# Run it on your computer

> Install Oatmilk on your own Mac, Linux or Windows computer, step by step, at oatmilk.localhost.

Source: https://app.getoatmilk.com/docs/self-hosting/your-computer

This guide installs a complete Oatmilk on your own computer, for you alone, at `https://oatmilk.localhost`. Everything runs in Docker, and your data stays in Docker volumes on your disk.

## 1. Install what it needs

- **Docker.** [Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/) on macOS and Windows; Docker Desktop or Docker Engine with the Compose plugin on Linux. Give Docker at least 4 GB of memory.
- **Bun.** `curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash` (on Windows, inside WSL).
- **Git.**

Check them:

```bash
docker compose version   # 2.20 or newer
bun --version
```

On Windows, run the commands in this guide in a WSL terminal, with Docker Desktop's WSL integration turned on.

## 2. Get Oatmilk

```bash
git clone https://github.com/AGI-Ventures-Canada/oatmilk.git
cd oatmilk
bun install
```

## 3. Run setup

```bash
bun run self-host setup
```

Setup asks one question at a time. Use the arrow keys and `⏎`. For a personal install, answer:

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Where will Oatmilk run? | **On this computer** |
| Address to open it at | `oatmilk.localhost` (press `⏎`) |
| Use the standard web ports, 443 and 80? | **Yes**, unless another program uses them; then **No** and `8443` and `8080` |
| Which PostgreSQL database? | **Run one here** |
| Which Redis? | **Run one here** |
| Where should files be kept? | **On this machine** |
| How should people sign in? | **Accounts kept here** |
| Who can make an account? | **Anyone who can open the site** (only your computer can) |
| Which AI models should read documents and run Ask AI? | See below |
| Should Oatmilk send email? | **No** |
| Create your own account now? | **Yes**, then your email, name and a password of 8 characters or more |
| Build and start Oatmilk now? | **Yes** |

**AI models.** Oatmilk uses AI to read statements, receipts and documents, and for Ask AI.

- To keep everything on your computer, choose **Ollama on this computer** or **LM Studio on this computer**, and set it up with [Use local AI models](https://app.getoatmilk.com/docs/self-hosting/local-models.md) before you upload documents.
- To use hosted models, choose **Vercel AI Gateway** and paste an AI Gateway API key.
- **None for now** works too: Oatmilk keeps your books, but doesn't read documents until you add models.

Setup writes your settings to `self-host/.env`, builds the image and starts everything. The first build takes about 10 minutes. When it finishes, it creates your account and prints what to do next.

## 4. Trust the local certificate

Oatmilk serves `https://oatmilk.localhost` with a certificate from its own local certificate authority. Until you trust that authority, your browser warns about the certificate.

```bash
bun run self-host cert
```

It saves the authority to `self-host/oatmilk-local-ca.crt` and prints the command that trusts it on your system:

| System | Command |
| --- | --- |
| macOS | `sudo security add-trusted-cert -d -r trustRoot -k /Library/Keychains/System.keychain self-host/oatmilk-local-ca.crt` |
| Linux | `sudo cp self-host/oatmilk-local-ca.crt /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/oatmilk-local-ca.crt && sudo update-ca-certificates` |
| Windows | `certutil -addstore -f ROOT self-host\oatmilk-local-ca.crt`, in an administrator PowerShell opened in the `oatmilk` folder |

On Windows with WSL, `cert` prints the Linux command, which trusts the file inside WSL only: run the Windows command too, so your Windows browser trusts it. Restart your browser afterwards. Firefox keeps its own list: in **Settings › Privacy & Security › Certificates › View Certificates › Authorities**, import the same file.

## 5. Sign in and create your company

1. Open <https://oatmilk.localhost>.
2. Sign in with the email and password you gave setup.
3. Create your company: its name, then its profile.

Upload a bank statement or a receipt to check that documents are read. With **None for now**, they wait until you add models.

## 6. Connect the command line (optional)

```bash
export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS="$PWD/self-host/oatmilk-local-ca.crt"
npx @getoatmilk/cli login --host https://oatmilk.localhost
npx @getoatmilk/cli
```

See [Sign in and choose a company](https://app.getoatmilk.com/docs/terminal/sign-in.md#your-own-oatmilk).

## Check it

```bash
bun run self-host status    # each service, and whether the site answers
bun run self-host doctor    # checks everything and says what to fix
```

## Stop and start

```bash
bun run self-host down      # stops everything; your data stays
bun run self-host up        # starts it again
```

Oatmilk starts again on its own when Docker does, for example after a restart.

## If something goes wrong

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| The browser says the certificate isn't trusted | Run `bun run self-host cert`, then the command it prints, and restart the browser |
| Ports 80 or 443 are taken | Run setup again and answer **No** to the standard ports, then open `https://oatmilk.localhost:8443` |
| Another program can't open `oatmilk.localhost` | Add `127.0.0.1 oatmilk.localhost` to `/etc/hosts`. Browsers and the CLI don't need it. |
| Setup stopped while building | Read the output above the error, fix it, then run `bun run self-host up` |
| Your account wasn't created | `bun run self-host user add --email you@example.com --first-name Ada` |

[Update, back up and troubleshoot](https://app.getoatmilk.com/docs/self-hosting/operate.md) has more.