GCP Computer
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Getting Started

Get GCP Computer running locally in minutes. This guide walks you through the prerequisites, installation, and first run.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed:

  • Node.js v22+ and npm
  • Docker (optional — only needed for the Docker sandbox driver)
  • Git

Step 1: Clone the Repository

git clone <repository-url>
cd gcp-computer

Step 2: Install Dependencies

npm install

This installs Next.js, React, the Vercel AI SDK, Tailwind CSS, authentication libraries, and all other required packages.

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

Copy the example environment file:

cp .env.example .env

For local development, configure your .env file with these minimum settings:

APP_MODE=local-emulated
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=a-secure-random-secret
NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000

| Variable | Description | |---|---| | APP_MODE | Set to local-emulated for local development | | NEXTAUTH_SECRET | Random string used to encrypt session tokens | | NEXTAUTH_URL | The base URL of your app |

When APP_MODE=local-emulated is set, the app runs in demo mode with credentials-based login, in-memory sandbox emulation, and deterministic agent fallback. No Google Cloud or Gemini API keys required.

Step 4: Start the Development Server

npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Step 5: Sign In

The login page displays a Local Emulation badge and a credentials-based sign-in form. Enter any username and password to proceed.

Once signed in, you land on the dashboard where you can:

  • Create new chat sessions
  • Execute commands in sandboxed environments
  • Mount directories
  • View tool execution logs

What's Next?