Installation Overview
Rabtly has two parts:
| Part | Who needs it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop client / daemon | Every device you want to connect | Manages the WireGuard tunnel, keeps the device online |
| Control plane | One server only | Central hub — manages nodes, API, and web dashboard |
If you’re joining someone else’s Rabtly network, you only need the desktop client.
Choose your operating system
Desktop clients
macOS and Windows ship with a system tray / menu bar app that makes connecting as simple as one click:
- macOS — A menu bar icon. Install via Homebrew (
brew install rabtly/tap/rabtly) or.dmg. - Windows — A taskbar icon. Install via the
.exeinstaller or Scoop. - Linux — Daemon only (no GUI). Recommended to run as a systemd service.
System requirements
Desktop client / daemon:
- macOS 13+ (Intel or Apple Silicon)
- Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
- Any modern Linux (kernel 5.6+ with WireGuard built-in recommended)
- 50 MB disk space, ~20 MB RAM
Control plane:
- Any Linux server (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, etc.)
- 512 MB RAM minimum (1 GB recommended)
- Ports
8080(API) and3000(dashboard) open in your firewall - Optional: PostgreSQL for multi-tenant / persistent storage