Installation

JARVIS can run:

• On your local machine
• On a home server
• On a VPS
• In Docker

Security First

JARVIS can control files, terminals, browsers, remote channels, and connected machines. Treat installation as a security decision, not just a package install.

Before exposing the dashboard outside localhost or giving JARVIS access to real accounts, read:

• Disclaimer & Liability
• Authority & Safety

The daemon is the brain. It does not need to live on the same machine that you want to control. If you want JARVIS to stay online 24/7, a server or always-on machine is the best fit. If you want JARVIS to control another machine’s desktop, browser, or filesystem, install a sidecar there after the daemon is up.

Recommended Install

The simplest path is the Bun package:

bun install -g @usejarvis/brain
jarvis onboard

Then start it:

jarvis start

Requirements

Before installing, make sure you have:

• Bun
• A supported OS: Linux, macOS, or Windows/WSL2
• At least one LLM provider configured

Optional but common:

• Ollama if you want local models
• Google OAuth credentials for Gmail or Calendar features
• Telegram or Discord bot credentials for remote messaging
• ElevenLabs credentials if you want premium TTS

Installation Options

Option 1: Bun Package

Use this if you want the fastest local install:

bun install -g @usejarvis/brain
jarvis onboard

Option 2: One-Liner Installer

Use this if you want the repository installed under ~/.jarvis/daemon automatically:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vierisid/jarvis/main/install.sh -o /tmp/jarvis-install.sh
less /tmp/jarvis-install.sh
bash /tmp/jarvis-install.sh
jarvis onboard

If you want a more reproducible install, pin that URL to a specific release tag or commit instead of main.

Option 3: Manual Repository Install

Use this if you want the full source checkout:

git clone https://github.com/vierisid/jarvis.git ~/.jarvis/daemon
cd ~/.jarvis/daemon
bun install
bun run build:ui

Then run:

bin/jarvis.ts onboard

Or, if the CLI is already linked globally:

jarvis onboard

Option 4: Docker

Docker is useful when you want to host the daemon in a containerized environment:

docker run -d --name jarvis \
  -p 3142:3142 \
  -v jarvis-data:/data \
  ghcr.io/vierisid/jarvis:0.2.1

Replace 0.2.1 with the release you want to run. Use :latest only if you explicitly want floating upgrades.

Important limitation:

• The daemon inside Docker does not automatically gain access to your host desktop, browser, clipboard, or native apps.
• If you want real desktop/browser automation on another machine, install a sidecar on that machine.

Docker: Mounting a Real Config File

If you want repeatable config management, mount your own config.yaml into the container instead of relying only on environment variables.

Example pattern:

mkdir -p ~/.jarvis-docker
cp ~/.jarvis/config.yaml ~/.jarvis-docker/config.yaml

Then run:

docker run -d --name jarvis \
  -p 3142:3142 \
  -v ~/.jarvis-docker/config.yaml:/data/config.yaml \
  -v jarvis-data:/data \
  ghcr.io/vierisid/jarvis:latest

Docker: Networking Advice

When JARVIS runs in Docker, localhost inside the container is the container itself.

That means:

• ollama.base_url: http://localhost:11434 only works if Ollama is inside the same network context the daemon can actually reach
• the same warning applies to local Whisper endpoints and similar local services

If those services live somewhere else, point JARVIS at:

• a reachable host IP
• a service/container hostname
• a reverse-proxied hostname

See Troubleshooting for the detailed explanation.

Choosing Where to Run the Daemon

Local Machine

Best when:

• You are just getting started
• You want the simplest setup
• You mainly use one machine

Tradeoffs:

• JARVIS only stays online while that machine is on
• If you want it to start automatically after reboot, configure Autostart

VPS or Home Server

Best when:

• You want JARVIS available 24/7
• You want one daemon to coordinate multiple machines
• You care about uptime more than local-only simplicity

Tradeoffs:

• You need to think about public URL, auth token, and remote access
• Desktop/browser control still happens through sidecars on the target machines

After Installation

The next steps are:

1. Run Quick Start
2. Configure Autostart if you want it managed as a background service
3. Install sidecars on any machines you want JARVIS to control directly

Sidecar Reminder

The daemon and the sidecar are different things:

• The daemon is the brain
• The sidecar is the machine-level actuator

If you run JARVIS on a VPS and want it to see and control your laptop, install a sidecar on the laptop. See Desktop Control.