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How to install PantryAI on Mac

PantryAI does what A free alternative to Mealime, PlanToEat and MyFitnessPal. does, and A free alternative to Mealime, PlanToEat and MyFitnessPal. costs Paid. This guide gets you the free one.

What you end up with

PantryAI 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 29 minutes
Steps
12
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 PantryAI

  1. Open Terminal

    Keep it open beside this page.

    You know this worked when: Terminal is open

  2. Check Git and Node

    Git and the current Node LTS are required.

    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 PantryAI to this Mac

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

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

    You know this worked when: A pantryai folder appears

  4. Open the PantryAI folder

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    cd pantryai

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

  5. Use the reviewed version

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    git checkout 3fab28ca037476ecfb55e49fd9fd7ca95a371f34

    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 command finishes without an error

  7. Run PantryAI

    Keep Terminal open.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

    npm run dev

    You know this worked when: localhost:3000 responds

  8. Open it in your browser

    If a different port was picked, open that one instead.

    Open localhost:3000

    You know this worked when: The app loads in the browser

  9. Allow Camera

    In Privacy & Security, turn on Camera for PantryAI.

    You know this worked when: Camera is turned on

  10. Try it

    PantryAI should be open in your browser.

    You know this worked when: PantryAI works

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?