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How to install Nutcracker on Mac

Nutcracker does what Walnut AI does, and Walnut AI costs Invite-only. This guide gets you the free one.

What you end up with

Nutcracker running in your browser, on your own computer. It is free, and it stays free — there is no account, no trial and no subscription at the end of this.

Time
About 20 minutes
Steps
14
Cost
Free

Before you start

These are one-time installs. If you have used Terminal before, you may have them already — the first step checks.

  1. Install Git

    Apple opens a small installer.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    xcode-select --install

    You know this worked when: Git responds with a version number

  2. Install Node LTS

    Choose the macOS Installer (.pkg).

    Open download

    You know this worked when: Node responds with a version number

Install Nutcracker

  1. Open Terminal

    Keep it open beside this page.

    You know this worked when: Terminal is open

  2. Check Git and Node

    Use Terminal. Any current Node LTS works.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    git --version
node --version

    You know this worked when: Git and Node respond with version numbers

  3. Copy Nutcracker to this Mac

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    cd ~
if [ ! -d nutcracker/.git ]; then
git clone https://github.com/Blueturboguy07/nutcracker.git
fi

    You know this worked when: A nutcracker folder appears

  4. Open the Nutcracker folder

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    cd nutcracker

    You know this worked when: Your terminal prompt is inside the nutcracker folder

  5. Use the reviewed version

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    git checkout cad89c6ee08b9b7490830b0d4f882b8461d6a576

    You know this worked when: Git reports the reviewed commit

  6. Install dependencies

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    npm install

    You know this worked when: The install finishes without an error

  7. Start Nutcracker

    Keep Terminal open — Nutcracker runs from it, and closing the window stops it.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    npm run dev

    You know this worked when: The terminal prints a localhost address

  8. Open Nutcracker

    If the terminal printed a different address, open that one instead.

    Open localhost:5173

    You know this worked when: Nutcracker loads in your browser

  9. Ask LinkedIn for your connections export

    On LinkedIn: Settings & Privacy → Data privacy → Get a copy of your data → Connections.

    You know this worked when: LinkedIn confirms the archive was requested

  10. Download the export

    LinkedIn emails the link, usually within ten minutes. Nutcracker reads the Connections.csv inside.

    You know this worked when: You have the export on this computer

  11. Import it into Nutcracker

    Back in Nutcracker, add your export where it asks for your LinkedIn connections.

    You know this worked when: Your connections appear in Nutcracker

  12. Get your first coffee-chat suggestions

    Adding your own AI key sharpens the intro drafts, but everything works without one.

    You know this worked when: Nutcracker suggests people to reach out to

If something goes wrong

Nothing here can damage your computer, and every step can be run again safely. If a command fails, the usual cause is the step before it not having finished.

Still stuck? Tell us what happened and we will fix the guide. Include the step number and we can usually reproduce it.

Have a different setup?