Docs

Getting started

Requirements, first launch, and the two warnings every unsigned app gets.

What do I need to run Donna?

  • macOS: Apple Silicon or Intel (separate downloads; the site’s button picks Apple Silicon, the “Intel Mac?” link is next to it).
  • Windows: Windows 10 or later, 64-bit. The installer sets up WebView2 automatically if it’s missing.
  • Linux: x86_64 with a recent glibc; AppImage, .deb, and .rpm are provided.
  • For the free local model: roughly 4 GB of free disk (runtime + model) and 8 GB of RAM is a comfortable floor. Cloud keys need almost nothing.

Is there a one-line install for macOS?

Yes, and it’s the smoothest path. Paste this in Terminal:

curl -fsSL https://duckyquang.github.io/Donna/install.sh | sh

It detects Apple Silicon vs Intel, downloads the latest release from GitHub, installs Donna.app into Applications, and opens it. Because the download comes through curl, macOS never adds the quarantine flag, so there are no security dialogs at all: no “damaged”, no Open Anyway. You can read the script first at install.sh; it is forty lines of plain shell.

Why does my OS say Donna is “damaged” or warn me on first launch?

Donna isn’t code-signed with Apple or Microsoft yet: certificates cost money and this is a free project. The binaries are built in public by GitHub Actions from the open source, so you can audit exactly what you’re running.

macOS says Donna is “damaged”: open Terminal, paste xattr -cr /Applications/Donna.app, and press Return. One time only; that clears the quarantine flag macOS puts on unsigned downloads. If macOS instead offers the softer dialog, System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway also works. Windows: More info → Run anyway. Each is needed once.

What happens on first launch?

Donna starts her built-in brain (a local server bundled inside the app), then walks you through choosing how she thinks: a free local model she downloads and manages herself, or your own OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google API key. After that you can connect tools from the Integrations page. No terminal, no config files.

Where did the window go when I closed it?

Closing the window hides Donna instead of quitting her, so reminders and briefings keep working. She lives in the menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows/Linux). Use Open Donna there to bring the window back, or Quit Donna to actually stop everything.

Architecture →