Installation

Bi runs straight after download — there is nothing else to install.

Download

Head to the download page and pick the build that matches your system:

• Windows (amd64 / arm64): double-click bi-windows-*.exe.
• macOS / Linux (amd64 / arm64): add execute permission, then run it.

First run

Bi starts a local server and opens the workbench in your browser. On first run it creates a .bi/ directory in the working directory:

• config.json — your local configuration
• bi.db — the SQLite database holding sessions and messages

The address shown in the UI is a local port. Bi has no server of its own: sessions, files and the database stay under the local .bi/ directory. If you configure a remote model provider, conversation content is sent to the model endpoint you chose.

Pick a model

Bi ships without a model. Before first use, configure at least one model provider (an OpenAI-compatible endpoint or a local model) — see Model providers.

Verify the download

The download page lists a SHA-256 for every artifact. Use it to confirm the file is intact:

# macOS / Linux
shasum -a 256 bi-linux-amd64

# Windows PowerShell
Get-FileHash .\bi-windows-amd64.exe -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the output with the value shown on the download page.