Install Rick on Apple Silicon macOS or Ubuntu Linux

Self-service release paused. This is a reference workflow, not an executable quickstart. The public installer exits without changes until signed distribution, registration, and update contracts are verified.

Use this reference to prepare a machine for a future verified self-hosted Rick release. It covers the reviewed installer gates and intended verification step; it does not claim that every Linux distribution, container, Raspberry Pi, or Windows environment is supported.

Before either installation

Back up important local files.
Confirm the machine is macOS or Linux and has a stable outbound connection.
Confirm Python 3 works with python3 --version.
Keep at least 500 MB free for the installer’s minimum gate; reserve more for logs, memory, and updates.
Decide whether you want install analytics and network registration. Use --no-telemetry to opt out.
Review https://meetrick.ai/install.sh before execution.

Run the browser readiness checker for an explainable pass, warning, or block result.

Apple Silicon macOS

The installer recognizes Darwin, checks for macOS 12 or newer, and handles the Apple Silicon Homebrew path. Use Terminal under your normal account; do not start by running the installer with sudo.

uname -s
uname -m
sw_vers -productVersion
python3 --version
df -h /

For source review during the pause:

curl -fsSLO https://meetrick.ai/install.sh
curl -fsSLO https://meetrick.ai/install.sh.sha256
if command -v shasum >/dev/null; then shasum -a 256 -c install.sh.sha256; else sha256sum -c install.sh.sha256; fi
less install.sh
# Do not expect installation while the public release is paused.

After a future verified setup:

rick doctor

Confirm that Node is version 22 or later, the local gateway is reachable, the background service exists, and the configured provider profile is present. A laptop that sleeps will not provide continuous operation; change sleep behavior only if you understand the power and security implications.

Ubuntu or Debian Linux

Rick recognizes Linux broadly, but this guide endorses only Ubuntu/Debian-style paths that match the documented package commands. Use a non-root user with a writable home directory.

uname -s
uname -m
cat /etc/os-release
python3 --version
df -h /

If Python is missing, install it through the distribution package manager. When release distribution is verified and reopened, use the same checksum-and-review workflow under your normal account. The release candidate can place Node 22 under nvm, which avoids system-package conflicts.

After a future verified installation, run rick doctor. For an always-on server, also verify the service survives logout and restart, logs remain bounded, backups are outside temporary storage, and the gateway remains bound to a safe interface. Do not open port 18789 to the internet as a troubleshooting shortcut.

Update, repair, and rollback

Run rick doctor before and after a change so you can compare the failed check.
The current https://meetrick.ai/repair.sh is a fail-closed status probe: it sends no network request and changes no files.
Keep personal files and memory in the documented protected locations.
If an integrity check fails, stop rather than bypassing it.
Use the installer’s --uninstall path when you need removal; record the backup location it reports.

Unsupported paths

Windows-native, Docker, Raspberry Pi, ChromeOS, BSD, public-gateway exposure, and untested Linux distributions are not certified by this guide. WSL may look like Linux to the installer, but host sleep, ports, services, and filesystem behavior require separate fixtures before Rick should call it supported.

That distinction is intentional: a shorter support matrix with reproducible checks is more useful than a long compatibility list built from assumptions.