How-to

How to run a local coding assistant on a Mac

Last updated 2026-06-18

What you need first for “how to run a local coding assistant on a mac”

Apple Silicon Mac, macOS 12 or later, the unified-memory minimum that the chosen tier requires (6 GB for Nano, 12 GB for Lite, 24 GB for Core / Code / Vision, 32 GB for Plus). Internet is required only for the one-time model download.

Steps

1. Install Outlier. Per the install guide. macOS 12+ Apple Silicon, 24 GB RAM minimum for the Code tier.
2. Switch to Code mode. The mode toggle is in the chat composer. The system prompt is tuned for terse code-first responses.
3. Open a project. Use the project chip to scope context to a folder. Outlier respects .outlierignore.
4. Ask for a focused review. Quote a single function. Bigger asks blow the context budget on smaller tiers.

What is the specific thing to know about this guide?

Code mode was renamed from Agent mode. The system prompt is tuned for code-first responses, default temperature is lowered, and the autonomy mode toggles default to manual approval.

What can go wrong with this guide?

• Code mode without Pro unlock falls back to the free tier (Nano/Lite) which is weaker on code; for top code quality you need to unlock the Code tier.
• Project chip context can blow the window if the folder is large.

How does this guide differ from the cloud equivalent?

Hosted coding assistants stream from a remote endpoint that your code went to. The Outlier Code mode streams from a local sidecar at 127.0.0.1:8766.

Code mode was renamed from Agent mode. The system prompt is tuned for code-first responses, default temperature is lowered, and the autonomy mode toggles default to manual approval.

What does this guide not claim about “how to run a local coding assistant on a mac”?

Code mode was renamed from Agent mode. The system prompt is tuned for code-first responses, default temperature is lowered, and the autonomy mode toggles default to manual approval.

This guide does not claim feature parity with cloud-side workflows for “how to run a local coding assistant on a mac”. Specifically, the current product surface covers chat, file attachment, the local agent loop, project scoping, and the model picker. Cross-device sync, team workspaces, and shared session history are out of scope and are not on the v1.9 backlog either.

What is different about Code mode versus chat?

Code mode ships with a terser system prompt, a lower default sampling temperature, and a default project-scope chip that respects .outlierignore. The agent loop has manual approval on as the default; auto-approve and sandboxed modes are settings, not the default. The reason that distinction is non-trivial is that the agent loop can run shell commands; manual approval is the safe choice when starting out.

Where does this guide fit in the rest of the lineup?

Code mode pairs naturally with the project chip and the .outlierignore file. A typical session opens a single file, asks for a refactor or test scaffold, then iterates inline; the chat history persists across mode switches.

One unique number

4 steps, zero network requests after the model is downloaded. The Code tier shares safetensors with Core; the difference is configuration, not weights.

Download Outlier for Mac

Requires Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, or M4) — Intel Macs are not supported. macOS 12+.