Get started

Two minutes from download to your first guarded AI agent.

1. Install

The easy way — download the app:

Grab the free Lite bundle for your OS.
Unzip it. You'll get a praxis folder with the app inside.
On macOS, the first time you run it, right-click → Open (the app isn't code-signed yet, so macOS asks you to confirm).

Or, if you have Python 3.11+:

pip install -e .        # from the source repo
praxis --version

Praxis keeps all its data in ~/.praxis/ — the audit log, the recoverable trash, and a local key. Nothing leaves your machine.

2. Connect your AI tools

Praxis auto-detects the AI tools you already use and plugs into each one:

praxis clients          # see which AI tools are installed
praxis install          # turn Praxis on in every detected tool
# or one at a time:
praxis enable codex
praxis enable claude-desktop
praxis enable cursor

Then restart the AI tool so it picks up Praxis.

3. Use your AI like normal

Nothing changes in your workflow — keep using ChatGPT, Claude, or Cursor. But now, when an agent tries to touch your files, Praxis is in the loop. Try asking your AI:

"Find any file named passport in my Documents" → allowed, returns results.
"Read my SSH key at ~/.ssh/id_rsa" → refused — credential stores are never readable.
"Delete the old files in Downloads" → blocked — destructive actions from agents are stopped.

4. See what happened

praxis evidence         # the hash-chained log of every decision

Every action an AI agent attempted — allowed, blocked, or refused — is in a tamper-proof local log.

5. Turn it off anytime

praxis disable codex    # remove Praxis from one tool
praxis clients          # check status

Use Praxis directly (offline)

Praxis is also a personal file assistant that works with no internet:

praxis search passport              # find files by name, instantly
praxis delete ~/Downloads/junk.tmp  # deletes to recoverable trash
praxis ask "find my resume"         # local AI plans + acts (needs Ollama)

For the offline ask command, install Ollama and run ollama pull llama3.2:3b once.

Troubleshooting

The AI tool doesn't see Praxis

Fully quit and reopen the tool — it only reads its config at startup. Then run praxis clients to confirm it's enabled.

Search finds nothing

Make sure the file is under one of Praxis's search folders (Documents, Downloads, Desktop by default). Add more with praxis enable <tool> --path ~/Projects.

macOS won't open the app

Right-click the app → Open → Open. This is because the beta bundle isn't code-signed yet.

Questions? [email protected] · GitHub