> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://bollyai.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build from Source

> Clone the repository and build the Bolly server, client, and desktop app from source

Building from source is for developers who want to contribute, customize Bolly's behavior, or run the latest unreleased changes.

## Prerequisites

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Required">
    * **Rust** (latest stable via [rustup](https://rustup.rs))
    * **Node.js** (LTS, v20+)
    * **pnpm** (NOT npm or yarn)
    * **Git**
  </Card>

  <Card title="For Desktop App">
    * All of the above, plus:
    * **Tauri 2 prerequisites** ([see platform guide](https://v2.tauri.app/start/prerequisites/))
    * macOS: Xcode Command Line Tools
    * Linux: `webkit2gtk`, `libappindicator`, `librsvg`
    * Windows: Visual Studio C++ Build Tools, WebView2
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Clone the repository

```bash theme={null}
git clone https://github.com/triangle-int/bolly.git
cd bolly
```

## Project structure

```
bolly/
├── server/         # Rust backend (Axum)
├── client/         # SvelteKit frontend
├── desktop/        # Tauri 2 desktop app
├── landing/        # Marketing site (SvelteKit)
└── VERSION         # Single source of truth for version
```

## Building the server

The server is a Rust application using Axum. It embeds the compiled client at build time via `rust-embed`.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Build the client first">
    The server embeds the client's build output, so build the client first:

    ```bash theme={null}
    cd client
    pnpm install
    pnpm build
    cd ..
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build the server">
    ```bash theme={null}
    cd server
    cargo build --release
    ```

    The binary will be at `target/release/bolly`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the server">
    ```bash theme={null}
    cargo run --release
    ```

    Or run the binary directly:

    ```bash theme={null}
    ./target/release/bolly
    ```

    Open [http://localhost:26559](http://localhost:26559) in your browser. Bolly will walk you through the initial setup.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>For development, use `cargo run` (without `--release`) for faster compilation with debug symbols.</Tip>

## Development mode (hot reload)

For active development, run the server and client separately with hot reload:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start the server in dev mode">
    ```bash theme={null}
    cd server
    cargo run
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start the client dev server">
    In a separate terminal:

    ```bash theme={null}
    cd client
    pnpm install
    pnpm dev
    ```

    The client dev server runs on `http://localhost:5173` with hot module replacement.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Building the desktop app

The desktop app wraps the client in a Tauri 2 shell, adding computer use capabilities.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install Tauri prerequisites">
    Follow the [Tauri 2 prerequisites guide](https://v2.tauri.app/start/prerequisites/) for your platform.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install dependencies">
    ```bash theme={null}
    cd desktop
    pnpm install
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Development mode">
    ```bash theme={null}
    pnpm tauri dev
    ```

    This starts the desktop app with hot reload.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build for production">
    ```bash theme={null}
    pnpm tauri build
    ```

    Built artifacts will be in `desktop/src-tauri/target/release/bundle/`.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Building the landing page

If you want to run or modify the marketing site:

```bash theme={null}
cd landing
pnpm install
pnpm dev
```

The landing page runs on `http://localhost:5173`.

<Note>The landing page requires a PostgreSQL database (Neon) for user management features. For just viewing the site, the dev server works without it.</Note>

## Custom data directory

Set the `BOLLY_HOME` environment variable to use a different data directory:

```bash theme={null}
BOLLY_HOME=/path/to/data cargo run
```

## Code style and linting

Before submitting changes:

```bash theme={null}
# Rust
cd server
cargo fmt
cargo clippy

# Client/Desktop
cd client  # or desktop
pnpm check
```

## Running tests

```bash theme={null}
# Server tests
cd server
cargo test

# Client tests
cd client
pnpm test
```

## Contributing

1. Fork the repository from the `main` branch
2. Create a feature branch
3. Test your changes locally
4. Keep commit messages short and imperative
5. Submit a pull request

<Info>See [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/triangle-int/bolly/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) in the repository for full guidelines.</Info>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/docs/installation/configuration">
    Customize personality, heartbeat, and memory settings.
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Keys" icon="key" href="/docs/installation/api-keys">
    Learn about API keys for Anthropic, Google AI, and ElevenLabs.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>