Install Paneflow on macOS

Paneflow requires macOS 13 Ventura or later on an Apple Silicon Mac. Use Homebrew if you already have it installed, or download the .dmg for a manual installation. Both methods install the signed and notarized PaneFlow.app. You do not need Rust or build tools.

How do I install Paneflow with Homebrew?

Open Terminal and install the Paneflow cask:

brew install --cask arthjean/paneflow/paneflow

Homebrew installs PaneFlow.app in /Applications by default. If the brew command is not found, use the DMG instructions below. You can also use the DMG if Homebrew does not yet offer a newly published release.

How do I install Paneflow from a DMG?

Open the latest Paneflow release on GitHub, or run this command to open the release page in your browser:

open https://github.com/arthjean/paneflow/releases/latest

1. Download the file named paneflow-<version>-aarch64-apple-darwin.dmg. <version> is the release number shown on the page.
2. Open the downloaded .dmg in Finder.
3. Drag PaneFlow.app onto the Applications shortcut in the disk image.
4. Wait for the copy to finish, then eject the disk image.

Open Paneflow

Open PaneFlow.app from Applications, or use Spotlight (Cmd+Space, then type PaneFlow). You can also launch it from Terminal:

open -a PaneFlow

If macOS asks you to confirm opening an app downloaded from the internet, choose Open for the copy you just installed. For other alerts, follow the Gatekeeper instructions below.

How do I verify the installation?

Run the installed executable directly:

/Applications/PaneFlow.app/Contents/MacOS/paneflow --version

The command should print the installed version. Check that the app also opens. If the file is not found, check that PaneFlow.app is in /Applications, or repeat the installation.

Then use the getting started guide to launch your first agent. Install CLI agents separately and follow their sign-in instructions.

Use the paneflow command in your terminal

Installing the app does not automatically add its executable to your shell's PATH. Try paneflow --version first. If it prints the installed version, skip this section.

Otherwise, create a symlink to the installed executable. These commands create /usr/local/bin if needed and preserve any existing paneflow entry:

sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bin
sudo ln -s /Applications/PaneFlow.app/Contents/MacOS/paneflow /usr/local/bin/paneflow
/usr/local/bin/paneflow --version

If ln reports File exists, check the entry with ls -l /usr/local/bin/paneflow. If it already points to the installed app, skip the link command. If it points elsewhere, use the full app path shown in the verification section.

If the full path works but paneflow is not found, add /usr/local/bin to your shell's PATH. In Bash or Zsh, run export PATH="/usr/local/bin:$PATH" and try paneflow --version again. To keep the setting in new terminals, add the same export line to ~/.zshrc for Zsh or ~/.bash_profile for Bash login shells.

What if macOS blocks PaneFlow.app?

The official DMG is signed and notarized. If macOS reports an unverified developer, first download a fresh copy from the release page above. If you have verified its source and it remains blocked, follow Apple's instructions for opening a blocked app:

1. Try opening PaneFlow.app once.
2. Open System Settings, then Privacy & Security.
3. Find the notice for PaneFlow.app and select Open Anyway.
4. Confirm Open in the next dialog.

If the option is unavailable on a managed Mac, contact your administrator. If macOS reports that the app is damaged or will harm your computer, keep it blocked and report the installation problem on GitHub, including the exact alert, your macOS version, and the Paneflow version.

What about Intel Macs?

Paneflow does not publish an Intel macOS build. The Apple Silicon DMG cannot run on an Intel Mac. The Linux installation guide and Windows installation guide describe the builds and processors supported on those operating systems.