---
title: "Desktop Installation Overview"
description: "AnythingLLM desktop is the easiest way to use AnythingLLM for most people."
---

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/>

## Installation Overview

AnythingLLM Desktop is a "**single-player**" application you can install on any Mac, Windows, or Linux operating system and get local LLMs, RAG, and Agents with little to zero configuration and full privacy.

## Docker vs Desktop Version

AnythingLLM offers two main ways to use AnythingLLM. There are some distinct differences in functionality between each offering. Both are open source.

### You want AnythingLLM Desktop if...

- You want a one-click installable app to use local LLMs, RAG, and Agents locally
- You do not need multi-user support
- Everything needs to stay only on your device
- You do not need to "publish" anything to the public internet. Eg: Chat widget for website

### You want AnythingLLM Docker if...

- You need an easy setup, but server-based service for AnythingLLM to use local LLMs, RAG, and Agents locally
- You want to run an AnythingLLM instance that many people can use at the same time
- You want to be able to share information with our users on your instance you invite
- You need admin and rule-based access for workspaces and documents.
- You will publish chat widgets to the public internet
- You want to access AnythingLLM from the browser

The below table is a non-exhaustive list of features supported between platforms.

| Feature                        | Available on Desktop | Available on Docker |
| :----------------------------- | :------------------: | :-----------------: |
| Multi-user support             |          ❌          |         ✅          |
| Embeddable chat widgets        |          ❌          |         ✅          |
| One-click install              |          ✅          |         ❌          |
| Private documents              |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Connect to any vector database |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Use any LLM                    |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Built-in embedding provider    |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Built-in LLM provider          |          ✅          |         ❌          |
| White-labeling                 |          ❌          |         ✅          |
| Chat logs                      |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Agent support                  |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Agent skills                   |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Third-party data connectors    |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Password protection            |          ❌          |         ✅          |
| Invite new users to instance   |          ❌          |         ✅          |
| Text splitting configuration   |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Whisper model support          |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| Full developer API             |          ✅          |         ✅          |
| User management                |          ❌          |         ✅          |
| Workspace access management    |          ❌          |         ✅          |
| Website scraping               |          ✅          |         ✅          |

<Callout type="info" emoji="️💡">
  **Tip:** AnythingLLM Desktop is the easiest way to use AnythingLLM.
</Callout>

<br />

## Quick Links

<Cards>
  <Card title="System Requirements" href="system-requirements"> 
    <Image
      src="/images/getting-started/installation/system-requirements.png" 
      height={1080} 
      width={1920} 
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      alt="AnythingLLM System Requirements"
    />
  </Card>

<Card title="MacOS Install" href="macos">
  <Image
    src="/images/getting-started/installation/macos/header-image.png"
    height={1080}
    width={1920}
    quality={100}
    alt="AnythingLLM MacOS Install"
  />
</Card>

<Card title="Windows Install" href="windows">
  <Image
    src="/images/getting-started/installation/windows/header-image.png"
    height={1080}
    width={1920}
    quality={100}
    alt="AnythingLLM Windows Install"
  />
</Card>

<Card title="Linux Install" href="linux">
  <Image
    src="/images/getting-started/installation/linux/header-image.png"
    height={1080}
    width={1920}
    quality={100}
    alt="AnythingLLM Linux Install"
  />
</Card>

<Card title="Local Docker Install" href="/installation-docker/local-docker">
  <Image
    src="/images/getting-started/installation/local-docker/header-image.png"
    height={1080}
    width={1920}
    quality={100}
    alt="AnythingLLM Local Docker Install"
  />
</Card>

  <Card title="Cloud Docker Install" href="/installation-docker/cloud-docker"> 
    <Image
      src="/images/getting-started/installation/cloud-docker/header-image.png" 
      height={1080} 
      width={1920} 
      quality={100}
      alt="AnythingLLM Cloud Docker Install"
    />
  </Card>  
</Cards>


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