Pythinker Code CLI Docs

Appearance

Pythinker Desktop ​

Pythinker Desktop is a native desktop application for macOS and Windows. It packages the Pythinker Code runtime together with the browser interface, so you get the same agent as the CLI in a normal application window — no terminal, and no manual server start.

The application starts a local Host process on the loopback interface and shows its interface in the application window. Nothing is exposed on the network.

Download and install ​

Download the installer for your platform from the Pythinker Desktop releases page:

PlatformFile
macOSPythinker-<version>-arm64.dmg
WindowsPythinker-<version>-x64-Setup.exe
  • macOS: open the DMG and drag Pythinker into Applications.
  • Windows: run the installer. It installs for the current user, so administrator rights are not necessary, and you can select the installation directory.

There is no Linux desktop distribution at this time. On Linux, use the CLI, or run pythinker web for the browser interface.

Published releases are signed. Release automation verifies the macOS Gatekeeper and notarization results and the Windows Authenticode publisher before it makes a release public.

First launch ​

Start Pythinker as you start any other application. A splash window appears while the local Host starts, and the main window replaces it when the Host is ready.

The desktop application uses the same data directory as the CLI (~/.pythinker-code/ by default), so configuration, providers, MCP servers, and session history are shared. If you already logged in with the CLI, the desktop application uses the same credentials. If you did not, complete the login in the application interface. To connect OpenAI Codex, open the provider manager from the sign-in page or Settings and choose "Sign in with ChatGPT". If the automatic callback fails, paste the redirect URL from the address bar; see the OAuth section for this fallback.

For the directory layout, see Data locations.

Window and tray behavior ​

  • Closing the window hides it. The Host continues to run and your session stays alive.
  • The tray icon menu has two items: Open Pythinker shows the window again, and Quit stops the Host and closes the application. The tray icon animates while the Host starts, and becomes static when the Host is ready.
  • The window stays on the local Host origin. http and https links open in your system browser.

Updates ​

The desktop application checks for updates. Open Settings > Update to see the current state and control the process:

  • Update channel — choose Stable for production releases, Beta for preview releases, or Nightly for the newest signed build from main.
  • Automatically check — discover new versions in the background. This is the default.
  • Notify about updates — show a green update button in the sidebar when a new version is available. Turning this off does not hide the manual update controls.
  • Check now — check the selected channel immediately.
  • Download update — start the download and show its percentage, transferred size, total size, and speed when available.
  • Restart to update — appears when an update is downloaded and ready to install.

When notifications are enabled, the sidebar shows a green update button for the available version. Hover over it, or focus it with the keyboard, to read the release notes. Select it to open the update controls, where you can choose View notes, Skip this version, or Download update. Closing the controls keeps the update available in the Update tab. Skip applies only to that version. A later version appears normally.

Downloading does not install the update. After the download finishes, choose Later to keep it ready or Restart to update to stop the local Host safely, install it, and restart. A normal quit never installs a downloaded update.

The update controls apply to installed builds only. A development build shows them as unavailable. Changing the channel checks a different feed. It does not download an update, install an update, or allow a downgrade.

The local Host port ​

An installed application uses port 24827 on 127.0.0.1. If that port is already in use, set the PYTHINKER_DESKTOP_PORT environment variable to a free port from 1 to 65535 before you start the application.

Troubleshooting ​

  • The window stays on the splash screen: the Host did not report readiness. Quit from the tray menu and start the application again. If the problem continues, run pythinker server run in a terminal and read the error it prints.
  • The application reports that the port is in use: another Pythinker Host, or an unrelated process, holds port 24827. Stop that process, or set PYTHINKER_DESKTOP_PORT.
  • The agent cannot use a model: the desktop application reads the same configuration as the CLI. Examine ~/.pythinker-code/config.toml and see Providers and models.

Next steps ​