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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/open-pencil/open-pencil/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Installation

OpenPencil runs as a desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) or directly in your browser. No account or subscription required.

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Web app (no install)

The fastest way to try OpenPencil is the web version: app.openpencil.dev → Runs entirely in your browser using CanvasKit WASM. All files are stored locally in IndexedDB. No data leaves your machine.

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Desktop app

Download the latest release for your platform: Download from GitHub releases →

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Supported platforms

macOS

  • Apple Silicon (arm64)
  • Intel (x64)
  • Universal binary available

Windows

  • x64 (64-bit Intel/AMD)
  • ARM64 (Windows on ARM)

Linux

  • x64 (64-bit)
  • Debian/Ubuntu packages
  • AppImage for other distros

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macOS installation

1

Download the installer

Choose the .dmg file from the releases page:
  • OpenPencil_universal.dmg — works on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
  • OpenPencil_aarch64.dmg — Apple Silicon only (smaller download)
  • OpenPencil_x64.dmg — Intel Macs only
2

Install the app

  1. Open the downloaded .dmg file
  2. Drag OpenPencil to your Applications folder
  3. Launch OpenPencil from Applications
3

First launch

macOS may show a security warning because the app isn’t code-signed yet.To open:
  1. Right-click OpenPencil in Applications
  2. Select “Open”
  3. Click “Open” in the dialog
Code signing is planned for a future release. Once implemented, this step won’t be necessary.

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Windows installation

1

Download the installer

Choose the .msi file from the releases page:
  • OpenPencil_x64.msi — 64-bit Intel/AMD processors
  • OpenPencil_arm64.msi — Windows on ARM devices
2

Run the installer

  1. Double-click the .msi file
  2. Follow the installation wizard
  3. Launch OpenPencil from the Start menu
3

WebView2 requirement

OpenPencil uses WebView2 for rendering. It’s pre-installed on:
  • Windows 10 version 1803 or later
  • Windows 11
If you’re on an older version, download WebView2 from Microsoft.

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Linux installation

1

Download the package

Choose the package for your distribution:
  • .deb — Debian, Ubuntu, and derivatives
  • .AppImage — Universal Linux package (works on any distro)
2

Install system dependencies

On Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev build-essential curl wget file \
  libxdo-dev libssl-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev
For other distributions, see the Tauri v2 prerequisites.
3

Install OpenPencil

For .deb packages:
sudo dpkg -i OpenPencil_*.deb
sudo apt-get install -f  # Install any missing dependencies
For AppImage:
chmod +x OpenPencil_*.AppImage
./OpenPencil_*.AppImage

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Package size

OpenPencil desktop apps are extremely lightweight:
  • macOS: ~7 MB
  • Windows: ~7 MB
  • Linux: ~8 MB
Fast download, fast cold start, minimal disk space.

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Build from source

If you want to build OpenPencil yourself or contribute to development:
1

Install prerequisites

Required:
  • Bun — JavaScript runtime and package manager
  • Rust — for Tauri desktop builds
Platform-specific:
  • macOS: Xcode Command Line Tools (xcode-select --install)
  • Windows: Visual Studio Build Tools with “Desktop development with C++”
  • Linux: See system dependencies in the Linux installation section above
2

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/open-pencil/open-pencil.git
cd open-pencil
3

Install dependencies

bun install
4

Run in development mode

Web app:
bun run dev
Opens at http://localhost:1420Desktop app:
bun run tauri dev
Launches with hot reload enabled.
5

Build for production

Web app:
bun run build
Desktop app:
bun run tauri build
For macOS universal binary:
bun run tauri build --target universal-apple-darwin

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Update OpenPencil

OpenPencil doesn’t have auto-updates yet. To update:
  1. Download the latest release from GitHub
  2. Install over your existing version
Auto-updates are planned for a future release.

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Next steps

Quick start

Learn the basics and create your first design

CLI reference

Install the headless CLI for automation