Local-first
Local-first, next to a cloud workflow
BigBotArt is a local-first macOS desktop app: models and compute stay on the machine, assets are not uploaded, and there is no account and no subscription. This page describes that data path only. It does not rank speed, image quality, or price.
On this Mac
What stays on the Mac
These sentences come from copy already on the site and from the v0.1.1 release notes.
Models and compute
h3.c (MiniMax-H3), mlxgen (mlx-gen-jzg) image models, and any OpenAI-compatible local LLM endpoint run on your Apple Silicon Mac.
Project files
Projects, the canvas, takes, and assets are written only to the local directory ~/.bigbotart. Video, images, and prompts are written into the local project.
Export
Final export runs through local FFmpeg. Export presets and progress stay on the machine. Assets do not have to be uploaded.
Compared with a cloud workflow
How that differs from a cloud workflow
Cloud video generation usually runs the compute on a provider's machines and asks you to upload the assets. BigBotArt is not that path: it is a macOS desktop app, models and compute stay on the machine, assets are not uploaded, and there is no account or subscription.
v0.1.1 ships only as an Apple Silicon (arm64) build. The release notes list M1, M2, M3, and M4. This page names no cloud product, and it does not compare generation speed, image quality, or price.
Network
A connection is for downloads and updates
You only need a connection to download models the first time and to update the app. The first-launch wizard does environment detection, component installation, and model downloads. The h3.c and mlxgen models are large, so allow several GB of free disk space.
The direct download is BigBotArt-0.1.1-arm64.dmg. Install steps are on Requirements and install. Questions can go to jyllyj826@gmail.com.
Questions
Questions on this page
These answers match the visible text on this page and can be quoted as written.
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Does BigBotArt upload video and images to a cloud?
No. Models and compute stay on your Mac. Projects, the canvas, takes, and assets are written only to the local directory ~/.bigbotart. Video, images, and prompts are not uploaded, and final export runs through local FFmpeg.
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Do I need to register an account to use BigBotArt?
No. The v0.1.1 release notes say there is no account and no subscription. The install is the macOS Apple Silicon (arm64) app BigBotArt-0.1.1-arm64.dmg.
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How is local-first different from a cloud generation workflow?
Local-first means models and compute stay on the machine, assets are not uploaded, and there is no account or subscription. A cloud workflow, by contrast, runs generation on a provider's machines and requires uploading assets. BigBotArt follows the first path. This page does not compare speed, image quality, or price.