal. Both run the same GitLocal server and viewer. The Mac app is a native wrapper around the same code, not a separate fork.
macOS app beta
brew tap ehud-am/gitlocal
brew install --cask gitlocal
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/GitLocal.app
No terminal needed after install. This beta build is unsigned, so run the command above once — without it, Gatekeeper blocks the app from opening at all.
Requirements
| Dependency | npm package | macOS app |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js | 22+ | Bundled in the app |
| git | 2.22+ | 2.22+ |
Which one should I use?
Use the npm package if you want the most mature and portable install path, especially on Windows or Linux. It opens in your default browser and needs its terminal window to stay open while you use it. Press Ctrl+C there to stop it.
Use the macOS app beta if you are on a Mac and want a normal app experience without a running terminal. It is aligned with the npm version, but the one-time xattr step is required until the app is signed and notarized.
Using the npm package
Install it, then open a folder or repository:
gitlocal .Pass any path to open a different folder, or run gitlocal with no argument to reopen the last one you used. GitLocal starts a local server, opens your browser, and prints its address. To try it without installing anything, run npx gitlocal.
Using the macOS app
After the Homebrew install, run the xattr command once, then open GitLocal.app from your Applications folder. The app starts the same local service in the background for the session and stops it when you quit, so you never need a terminal.
Why the extra command? The current Mac app is not signed or notarized with an Apple Developer ID, so without it macOS Gatekeeper blocks the app from opening at all. This is not just a dismissible warning. Future signed releases should remove the step.
On first launch the app asks before setting GitLocal as your default Markdown reader. If you accept, double-clicking .md and .markdown files in Finder opens them in GitLocal. If you decline, nothing changes, and you can choose GitLocal > Set as Default Markdown Reader later.
Upgrade and uninstall
npm install -g gitlocal@latestbrew update && brew upgrade --cask gitlocalbrew uninstall --cask gitlocalTo remove the npm package, run npm uninstall -g gitlocal.
Need help?
Troubleshooting notes for Homebrew are in the README. For anything else, ask in Q&A or open an issue.