Getting Started with AutoGPT: Self-Hosting Guide

Are you eager to harness the power of AutoGPT on your own machine? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of setting up AutoGPT locally. Whether you’re a developer looking to customize AutoGPT or simply want to experiment with its capabilities, this tutorial has got you covered.

Introduction

AutoGPT is a groundbreaking project that allows users to automate GPT-4 tasks, creating a seamless AI experience. By self-hosting AutoGPT, you gain more control, flexibility, and the ability to tailor the application to your specific needs.

If you’d rather watch the tutorial, we have a video here:

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your machine:

• Node.js (v14 or higher)

• Docker

• Git

Checking Your Installations

Node.js and NPM

We use Node.js to run our frontend application. NPM (Node Package Manager) comes bundled with Node.js.

• Install Node.js and NPM: Download Node.js

• Verify Installation:

Open your terminal and run:

node -v
npm -v

Docker and Docker Compose

Docker containerizes applications, while Docker Compose orchestrates multi-container Docker applications.

• Install Docker: Download Docker

• Docker Compose is included with Docker Desktop, but if you need assistance: Install Docker Compose

• Verify Installation:

docker -v
docker compose -v

Cloning the Repository

Now, let’s clone the AutoGPT repository to your local machine.

1. Open your terminal in the desired folder.

2. Run the following command:

git clone https://github.com/Significant-Gravitas/AutoGPT.git

If you need help with cloning repositories, refer to this guide.

Running the Backend Services

With the repository cloned, follow these steps to set up the backend services:

1. Navigate to the Project Directory and Initialize Submodules:

cd AutoGPT
git submodule update - init - recursive
cd autogpt_platform

This initializes and updates the submodules in the repository.

2. Copy the Environment Variables File:

cp supabase/docker/.env.example .env

You can modify the .env file to add your own environment variables.

3. Start the Backend Services:

docker compose up -d - build

This command starts all the necessary backend services defined in the docker-compose.combined.yml file in detached mode.

Running the Frontend Application

Next, set up and run the frontend application:

1. Navigate to the Frontend Directory:

cd frontend

2. Copy the Environment Variables File:

cp .env.example .env

Modify the .env file to add any custom environment variables needed for the frontend.

3. Install Dependencies and Run the Application:

npm install
npm run dev

This will install all necessary dependencies and start the frontend application in development mode.

Verifying the Application

To ensure everything is running correctly:

• Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000.

• You should see the AutoGPT application interface.

Note:

By default, the services run on the following ports:

• Frontend UI Server: 3000

• Backend Websocket Server: 8001

• Execution API Rest Server: 8006

Additional Configurations

Changing Your Encryption Key

For enhanced security, you may want to change your encryption key.

1. Generate a New Encryption Key:

In your terminal, run:

poetry run cli gen-encrypt-key

Alternatively, in Python:

from cryptography.fernet import Fernet; 
print(Fernet.generate_key().decode())

2. Update the .env File:

• Navigate to autogpt_platform/backend.

• Open the .env file.

• Replace the existing encryption key with your newly generated key.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully set up AutoGPT on your local machine. You’re now ready to explore and harness the capabilities of AutoGPT for your projects.

If you encounter any issues or have questions, feel free to reach out to the community or check the official documentation.

Happy coding!

Disclaimer: This guide is intended for educational purposes. Please ensure you comply with all licensing agreements and terms of service when using AutoGPT.