Install Nerve

Nerve requires Node.js 24 or newer. The supported npm launcher runs on Linux, Windows 11, and macOS.

Launch from npm

npx @nervekit/desktop
# or
pnpm dlx @nervekit/desktop

The first launch may download Electron’s platform binary. Later launches use the package manager cache. Nerve currently ships through npm; signed and notarized native installers are not part of the release path.

The desktop app normally:

checks the local Nerve data directory;
adopts a healthy existing local daemon or starts an owned one;
waits for the daemon at 127.0.0.1:3747;
opens the bundled workbench.

The shell stops only a daemon it owns. An existing local daemon or a configured remote daemon is monitored but not terminated on quit.

Develop from source

 git clone https://github.com/ThilinaTLM/nerve.git
 cd nerve
 pnpm install
 pnpm desktop

The repository pins pnpm 11.17.0. Use pnpm dev to run the daemon and browser UI development servers, or connect the UI to an existing daemon:

NERVE_API_TARGET=http://127.0.0.1:3747 pnpm dev:ui

Data created on first launch

Nerve uses ~/.nerve by default for portable application state, credentials, logs, reports, and daemon metadata. Override it with NERVE_HOME when you need an isolated test profile. Electron’s active Chromium profile is deliberately stored elsewhere, so also isolate Electron user data when a test requires a completely separate browser profile.

If installation fails

Corporate proxies can allow package installation while blocking the separate Electron binary download. See Install and proxy troubleshooting. Linux users who experience Wayland copy or drag freezes should see Platform troubleshooting.