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Philo is a desktop application built with Tauri v2. Follow these steps to get started.

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Prerequisites

Before installing Philo, ensure you have:
  • Operating system: macOS, Windows, or Linux
  • Anthropic API key: Required for widget generation (get one here)
  • Obsidian vault (optional): If you want to use Philo with an existing Obsidian vault
While Philo can detect and integrate with Obsidian vaults, it works perfectly as a standalone journaling app.

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Download Philo

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From releases

Download the latest release for your platform:
  1. Visit the Philo releases page
  2. Download the appropriate installer:
    • macOS: .dmg file
    • Windows: .msi or .exe installer
    • Linux: .AppImage or .deb package
  3. Run the installer and follow the prompts

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Build from source

If you prefer to build from source:
1

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/ComputelessComputer/philo.git
cd philo
2

Install dependencies

npm install
# or
bun install
3

Build the application

npm run tauri build
# or
bun run tauri build
4

Find your built app

The application will be in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/
Building from source requires Rust and platform-specific build tools. See the Tauri prerequisites for details.

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First launch

When you launch Philo for the first time, you’ll see an onboarding modal.

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Set up your vault

1

Choose vault location

Click Choose… to select where Philo will store your journal files.
  • If you have an existing Obsidian vault, select its root directory
  • Otherwise, create a new folder for your journal
Philo will automatically detect existing Obsidian vaults on your system and show them as quick-select options.
2

Configure folder structure

Set up your vault’s folder organization:
  • Daily logs folder (required): Where daily notes are stored (default: Daily Notes)
  • Excalidraw folder (optional): For diagram files (default: Excalidraw)
  • Assets folder (optional): For images and attachments (default: assets)
If you selected an Obsidian vault, Philo will auto-detect these folders from your vault configuration.
3

Complete setup

Click Start to create the folder structure and initialize your journal.

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Configure your API key

To enable widget generation:
  1. Press ⌘, (Cmd+Comma) to open Settings
  2. Enter your Anthropic API key in the API Key field
  3. Close the settings modal
Your API key is stored locally in $APPDATA/philo/settings.json. It’s never sent anywhere except directly to Anthropic’s API for widget generation.

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File storage

Philo stores all data locally as markdown files: 
$APPDATA/philo/
├── settings.json          # App settings and API key
├── library.json           # Widget library (legacy)
└── journal/               # Your daily notes (or configured location)
    ├── 2026-03-01.md
    ├── 2026-03-02.md
    ├── 2026-03-03.md
    └── library/           # Saved widget components
        ├── calorie-tracker-abc123.component.md
        └── habit-chart-def456.component.md

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Platform-specific locations

  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/philo/
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\philo\
  • Linux: ~/.local/share/philo/
If you configure Philo to use an Obsidian vault, daily notes will be stored in your vault’s daily logs folder instead of the default location.

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Updating Philo

Philo includes an auto-updater for desktop platforms:
  1. When an update is available, you’ll see a banner at the top of the app
  2. Click the banner to download and install the update
  3. Restart the app to complete the update
The auto-updater is implemented using @tauri-apps/plugin-updater and only works on desktop platforms (macOS, Windows, Linux).

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Troubleshooting

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Philo won’t launch

  • macOS: If you see a security warning, go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy and click “Open Anyway”
  • Windows: Ensure you have the WebView2 runtime installed
  • Linux: Make sure the AppImage is executable (chmod +x Philo.AppImage)

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Can’t find my vault

If Philo doesn’t detect your Obsidian vault:
  1. Press ⌘, to open Settings
  2. Click the gear icon to access advanced settings
  3. Manually select your vault directory using the Choose… button

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Widget generation fails

  • Verify your Anthropic API key is correctly entered in Settings (⌘,)
  • Check that you have API credits available in your Anthropic account
  • Ensure you have an active internet connection

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Next steps

Now that Philo is installed, learn how to use it effectively:

Quickstart guide

Learn the basics and generate your first widget

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