How to install SurfCam on Mac

Before you start

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

1. 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. 2

   Install Node LTS

   Choose the macOS Installer (.pkg).

   Open download ↗

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

Install SurfCam

1. 3

   Open Terminal

   Keep it open beside this page.

   You know this worked when: Terminal is open

2. 4

   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. 5

   Copy SurfCam to this Mac

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

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

   You know this worked when: A surfcam folder appears

4. 6

   Open the SurfCam folder

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   cd ~
   cd surfcam

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

5. 7

   Use the reviewed version

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   cd ~/surfcam
   git checkout 6fca9f18d9a66d57cd3840f9fb25b6c159bf65a0

   You know this worked when: Git reports the reviewed commit

6. 8

   Install dependencies

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   cd ~/surfcam
   npm install

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

7. 9

   Try SurfCam

   Keep Terminal open.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   cd ~/surfcam
   npm start

   You know this worked when: SurfCam opens

8. 10

   Allow Camera

   In Privacy & Security, turn on Camera for SurfCam.

   You know this worked when: Camera is turned on

9. 11

   Try it

   SurfCam should be open and ready to use.

   You know this worked when: SurfCam 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.