groq-desktop-beta MCP Client

Use This MCP client To

Chat with fast Groq models on my own computer Add my own connected tools to a chat window Send a picture and ask what is in it Keep a chat app running without a browser tab Try out MCP servers without building anything myself

README

Groq Desktop

Groq Desktop features MCP server support for all function calling capable models hosted on Groq. Now available for Windows, macOS, and Linux!

Note for macOS Users: After installing on macOS, you may need to run this command to open the app:
xattr -c /Applications/Groq\ Desktop.app

Unofficial Homebrew Installation (macOS)

You can install the latest release using Homebrew via an unofficial tap:

brew tap ricklamers/groq-desktop-unofficial
brew install --cask groq-desktop
# Allow the app to run
xattr -c /Applications/Groq\ Desktop.app

Features

Chat interface with image support
Local MCP servers

Prerequisites

Node.js (v18+)
pnpm package manager

Setup

Clone this repository
Install dependencies:
```
pnpm install
```
Start the development server:
```
pnpm dev
```

Troubleshooting

Electron Installation Issues

If you encounter an error like "Electron failed to install correctly" when running pnpm dev, this is likely because pnpm blocked the build scripts for security reasons. To fix this:

Remove the corrupted installation:
```
rm -rf node_modules
```
Reinstall dependencies:
```
pnpm install
```
Approve the build scripts when prompted (or run manually):
```
pnpm approve-builds
```
Select electron and esbuild when prompted to allow their post-install scripts to run.
Try running the dev server again:
```
pnpm dev
```

Building for Production

To build the application for production:

pnpm dist

This will create installable packages in the release directory for your current platform.

Building for Specific Platforms

# Build for all supported platforms
pnpm dist

# Build for macOS only
pnpm dist:mac

# Build for Windows only
pnpm dist:win

# Build for Linux only
pnpm dist:linux

Testing Cross-Platform Support

This app now supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. Here's how to test cross-platform functionality:

Running Cross-Platform Tests

We've added several test scripts to verify platform support:

# Run all platform tests (including Docker test for Linux)
pnpm test:platforms

# Run basic path handling test only
pnpm test:paths

# If on Windows, run the PowerShell test script
.\test-windows.ps1

The testing scripts will check:

Platform detection
Script file resolution
Environment variable handling
Path separators
Command resolution

Configuration

In the settings page, add your Groq API key:

{
  "GROQ_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
}

You can obtain a Groq API key by signing up at https://console.groq.com.

groq-desktop-beta FAQ

Is it still maintained?

Yes, though it is still branded beta. The most recent code change was late June 2026.

Do I need a key?

Yes. A free Groq account key from console.groq.com, pasted into the app's settings page.

Which computers does it run on?

macOS, Windows, and Linux. Mac users may need one terminal command to clear the download warning first.

Can I use this to try MCP servers without a developer setup?

Yes. Install the released app and add servers from its settings rather than building from source.

Is this something I connect to another app?

No, it is the chat app itself. It uses MCP servers rather than being one.

Is there an easier install on Mac?

An unofficial Homebrew tap publishes it as a cask, which handles the download for you.