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Documentation AI Assistant Development Licensing

Documentation

Download and install Glyph on macOS. Get started with the 48-hour free trial.

Installation

Glyph is currently available for macOS. Official release binaries include a 48-hour free trial, with optional license activation for continued use.

Note

Open Source: Glyph’s source code is public on GitHub. Development builds are free and unlimited—the trial only applies to official release binaries.

Download Glyph

GitHub Releases

Download official binaries (free 48-hour trial)

Purchase License

Buy a lifetime license on Gumroad

Installation

macOS Installation

Download

  1. Visit GitHub Releases
  2. Download the latest .dmg or .app file for macOS

Install

  1. Open the downloaded .dmg file (if applicable)
  2. Drag Glyph.app to your Applications folder

Launch

Open Glyph from Applications and create or open your first space.

Info

Glyph is signed and notarized for macOS.

First Launch & Setup

Welcome Screen

When you first open Glyph, you’ll see an animated welcome screen introducing the app.

The welcome flow shows:

  1. Hero - Introduction to Glyph
  2. Quick Tips - Three key concepts (open folder, browse files, find fast)
  3. Get Started - Create or open your first space

Create or Open a Space

A space is a folder where Glyph stores your notes. Choose one:

  • Create New Space - Glyph creates a new folder
  • Open Existing Folder - Use a folder that already contains markdown files
  • Continue Last Space - Return to your most recent workspace

Tip

You can have multiple spaces for different projects. Switch between them using the command palette (Cmd+K or Ctrl+K).

Start Using Glyph

Once your space is open, you’re ready to go!

  • Create your first note
  • Explore the file tree
  • Try the command palette (Cmd+K / Ctrl+K)

See the Quickstart Guide for a detailed walkthrough.

Trial & Licensing

48-Hour Free Trial

Official release binaries include a 48-hour free trial:

  • Trial starts on first launch
  • Full access to all features during trial
  • Trial countdown shown in a banner
  • No credit card required

Info

The trial timer is stored locally and tied to your installation. Development builds (built from source) have no trial or licensing.

After the Trial

When the trial expires:

  1. Glyph shows a lock screen with activation options
  2. You can:
    • Enter a license key (purchased from Gumroad)
    • Purchase a license (opens Gumroad in browser)

License Activation

Purchase a License

Buy Glyph on Gumroad :

  • One-time purchase
  • Lifetime access
  • Unlimited devices
  • No subscription

Activate Your License

After purchase, you’ll receive a license key via email.

Option 1: During Trial

  • Click Enter License Key in the trial banner
  • Paste your key and click Activate

Option 2: After Trial Expires

  • Enter your key on the lock screen
  • Click Activate

Option 3: Settings

  • Open Settings (Cmd+, or Ctrl+,)
  • Go to General → License
  • Click Enter License Key

Verification

Glyph verifies your license with Gumroad:

  • Online verification required once
  • Offline use after successful activation
  • License stored locally (encrypted)
  • No periodic re-checks

Warning

Glyph needs internet access once to verify your license. After that, it works completely offline.

License Details

From the official licensing documentation:

What's Included
  • One-time purchase - Pay once, use forever
  • Lifetime access - No expiration
  • Unlimited devices - Install on all your computers
  • No seat limits - Use across work and personal machines
  • No device binding - Transfer between devices freely
  • Offline use - No periodic online re-checks after activation
What's NOT Licensed

These remain free and unrestricted:

  • Source code - Always public on GitHub
  • Development builds - Build from source yourself
  • Community builds - Self-compiled binaries

The license only applies to official release binaries distributed through GitHub Releases.

Building from Source

If you prefer to build Glyph yourself (no trial, no licensing):

Prerequisites

Install required tools:

  • Node.js 18+ and pnpm
  • Rust (latest stable)
  • Tauri CLI dependencies for your platform

See Tauri prerequisites for platform-specific setup.

Clone & Build

git clone https://github.com/SidhuK/Glyph.git
cd Glyph
pnpm install
pnpm tauri build

The built app will be in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/.

Development Mode

For development with hot-reload:

pnpm tauri dev

Note

Development builds use the environment variable GLYPH_OFFICIAL_BUILD=1 to determine if licensing should be enforced. Local builds default to unlimited use.

Automatic Updates

Glyph includes an automatic updater powered by Tauri:

  • Checks for updates on launch
  • Downloads updates in the background
  • Prompts you to install when ready
  • Updates are signed and verified

Info

The updater uses GitHub Releases as the update source. Both free and licensed users receive updates the same way.

Troubleshooting

Glyph won't open after download

Make sure you are opening the latest release from GitHub Releases and that the download completed successfully. If the app still will not open, try downloading it again and replacing the previous copy in Applications.

License activation fails

Common issues:

  • No internet connection - Glyph needs internet for initial activation
  • Invalid key - Double-check the key from your Gumroad purchase email
  • Already activated - Each key can be used on unlimited devices

If problems persist, contact support via GitHub Issues .

Can't create or open a space
  • Ensure you have write permissions to the folder
  • Try creating a new folder in a location you own (e.g., Documents)
  • Check that the folder path doesn’t contain special characters

System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

  • macOS: 10.15 (Catalina) or later
  • 4 GB RAM (8 GB+ for AI features with Ollama)
  • 500 MB free disk space
  • Internet connection for:
    • Initial license activation
    • AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini)
    • Automatic updates

Note

Offline use: After initial setup, Glyph works completely offline. Use Ollama for local AI with no internet required.

Data & Privacy

Glyph is offline-first and local-first:

  • All notes stored as plain markdown files on your device
  • Search index stored in .glyph/index.db within your space
  • No cloud sync or telemetry
  • AI requests go directly to your chosen provider (if you configure one)
  • License verification requires one internet check, then works offline

Info

Your data never touches Glyph’s servers. The only network requests are license verification (one-time) and AI API calls (if you enable them).

Support & Community

Quickstart Guide

Learn how to use Glyph in 5 minutes

GitHub Issues

Report bugs or request features

Source Code

Explore the codebase

License Support

Get help with licensing

Ready to start?

Follow the quickstart guide

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