Build from Source

This guide is for the open-source version of Raven. If you just want to use Raven, download the app instead - no build steps required.

The open-source version lets you build Raven from source and provide your own API keys. Pick your platform and follow each step in order.

Prerequisites

API Keys (entered in-app on first launch)

Deepgram - real-time transcription (free tier available)
Anthropic or OpenAI - AI assistance
After onboarding, open Settings → API Keys to switch provider and model (Haiku/Sonnet/Opus or GPT-5.x)

System Requirements

Node.js 22.12.0 or higher
GStreamer for echo cancellation
Platform-specific build tools (Xcode CLI on macOS, Visual Studio Build Tools on Windows)

Choose Your Platform

macOS Setup

macOS 12 (Monterey) through macOS 15 (Sequoia), Intel and Apple Silicon.

Windows Setup

Windows 10 (21H2+) and Windows 11. All commands for PowerShell.

Testing

After setup, verify everything works:

npm test              # Unit + integration tests
npm run test:coverage # With coverage report
npm run test:e2e      # End-to-end (requires npm run build first)
npm run test:all      # Everything

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely Cause	Fix
`NODE_MODULE_VERSION mismatch` at runtime	Native module built for wrong Electron version	`npx @electron/rebuild -f -w better-sqlite3`
App starts, no audio on macOS	Missing system permissions	System Settings > Privacy & Security: grant Microphone and Screen Recording
App starts, no audio on Windows	Wrong default audio device	Settings > Sound: set correct default playback/recording devices

Reset all data (fresh start):

macOS
Windows

rm -rf ~/Library/Application\ Support/project-raven/

rmdir /s /q "%APPDATA%\project-raven"

Introduction macOS Setup

​Prerequisites

​Choose Your Platform

macOS Setup

Windows Setup

​Testing

​Troubleshooting

Prerequisites

Choose Your Platform

Testing

Troubleshooting