Build from Source

Build from source

Requirements

• Build: Python 3.12+ and the committed runtime assets. No Node.js is needed for an ordinary HTML build.
• Test: Node.js 24 and pnpm 11.25.0, in addition to Python. CI runs on Windows and Ubuntu.

Get the source and verify it

git clone https://github.com/chchaoo/gpt-notebook.git
cd gpt-notebook
python tools/project.py verify

A complete source ZIP also works. Verify a fresh copy before rebuilding; do not regenerate the manifest to hide missing or changed files.

Build the standalone HTML

python tools/project.py build

The output is gpt-notebook.html at the repository root. It contains the application and embedded runtime assets, with no conversations. Running it needs none of the development tools.

Run the tests

pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --ignore-scripts
python tools/project.py test

The test command runs JavaScript regressions, Python build tests and actual bundled-script offline startup checks. Temporary test HTML is cleaned afterward. Reinstall locked dependencies on a new machine; do not copy node_modules between systems.

Repository map

gpt-notebook/
├── gpt-notebook.html   # Ready-to-open blank application
├── src/                # Browser modules, template and build code
│   ├── tests/          # Synthetic regression fixtures and tests
│   ├── vendor/         # Offline runtime assets and licenses
│   └── tools/          # Optional editor bundle rebuild
├── tools/              # Build, test and sample commands
├── docs/
│   └── images/         # Actual interface screenshots
├── examples/           # Fictional archives for trying the app
└── .github/            # CI and issue templates

Source modules

Area	Files in src/
Interface	viewer_app.js, viewer_template.html, viewer_styles.css
Data and rendering	viewer_core.js, viewer_markdown.js
Editing	viewer_editor.js
Files and ZIPs	viewer_storage.js, viewer_transfer.js
History	viewer_journal.js, viewer_journal_store.js, viewer_history.js
Export and print	viewer_exports.js, viewer_print.js
Search and navigation	viewer_search.js, viewer_navigation.js, viewer_outline.js, viewer_title_index.js
Translation	viewer_i18n.js
HTML packaging	build_viewer.py

Optional tools

python tools/project.py samples regenerates the public fictional ZIPs and temporary screenshot pages in .validation/. It reads no user exports. Screenshot sources.

Only rebuild the editor bundle if changing that component. After installing dependencies, run in PowerShell:

$env:VIEWER_BUILD_DEPS = (Get-Location).Path
node src/tools/rebuild_editor.cjs
python tools/project.py build
python tools/project.py test

Retain runtime licenses. After reviewed development changes, build and test before creating a new release manifest with python tools/project.py freeze. Validation scope · Publishing.