How to Install Palmier Pro Locally on macOS: Complete Build Guide

To install Palmier Pro locally, clone the repository to a Mac running macOS 26 or later on Apple Silicon, install Xcode 16, then run swift build to compile the Swift package and use ./scripts/dev.sh to launch the debug bundle with log streaming.

Palmier Pro is a native macOS video editor written in Swift 6.2 and distributed as an open-source Swift package. Installing it from source requires specific Apple Silicon hardware and development tools, but once configured, the build process leverages the Swift Package Manager and helper scripts provided in the palmier-io/palmier-pro repository to get you running quickly.

Prerequisites for Local Installation

Before building Palmier Pro locally, ensure your development environment meets the strict platform requirements defined in Package.swift:

• macOS 26 (Tahoe) or newer running on Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, or later)
• Xcode 16 or newer, which provides the Swift 6.2 toolchain required for compilation

These requirements are non-negotiable because the project uses Swift 6.2 language features and Apple Silicon-specific optimizations throughout the codebase.

Cloning the Repository

Start by cloning the source code from GitHub to your local machine:

git clone https://github.com/palmier-io/palmier-pro
cd palmier-pro

This downloads the complete source tree, including the Package.swift manifest, source files in Sources/, and automation scripts in scripts/.

Building Palmier Pro from Source

Palmier Pro uses the Swift Package Manager to resolve third-party dependencies and compile the application.

Resolve Dependencies and Compile

Run the following command to download dependencies and build the executable:

swift build

This command processes the Package.swift file, which declares external dependencies including DSWaveformImage, Sparkle, and Lottie. Swift automatically fetches these packages from their remote URLs and compiles them alongside the Palmier Pro source code into a single binary.

Run the Executable Directly

After building, you can launch the app in CLI mode without creating a .app bundle:

swift run

This executes the binary defined in Sources/PalmierPro/App/main.swift, which initializes logging, telemetry, fonts, and the app lifecycle before launching the UI.

Launching the Debug Application

For development and testing, use the provided helper script to build a debug .app bundle and stream OSLog output in real time.

Using the Development Script

The scripts/dev.sh script automates building, bundling, and launching while streaming logs:

./scripts/dev.sh

This builds the debug bundle, opens .build/PalmierPro.app, and streams log output to your terminal. Press Ctrl+C to stop the log stream and quit the app.

To launch without streaming logs:

./scripts/dev.sh --no-stream

Manual Execution

Alternatively, run the built binary directly from the build directory:

.build/debug/PalmierPro

This path is created automatically by swift build and points to the debug executable defined in the package manifest.

Creating a Release Bundle (Optional)

To generate a distributable .dmg similar to the official release, use the bundling script:

./scripts/bundle.sh release

This produces a signed .dmg file in the .build/ directory, suitable for distribution or installation outside the build environment.

Verifying the Installation

Once the app launches, verify the installation by confirming the Palmier Pro UI appears. You can also validate that the MCP server is listening on the local endpoint:

curl http://127.0.0.1:19789/mcp

If running an external agent like Claude Code, connect it to your local Palmier Pro instance:

claude mcp add --transport http palmier-pro http://127.0.0.1:19789/mcp

The entry point in Sources/PalmierPro/App/main.swift handles the MCP server initialization, while Sources/PalmierPro/App/AppDelegate.swift manages the main window, menus, and overall app lifecycle as documented in the repository's CONTRIBUTING.md.

Summary

• Palmier Pro requires macOS 26 on Apple Silicon and Xcode 16 to build from source according to the Package.swift platform declarations.
• Use swift build to compile dependencies including DSWaveformImage, Sparkle, and Lottie, and create the executable.
• Launch with swift run for CLI mode or ./scripts/dev.sh for a debug .app bundle with automatic OSLog streaming.
• The scripts/dev.sh helper script lives in the repository and automates the build-launch-log workflow for rapid development.
• Verify functionality by checking the UI loads and the MCP server responds at http://127.0.0.1:19789/mcp.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the minimum system requirements to install Palmier Pro locally?

You must have a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, or newer) running macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later, plus Xcode 16 or newer. The project is written in Swift 6.2 and uses Apple Silicon-specific optimizations that prevent it from compiling or running on Intel Macs or older macOS versions, as enforced by the platform settings in Package.swift.

Can I install Palmier Pro without Xcode?

No. While the Swift toolchain is open source, Palmier Pro relies on macOS SDK frameworks and the specific Swift 6.2 compiler shipped with Xcode 16. The Package.swift manifest and build process require the Xcode development environment to resolve dependencies, link against system frameworks, and code-sign the resulting binary.

How do I debug issues during the build process?

Run ./scripts/dev.sh to stream OSLog output directly to your terminal, which captures real-time logs from the Palmier Pro process. This script handles the debug build automatically and displays errors, warnings, and application logs that help diagnose dependency resolution failures or runtime issues in Sources/PalmierPro/App/main.swift.

Is there a way to connect external AI agents to my local Palmier Pro instance?

Yes. Once the app is running locally, it exposes an MCP server on http://127.0.0.1:19789/mcp. You can connect compatible agents like Claude Code using the command claude mcp add --transport http palmier-pro http://127.0.0.1:19789/mcp, allowing external tools to interact with your local video editor instance through the Model Context Protocol.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}