# BuddyAIM — Buddy Agent Instant Messenger

> BuddyAIM is a desktop home for Codex and Claude Code. It organizes projects and coding conversations in a buddy list, with AIM, DeadAIM, and Pidgin interface styles.

BuddyAIM hosts independently installed coding CLIs in embedded terminals. It is not an instant messaging service and does not connect to the AIM network or send messages to other people. Provider CLIs handle sign-in, project trust, approvals, and service requirements.

BuddyAIM draws inspiration from the more personal feel of the early web: buddy lists, away messages, personal pages, and small communities. Created by an elder millennial, it brings familiar messenger design to modern coding tools, preserving some of that character in an era of centralized platforms and walled gardens.

There are two ways to get started:

- **Prebuilt Windows downloads:** the Windows x64 installer and portable ZIP include the application runtime. Node.js is not required for these packages. Use the latest GitLab release for current downloads, checksums, signing status, and release notes.
- **Run from source:** clone the repository, install dependencies, and launch the application. Creating an installer is optional. Install Git, Node.js 22.12 or newer, and npm first. Native dependencies may require Python and C/C++ build tools for the host operating system. Windows source use is validated; macOS and Linux source use has not yet been verified. No prebuilt packages for those systems are currently provided.

Source startup commands:

```sh
git clone https://gitlab.com/buddyaim/buddy-agent-instant-messenger.git
cd buddy-agent-instant-messenger
npm ci
npm start
```

In Windows PowerShell, use `npm.cmd ci` and `npm.cmd start` if script execution policy blocks npm. Both installation options need a supported native Codex or Claude Code CLI, already signed in, and a project folder.

Original application code and website code are MIT licensed. Third-party components and assets retain their own licenses. BuddyAIM is an independent project and is not affiliated with the original messenger owners or coding-provider companies.

GitLab is the source of truth for releases. The permanent latest-release URL below follows the current release; this guide intentionally does not pin a version, release date, or binary filename.

## Website

- [Homepage](https://buddyaim.ai/): Product overview, current interfaces, screenshots, and FAQ.
- [Downloads and running from source](https://buddyaim.ai/downloads.html): Windows downloads, prerequisites, and clone-and-run instructions.
- [Creator story](https://buddyaim.ai/#story): The anonymous creator's old-web inspiration.
- [Credits and acknowledgments](https://buddyaim.ai/credits.html): Project context and third-party acknowledgments.
- [Structured data](https://buddyaim.ai/structured-data.jsonld): The same project-focused JSON-LD graph embedded in the homepage.

## Source and releases

- [GitLab repository](https://gitlab.com/buddyaim/buddy-agent-instant-messenger): Source code, README, setup instructions, and project documentation.
- [Latest release](https://gitlab.com/buddyaim/buddy-agent-instant-messenger/-/releases/permalink/latest): Current release notes, downloadable files, checksums, and verification evidence.
- [Application license](https://gitlab.com/buddyaim/buddy-agent-instant-messenger/-/blob/master/LICENSE): License for the original application code; third-party terms remain separate.