Desktop App
Use the standalone genart.dev Electron desktop application
Desktop App
The @genart/desktop app is a standalone Electron application for creating generative art with an infinite canvas workspace.
Installation
Download the latest release from genart.dev/downloads for your platform:
- macOS —
.dmg(Apple Silicon and Intel) - Windows —
.exeinstaller - Linux —
.AppImage
Features
- Infinite canvas — workspace with multiple sketch artboards
- Live preview — selected sketch renders in real-time, others show thumbnails
- MCP sidecar — built-in MCP server for AI agent integration
- File system — open, save, and manage
.genartfiles directly - Command palette — quick access to all actions (
Cmd+K)
Getting started
1. Create a workspace
On launch, create a new workspace or open an existing .genart-workspace file.
2. Create a sketch
Use the command palette (Cmd+K) or the toolbar to create a new sketch. Choose a renderer and canvas preset.
3. Connect an AI agent
The desktop app runs a local MCP sidecar server. AI agents can connect to it for sketch creation and manipulation. The status bar shows the connection status.
AI agent integration
The desktop app auto-configures CLI agents to connect to its local MCP sidecar. On startup, it writes a genart entry into each enabled agent's config file. On quit, the entry is removed.
| Agent | Config file | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | ~/.claude.json | Native HTTP |
| Codex CLI | ~/.codex/config.toml | mcp-remote bridge |
| Gemini CLI | ~/.gemini/settings.json | mcp-remote bridge |
| OpenCode | ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json | Native HTTP |
| Kiro | ~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json | Native HTTP |
Toggle agents in the Connect Modal (Cmd+Shift+C > Local tab > Connected Agents). See CLI Agent Integration for config details and manual setup.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Cmd+K | Command palette |
Cmd+N | New sketch |
Cmd+S | Save sketch |
Cmd+O | Open workspace |
Cmd+, | Preferences |
Space+drag | Pan canvas |
Cmd+scroll | Zoom canvas |
Important note
Never launch the desktop app from VS Code's integrated terminal. VS Code is itself an Electron app and will interfere with the child process. Always launch from Terminal.app or Finder.