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Otto

Install from source

Run Otto from its source code on macOS or Linux. Choose this if you use Linux or want to change Otto's code. On a Mac or Windows PC, the desktop app is quicker.

Requirements

Section titled “Requirements”
You need Version or detail
Node.js 24.21.0 or newer
pnpm 10.34.5, enabled through Corepack
Docker With Compose v2, running, for example Docker Desktop on a Mac
Git Any recent version
Model connection An OpenAI, Anthropic or OpenRouter API key, or a ChatGPT plan

What pnpm start runs

Section titled “What pnpm start runs”

pnpm start installs dependencies, builds the web app and starts three Docker containers. Then it starts the Otto server, which serves the web app on 127.0.0.1.

flowchart LR
  you([Your browser]):::accent -- access link --> server[Otto server<br/>and web app]:::accent
  server --> db[(PostgreSQL)]
  server --> ws[Workspace<br/>container]
  server --> br[Browser<br/>container]
  server -.-> model[Your model<br/>provider]:::muted

The workspace is where Otto runs commands and keeps files. The browser is where it visits websites. Neither of them receives your provider keys.

Get the code

Section titled “Get the code”
Terminal
git clone https://github.com/n8n-io/otto.git
cd otto

Set up the Vault key

Section titled “Set up the Vault key”

Otto encrypts your saved keys, logins and cards with a Vault key.

Nothing to do. Otto creates a key and keeps it in the macOS Keychain item dev.otto.vault.

Start Otto

Section titled “Start Otto”

  1. Enable pnpm and start Otto. The first run takes a while.

    Terminal
    corepack enable
    pnpm start

  2. When the server is ready, it prints a link such as http://localhost:4310/#access=…. Open it once. Your browser keeps the access cookie, so http://localhost:4310 works from then on.

  3. Follow the onboarding to connect a model and try a first task. See Your first conversation.

Run Otto day to day

Section titled “Run Otto day to day”
To Do this
Stop Otto Press Ctrl-C, then run docker compose stop to stop the containers.
Update Otto Stop it, run git pull and pnpm install --frozen-lockfile, then pnpm start.
Get a new link Delete access-key in your data folder (.local/ by default) and restart. Otherwise the key stays the same across restarts.
Find your data .local/ (or OTTO_DATA_ROOT) and the Docker volumes. The Vault key is in .env, or in the Keychain item dev.otto.vault on macOS.
Back up Stop Otto, then copy your data folder (.local/ or OTTO_DATA_ROOT), the Docker volumes and the Vault key.

Settings live in .env, and you need to restart after you change them. See Configuration.

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”
You see Do this
Use Node.js 24.21.0 or newer. Install a newer Node.js and run pnpm start again.
Docker errors on start Make sure Docker is running and docker compose version reports v2.
Configure OTTO_VAULT_KEY… when saving a key Set OTTO_VAULT_KEY as shown in Set up the Vault key, then restart.
Missing modules after git pull Run pnpm install --frozen-lockfile, then pnpm start.
The port is in use Set another PORT in .env. The default is 4310.
Section titled “Related resources”