Install ChatLab

ChatLab is available as a Desktop app, CLI, or Docker image.

Desktop

Download the installer for your operating system from the ChatLab website or GitHub Releases, then run it.

CLI

The CLI requires Node.js 20 or newer:

npm install --global chatlab-cli

After installation, run:

chatlab start             # Start API + Web UI and open it in a browser
chatlab start --no-open   # Start API + Web UI without opening a browser
chatlab start --headless  # Start the API without serving the Web UI (for scripts / AI Agents)

Common options: --port <port> (default 3110), --host <address>, and --token <token>.

To keep ChatLab running as a background service:

chatlab start --daemon  # Install as a system service (macOS / Linux)
chatlab status          # Check service status
chatlab stop            # Stop and remove the service

TIP

clb is a shorthand alias for chatlab; both are equivalent.

Docker

For a container deployment, see Docker Deployment. To share data later with Desktop or a local CLI on the same computer, use the recommended host-directory mount.

After installation, continue with Quick Start.