The desktop is a separate Magistr preview. It provides project selection, agent conversations, saved drafts, permission requests, and views of the roadmap, reasoning, tasks, checks, activity, and feedback.
Use the connected agent or CLI for the full planning and change-review workflow. Desktop availability does not mean every operation has a dedicated graphical control.
Build and open
You need a checkout of the Magistr source repository, Rust 1.95 or later, Node.js 22 or later, and the Tauri platform build prerequisites. Install and authenticate your agent separately.
In the source checkout, double-click Launch Magistr.command on macOS or Launch Magistr.cmd on Windows. Both build the current checkout before opening it. From a terminal in that checkout, the equivalent command is:
node scripts/desktop.mjs openOn Windows, use the MSVC Rust toolchain and Visual Studio Build Tools with Desktop development with C++. macOS needs Xcode Command Line Tools. The desktop has a Windows build path; current release verification focuses on Apple Silicon macOS. Windows packaging does not establish the same interface and accessibility coverage.
Successful development packages can also be downloaded from the desktop apps workflow, with a GitHub account. Packages are not publicly signed or notarized. Installed packages do not need Rust or Node.js; those are build prerequisites.
Open a project
Choose the folder of the project you want to work on. The chooser itself does not start an agent. If setup is needed, review the proposed settings and files. An unavailable agent or invalid configuration remains visible with a reason.
Once the project opens, confirm the selected agent, model, permissions, and project before sending a request. The agent uses its own authentication and service.
Use conversations
| Control | Effect |
|---|---|
| New session | Starts a separate conversation. |
| A saved conversation | Returns to that conversation when it can be resumed. |
| Stop | Cancels the current turn. |
| Close session | Ends the selected session. |
| Permission response | Approves or declines the requested action. |
Drafts belong to their conversation and are retained when you return. Switching views does not stop work in another conversation. Close a session when you intend to end it.
Appearance can follow the system or stay light or dark.
Start planned work
When a project has ready work, Planned work provides Work on next item and a bounded multi-item run. The current preview offers Start 10 items. Review the intended scope and selected agent before starting.
Pause after this item waits for the current item to finish. Continue work resumes the run, One more item advances it once, and Finish item and stop ends the run after the current item. These work controls are separate from Stop, which cancels a conversation turn. Check the reported status before assuming a requested pause or stop has completed.
Inspect the work
Use the roadmap to see deliverables and prerequisites. Select a reasoning step to read its saved explanation. Tasks and checks show recorded work and evidence; a view showing a record is not proof that its check is still current.
Ask the agent to make planning changes through Magistr when the preview has no control for the operation you need. Use Concepts to understand the records and Verification to assess them.
If the preview does not open
Read the build output; the launcher does not intentionally substitute an old app
after a failed build. Verify the platform prerequisites and installed agent.
For connection or project failures, run magistr doctor . in the affected
project if the CLI is installed.
Contributor documentation covers packaging, renderer tests, and technical diagnostics. Ordinary desktop use does not require running native input test journeys.