Axiomate

Installing on macOS

On macOS, install manually from a downloaded release archive. Because the release is not notarized by Apple, you run the bundled install.command script during setup to clear the system's restrictions.

System requirements

  • Operating system: macOS 12.3 (Monterey) or later
  • Architecture: Apple Silicon (M-series)
  • Required dependency: Git (provided by the Xcode Command Line Tools; the install script can install it automatically)
  • Optional dependency: Python 3.12+ (some skills are Python scripts; install as needed)
  • Network: required if the Xcode Command Line Tools are missing and the install script needs to download them

Installation steps

  1. Download the macOS archive from the download page. It is named like axiomate-<version>-darwin-arm64.zip. Extract it to a directory you'll keep (for example ~/Applications). The extracted folder contains the axiomate executable and an install.command script.

  2. Run the install script. In Finder, open the extracted folder and double-click install.command (or run ./install.command in a terminal).

    The first time you run install.command, macOS may block it — either because the execute permission was lost during extraction or because the release is not notarized. It may even warn that it "cannot verify it is free of malware." This is because the release isn't signed and notarized through Apple's paid program, not because the script actually contains a virus — it only performs local operations such as clearing the quarantine flag, re-signing, and adding to PATH, and its contents are open to inspection, so it is safe to run. When blocked, just do both of the following:

    • Open Terminal and run the command below to add the execute permission and launch the script (replace the path with your actual extracted folder):

      chmod +x ~/Downloads/axiomate-<version>-darwin-arm64/install.command && ~/Downloads/axiomate-<version>-darwin-arm64/install.command

    • In Finder, right-click the file and choose "Open", then confirm in the dialog — or click "Open Anyway" under System Settings → Privacy & Security. Once unblocked, double-click the script to run it.

    The script aims to handle everything in one pass:

    • checks for the Xcode Command Line Tools and, with your consent, installs them if missing (this also provides Git; it may prompt for your administrator password and can be a large, slow download),
    • removes the download quarantine flag,
    • makes the executables runnable,
    • re-signs the binaries locally to avoid killed: 9,
    • adds the folder to your PATH.

Axiomate is still in beta. If you hit old-data compatibility issues after upgrading to a new version, you can delete the old ~/.axiomate/ directory and the ~/.axiomate.json config file to clear the old data. Back them up first if they contain important items, such as skills or model config.

System permissions

Computer Use (desktop automation), screen capture, and the microphone rely on macOS privacy permissions. These cannot be granted by a script and must be enabled manually — install.command opens the relevant System Settings panel for you when it finishes.

macOS will also prompt the first time you use these features. Enable them under System Settings → Privacy & Security:

  • Accessibility
  • Screen Recording
  • Microphone

Add and check your terminal or axiomate in the corresponding list.

Verification

Open a new terminal (so the PATH takes effect) and run:

axiomate --help

If the help output appears, the installation succeeded. Next, configure a model to start using it.

Uninstalling

The macOS build is installed manually, so uninstalling is manual too:

  1. Delete the extracted install directory (e.g. ~/Applications/axiomate-<version>-darwin-arm64).
  2. Remove the PATH entry that was added during install. Edit ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bashrc), delete the line marked # Added by Axiomate installer, then reopen your terminal.
  3. Optional: remove the axiomate entry from the Accessibility, Screen Recording, and Microphone lists under System Settings → Privacy & Security.
  4. Optional: delete your personal data ~/.axiomate.json and ~/.axiomate/ for a full cleanup.

Dotfiles such as ~/.zshrc and ~/.axiomate are hidden in Finder by default. In your home folder, press Command + Shift + . (period) to toggle hidden files, then open ~/.zshrc in TextEdit to delete the relevant line, or drag ~/.axiomate and the like to the Trash.

Note: Computer Use (desktop automation) relies on the ScreenCaptureKit (screen capture) and CoreGraphics (event injection) frameworks. ScreenCaptureKit requires macOS 12.3 or later, which sets the minimum supported version at 12.3.