Documentation
Getting Started
Create an account, download Cerebro Desktop, and run the installer. The setup wizard checks your system and installs anything missing — with your permission, from official sources. Nothing else to configure.
Before you begin
Prerequisites
Listed here for transparency. The Cerebro installer detects and offers to install anything missing — you don't need to set these up manually before you start.
A tool-use model
Cerebro drives a reasoning model with tool-calling. Pick one:
- Claude Code — a Claude Pro or Max subscription (recommended)
- OpenAI Codex — a Codex / ChatGPT subscription
- Any local model with tool-use support (Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM, etc.)
System runtimes
Handled automatically by the setup wizard:
- Claude Code CLI — installed via the official claude.ai script
- Node.js LTS — from nodejs.org (required by Claude Code)
- Windows, macOS, or Linux — 64-bit, 8 GB RAM minimum
Nothing installs without your permission. The wizard shows each item, where it comes from, and waits for you to approve before proceeding.
1Create your account & subscribe
Sign up at cerebro.life and choose a plan. Your subscription bundles everything — the desktop app, updates, and your personal portal. No separate license to buy, no per-seat add-ons.
See plans & sign up2Download Cerebro Desktop
Once subscribed, head to your portal. The download button auto-detects your OS and highlights the right installer. While you're there, grab your passkey too — you'll need it in Step 4.
- One-click download — .exe / .AppImage auto-selected for your OS
- Copy your passkey — the activation code that unlocks the app
- Release notes and every previous build available from the portal
3Run the installer
Run the downloaded file. On first launch, the setup wizard scans your system for the Claude Code CLI and Node.js. For anything missing, it offers a one-click install from the official vendor source — with your explicit approval before each step.
What the setup wizard does
Detects Claude Code CLI, Node.js, and Git. Shows you exactly what's present and what's missing.
Offers an [Install for me] button for each missing item — or [Show manual instructions] if you prefer to handle it yourself.
Downloads only from official vendor sources — the claude.ai install script, nodejs.org, and winget or brew for Git. Nothing from Professor-hosted infrastructure.
Launches Cerebro once everything is confirmed ready.
# Linux — make executable first
chmod +x Cerebro-Installer.AppImage
./Cerebro-Installer.AppImage
# Windows — double-click Cerebro-Installer.exe
# SmartScreen may warn on first run: More info → Run anyway
# macOS — drag app to Applications, then right-click → Open on first launchOn first launch the app creates ~/.cerebro/ for your memory store. Nothing leaves your machine.
4Unlock with your passkey
Open Cerebro Desktop and paste the passkey from your portal when prompted. The app validates it once, connects to your Claude Code (or Codex / local) session, and starts populating the Mind tab within a minute. That's it — you're live.
Lost your passkey? It's always available in your portal — you can re-copy or rotate it at any time.
5Confirm it's working
Open the Mind tab. If you see your activity feed populating and the operations engine running, the install is healthy. For a deeper status check, the Settings page has a Run Diagnostics button that reports memory count, FAISS index health, MCP server status, and CLI connectivity.
Advanced
Manual setup (optional)
The wizard handles this automatically on first launch. Use these commands only if you prefer to pre-install prerequisites yourself, or if the wizard runs into an issue on your system.
Claude Code CLI — official install script from claude.ai
# macOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | sh
# Windows (PowerShell)
iwr -useb https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
# Sign in with your existing subscription
claude loginNode.js LTS — from nodejs.org
# macOS (via Homebrew)
brew install node
# Linux (via NodeSource)
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
# Windows — download from https://nodejs.orgRunning into trouble? See the troubleshooting guide for SmartScreen warnings, PATH issues, no-admin environments, and more.