Practical overview
When it fits
Use Chatd when you want a desktop document-chat workflow based on a local language model instead of a cloud-hosted service.
Who it is for
- People who want to ask questions about documents using a language model running on their computer.
- Users seeking a local document-chat workflow for personal files or a small knowledge base.
Documented uses
- Chat with documents using the documented Mistral-7B local model.
- Use an existing local Ollama instance or let Chatd start and manage an Ollama server.
Requirements & limits
The README provides a release-download quickstart and says the default app includes its local model runner. It lists Windows, macOS, and Linux packaging instructions.
- The documented default model is Mistral-7B.
- Chatd uses Ollama, and can manage an included runner or use an existing local instance.
- The project describes document data as staying on the computer and not being sent to the cloud; this is the project's claim, not an independent security assessment.
- The repository lists the MIT license.
Check current requirements in the official documentation. Source-based guidance does not mean OpenViST has run or independently tested this project.
Set up Chatd from a release
Install and launch the desktop application using the documented quickstart.
Before you start
- A Chatd release downloaded from chatd.ai or the GitHub releases page.
Steps
Download the latest release from chatd.ai or the GitHub releases page.
Unzip the downloaded file.
Run the chatd executable.
Expected outcome
The Chatd desktop application is launched.
Guide limitations
- The quickstart describes launching the application; document import and question-answering steps are not specified in this guidance.
Sources & review
Source record details
- Source availability
- Active
- Sources checked
- 15 October 2026
- Original website title
- BruceMacD/chatd · Official homepage title · retained in its source language

