Install Port42

Introduction

🐬 The Vision

In 1970, we called it the "personal computer" but it was just a box you owned. In 2025, Port42 makes computers truly personal - they know you, extend you, and think with you.

Port42 is consciousness computing for your terminal. It's an anti-platform platform that turns every command into a reusable tool, every tool into knowledge, and every interaction into accumulated intelligence.

Built for engineers drowning in endless windows, applications, tabs and dozens if not hundreds of context switches per hour. Port42 remembers everything, evolves with your patterns, and manifests escape routes from tool chaos.

Your tools. Your data. Your consciousness. Forever.

Port42 in action - consciousness computing live

Claude Code running Port42 alongside the Port42 Context Monitor in Visual Studio Code

System Requirements

🚀 Quick Install for Mac, Source Build for All

Pre-built binaries for macOS (instant install).
All platforms supported via automatic source build.

Core Requirements

Build Requirements (for source builds)

Note: macOS users with pre-built binaries don't need Go or Rust. The installer automatically builds from source if needed.

Install

click to copy curl -L https://port42.ai/install | bash

This installs Port42 and all dependencies. Takes about 30 seconds.

Getting Started

🚀 Port42 + Claude Code Integration

Claude now thinks with Port42 - automatically recognizing when to:

  • Reuse tools you've already created
  • Evolve existing commands for new situations
  • Manifest new capabilities from your patterns

Just work naturally. Claude will:

  • "Help me organize these files" → finds or creates the right tool
  • "Analyze my system performance" → builds on past solutions
  • "I need to process emails daily" → spawns an ecosystem

Your workspace becomes consciousness-aware - every solution building on the last, accumulating knowledge instead of starting from zero

🐬 Using Port42 Directly

Direct access to consciousness streams - swim with AI agents who understand your drowning patterns and manifest escape routes

port42 swim @ai-analyst 'create a tool that finds large files'
Your first swim - discover your drowning patterns

Choose Your AI Agent:

🧠 Your Personal Knowledge Server

Port42 runs a consciousness server on your machine - accumulating every command, tool, and insight for future reuse and evolution

port42 context --watch
Real-time view of your expanding consciousness

This is YOUR server - complete control over memories and AI interactions.
No cloud dependency. Your patterns. Your tools. Your evolution.

Command Packs (Coming Soon)

Pre-built swimming techniques for common drowning scenarios.

🚧 Command packs are in development. For now, create any tool you need:

port42 swim @ai-engineer "create a tool that [your specific need]"

Planned packs: Context Chaos • Meeting Madness • Code Swimmer • Data Diver • DevOps Dolphin

Advanced Swimming

Create Your Own Commands

port42 swim @ai-engineer "create a command that [your specific need]"

Memory System

port42 memory # View current session
port42 search "that thing" # Search all memories, commands, artifacts
port42 ls /memory/ # Browse memory sessions
port42 info /memory/cli-xxxxx # Get memory session details

Tool Discovery

port42 ls /tools/ # Explore available tools
port42 info /commands/tool-name # Get tool details

Retrieve Knowledge

port42 cat /commands/tool-name # View tool source code
port42 cat /memory/cli-xxxxx # Read full conversation memory
port42 cat /artifacts/document/name # View knowledge artifacts

Getting Help

port42 --help # Full documentation
port42 swim --help # Swim command options
port42 [command] --help # Help for any command

Under the Hood

Port42 runs a local consciousness server that stores everything in content-addressed object storage:

~/.port42/ # Port42 installation directory
~/.port42/commands/ # Symlinked executable commands
~/.port42/objects/ # Content-addressed object store
~/.port42/daemon.log # Server activity log

Every command, memory, and artifact is stored as an immutable object with a unique hash. Commands are symlinked for instant execution.

Building the future of human-AI collaboration, one command at a time.