MIT licensing and deployment choices

Highlights

• Chudware’s own code is covered by the MIT License; third-party components retain their licenses and notices.
• Account-based licensing and software fees have been removed. Desktop use, source builds, and self-hosting do not require a Chudware license key.
• The MIT source repository is public and can be cloned without an access request. No public desktop installer release is available. Existing runtime or beta prereleases must not be presented as a general desktop download.
• The desktop updater verifies signed update manifests and update payload signatures; that mechanism does not make unpublished installers available.
• AI is optional. Desktop Copilot requires its configured compatible runtime and your own supported provider account or API key. Online Copilot is not available in the browser deployment.

Getting started

The setup page distinguishes desktop packaging, source builds, and experimental single-operator browser self-hosting. The browser guide uses docker compose -f web/compose.yaml up --build -d from a source checkout’s repository root.

Clone the public repository and use its build instructions, issue tracker, and contributing guide. Supported desktop SDK and native runtime dependencies are pinned release assets in this same repository; the macOS ARM64 native runtime remains unpinned. Contact the project about optional paid, owner-operated hosting that supports development. Hosting is not required for the MIT software rights.

AI provider setup

• Configure desktop provider credentials only in Settings → Providers, never in chat or project files. Your provider’s charges and privacy terms apply; Chudware does not sell AI tokens. Hosting does not remove the browser AI limitation.