ehud-am/gitlocal

A GitHub-like local viewer for the AI coding era — browse, read, and review the code your agents wrote, without opening a full IDE.
**Website:** gitlocal.dev — screenshots, feature overview, and one-line install.
**Community:** got an idea, a question, or a rough edge? Start a discussion or open an issue. GitLocal is built in the open, and your input shapes it.
When AI agents do most of the code generation, direct hand-editing of source files becomes the exception rather than the default. A full IDE can be overkill for that. GitLocal focuses on the work humans still need to do constantly: browse the codebase, understand structure, read Markdown documents clearly, inspect changes, and make small edits when needed. Editing remains possible, but the product is optimized first for navigation, reading, review, and lightweight intervention — plus an integrated terminal for when you need to hand something back to an agent.
Everything runs locally, there are no accounts or telemetry, and any clone, fetch, pull, or push action goes through your installed git only when you choose it.
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Requirements
| Dependency | npm package | macOS app |
|-----------|-------------|-----------|
| Node.js | 22+ | Bundled in the app |
| git | 2.22+ | 2.22+ |
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Choose an Install
Choose the npm package for any OS, or the native macOS app if you'd rather skip the terminal. Both run the same GitLocal server and React viewer — the Mac app is a native wrapper around the same code, not a separate fork.
| Option | Best for | What you get | Tradeoff |
|--------|----------|--------------|----------|
| npm package | macOS, Windows, and Linux users who are comfortable with a terminal | One-command install, opens in your browser, mature distribution | The terminal process must stay open while GitLocal is running |
| macOS app beta | Mac users who want GitLocal to behave like an app | Homebrew install, opens as GitLocal.app, no terminal needed after install | Unsigned beta app — one extra command is required or macOS Gatekeeper blocks it from opening |
Option 1: npm Package
Open a folder or repository:
GitLocal starts a local server, opens your default browser, and prints the local URL:
Keep that terminal window open while you use GitLocal. Press **Ctrl+C** when you want to stop it.
You can also run GitLocal without installing it globally:
Option 2: macOS App Beta
Install with Homebrew:
Then open GitLocal.app from your Applications folder.
The macOS app starts the same local GitLocal service in the background for the app session, shows the viewer in an embedded WebKit window, and stops the service when the app quits. You do not need to keep a terminal open.
On first launch, the app asks before setting GitLocal as the default Markdown reader. If you accept, double-clicking .md and .markdown files in Finder opens GitLocal, activates the file's local folder or repository, and selects the Markdown file in the preview. If you decline, GitLocal leaves your current Markdown default unchanged. You can also choose **GitLocal > Set as Default Markdown Reader** later from the macOS app menu.
**Unsigned beta notice:** the current Mac app is not signed or notarized with an Apple Developer ID. Without the command below, macOS Gatekeeper blocks it from opening at all — this isn't just a dismissible warning. After installing, run:
Then open GitLocal.app normally. Future signed releases should remove this extra step.
Upgrade the app:
Uninstall the app:
Which One Should I Use?
Use the npm package if you want the most mature and portable install path, especially on Windows or Linux.
Use the macOS app beta if you are on a Mac and want a normal app experience without a running terminal. It is aligned with the npm version, but the one-time xattr step above is required until the app is signed and notarized.
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What GitLocal Helps With
- **Browse local projects** with a lazy-loading, keyboard-navigable file tree (arrow keys, Enter/Space) for regular folders and git repositories.