CORTEX
Download CORTEX
The desktop platform for labs — reason over your knowledge without corrupting it. macOS & Windows in one package.
Set up (about 15 minutes)
- Unzip and open
START-HERE.txt. - macOS: open the
.dmg→ drag to Applications → right-click → Open. Windows: runCORTEX-Setup.exe. - Install the local engine (embeds your files on-device): double-click
install-engine.command(macOS) or runinstall-engine.ps1(Windows). - Connect the cloud: double-click
connect-cloud.command(macOS) or runconnect-cloud.ps1(Windows), and paste the two keys from yourcredentials.txt. No terminal needed. (Manual steps:CONNECT-CLOUD.md.) - Sign in with the name + access code we sent you. Done.
Add knowledge from anywhere
In the app, Add to Guild pulls into your private, isolated corpus from:
- Files & folders — PDFs, CSVs, text; drag in or browse.
- GitHub — a repo's docs, notebooks, and source (public, or private with a token).
- Google Drive — a folder or file via an OAuth token; or install Drive for Desktop and add it as a local folder.
- DOI / URL / PMID — fetches metadata + abstract (or the page/PDF) for a paper.
- Zotero — import your library by API key.
- Machines — pull result files from lab/instrument PCs running the file-bridge agent.
- Browser — the bundled Chrome extension adds papers (incl. paywalled) as you read.
Private pilot build. Your access code + cloud keys come separately — keep them safe.
Already installed an earlier build? Re-download, reinstall the app, and re-run
install-engine.command to pick up the new GitHub / Drive / DOI / Zotero connectors.