Getting started

Butin is a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux. There's no account to create and no server to sign up for — all it needs is you, signing into your own services.

InstallCopy Anchor Link

From a packaged build — download the installer for your platform from GitHub Releases and launch Butin like any other app. On a Mac, pick the arm64 download for Apple silicon and x64 for an Intel Mac.

From source (developers):

git clone https://github.com/butinapp/butin
cd butin
pnpm install
pnpm dev

If Electron doesn't launch after install, run node node_modules/electron/install.js once, then pnpm dev again.

UpdatesCopy Anchor Link

A packaged Butin checks GitHub for a newer release once per launch and downloads it in the background. When one is ready, a notice offers to restart; the restart is always yours to click, and an update you ignore installs on the next normal quit. Turn the check off with Check for updates on launch in Settings → Data & privacy, or run it by hand from Settings → About.

First launchCopy Anchor Link

On first launch you'll see a brief splash, then the main window:

• a sidebar on the left — Overview on top, then your services
• the Overview itself, which starts empty (there's no data yet)
• a settings gear in the top bar

A fresh install has nothing to show — the next step is to connect your first service.

Connect your first serviceCopy Anchor Link

Choose a service from the sidebar and click Connect. A normal login window opens; sign in the way you always do — password, MFA, SSO, all fine. Butin captures the session, encrypted, and its data tabs appear.

That's the whole loop. See Connecting a service for the details (including services that use a pasted token or an access key instead of a login), then Viewing your data.

New here? The fastest way to understand Butin is the interactive tour.