Getting Started

Choose the option appropriate for your platform.

Browser

No installation is required. Open the application URL provided by your institution, for example https://cartographer-app.zenmem.de/.

Native application

Cartographer can be distributed as a native application for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. Download the package for your platform from the releases page or use the download provided by your institution.

Only install native packages from a trusted source. Android packages may need to be approved for installation if they are distributed outside an app store; follow your institution's installation guidance.

macOS: "Apple could not verify... is free of malware"

Cartographer's macOS builds are not currently notarized by Apple. Downloading the .dmg/.app through a browser marks it as quarantined, so macOS shows this warning when you first try to open it — this is expected for any non-notarized app and does not mean the download is unsafe. To open it:

  1. Try to open the app once (you'll see the warning) → OK.
  2. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down to the blocked app notice, and click Open Anyway.
  3. Try opening the app again and confirm Open.

Android: "install blocked" / unknown sources

Android shows an "install from unknown sources" style warning for any APK installed outside the Play Store or your device manufacturer's app store — this happens whether or not the APK is signed, and is not specific to Cartographer. Follow your device's on-screen prompt to allow the install (usually Settings → allow this source, then retry the install).

GitHub login on Android and desktop

Native Tauri applications use GitHub Device Flow rather than redirecting back to the application through a callback URL:

  1. Open the application menu and select Login with GitHub.
  2. Copy the temporary code displayed by Cartographer.
  3. Open https://github.com/login/device in a browser.
  4. Enter the code and authorize Cartographer.
  5. Return to Cartographer and wait for login to complete automatically.

The browser can be on the same device or another trusted device. Only enter a code when you initiated the login yourself. See Importing from a GitHub repository for the complete workflow.