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How to install OpenASCII on Mac

What you end up with

OpenASCII 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 10 minutes
Steps
11
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 OpenASCII

  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 OpenASCII to this Mac

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

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

    You know this worked when: An OpenASCII folder appears

  4. Open the OpenASCII folder

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    cd OpenASCII

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

  5. Use the reviewed version

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    git checkout 8fc32ce16a6536c1a37a36e483fdc39dfd50d5cd

    You know this worked when: Git reports the reviewed commit

  6. Install dependencies

    This downloads about 65 small packages.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    corepack pnpm install

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

  7. Start OpenASCII

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

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    corepack pnpm dev

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

  8. Open OpenASCII

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

    Open localhost:5173

    You know this worked when: The OpenASCII studio loads in your browser

  9. Drop in a photo

    Drag any JPG, PNG or GIF onto the canvas. Nothing is ever uploaded.

    You know this worked when: Your photo is redrawn as ASCII art

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?