Local vs hosted app
Orion is available as a local install (CLI + browser) and as a hosted web app. Both give you a notebook IDE with an AI assistant; they differ in where code runs and how you connect Jupyter.
Local install (CLI)
Run Orion on your machine with:
orionThe orion command (from the orion-notebook package) starts Jupyter, launches the Orion app locally, and opens your browser. Data and managed environments live under:
- macOS / Linux:
~/.orion - Windows:
%USERPROFILE%\.orion
Best for:
- Full control over files and kernels on your computer
- Using your own Python environments or conda stacks
- Offline or air-gapped workflows (with local models such as Ollama)
- Custom workspace skills and sub-agents in project folders
See Install Orion and the CLI reference.
Hosted app
Open app.orion-agent.ai in your browser without installing the CLI.
Best for:
- Trying Orion quickly
- Machines where you cannot install Node.js or Python locally
Hosted behavior may differ from the open-source local app (for example account features or billing). The open-source tree documents bring-your-own-key, local-first usage; see the Orion-app architecture for technical details.
Jupyter connection
Both local and hosted Orion need a Jupyter server to execute notebooks:
- CLI default: Orion creates and connects to a managed Jupyter environment under
~/.orion/runtime/venv. - Manual: Start your own server and connect via the kernel selector. See Connect to an external Jupyter server.
Credentials and settings
- API keys are entered in Settings → Providers and stored in your browser, not in settings JSON files on disk.
- User settings (theme, pinned models, editor preferences) live in
~/.orion/settings.jsonon the machine running the Orion app. - Workspace settings can override user settings per project in
<workspace>/.orion/settings.json. See Workspace settings.
Related
Last updated May 2026.