Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js >= 18
• pnpm (install with npm install -g pnpm)
• Git

Clone and Install

git clone https://github.com/thehorse2000/vibedepot.git
cd vibedepot
pnpm install

This installs dependencies for all workspace packages: the Electron shell, shared types, and the app preload script.

Start the Dev Server

pnpm dev

This launches the Electron app in development mode with hot module replacement for the renderer.

Build for Production

pnpm build

This builds the preload script first, then the shell (Electron main + renderer). The build order is handled automatically.

Other Commands

Command	Description
pnpm build:preload	Build only the preload script
pnpm lint	Run ESLint across all packages

Project Structure

After cloning, the monorepo has this layout:

vibedepot/
├── shell/                  # Electron desktop app
│   └── src/
│       ├── main/           # Main process (IPC, providers, app management)
│       ├── preload/        # Shell's own preload script
│       └── renderer/       # React UI (store, library, settings)
├── packages/
│   ├── shared/             # Types, schemas, IPC channels, permissions
│   ├── app-preload/        # Preload script for sandboxed apps
│   └── cli/                # Developer CLI (init, validate, publish)
├── registry/               # Separate git repo — public app catalog
├── package.json
├── pnpm-workspace.yaml
└── tsconfig.base.json

Data Storage Locations

VibeDepot stores data in the Electron userData directory:

Platform	Path
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/vibedepot/
Windows	%APPDATA%/vibedepot/
Linux	~/.config/vibedepot/

Within that directory:

vibedepot/
├── apps/                   # Installed app bundles
│   └── {appId}/
│       ├── manifest.json
│       └── index.html
├── app-data/               # Per-app data
│   └── {appId}/
│       ├── store.json      # KV storage
│       └── database.sqlite # SQLite database
├── installed-apps.json     # App metadata
└── registry-cache.json     # Cached registry (1-hour TTL)

API keys are stored securely in the OS keychain (macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager, or Linux Secret Service).

Installing the CLI

The VibeDepot CLI is a separate package for app development:

npm install -g @vibedepot/cli

Verify the installation:

vibedepot --version

See Using the CLI for all available commands.

Next Steps

• Quick Start: Users — Browse and install apps
• Quick Start: Developers — Build your first app