● Start
Requirements
what to have ready.
A server for the checks and the console, a computer to build the app, and the accounts to publish it. Outside services are optional and can be added later.
01Server
- Node.js 26 (the current long-term support release) or newer. The top folder of the download has an
.nvmrcfile, sonvm usethere picks the right version. Installation was tested with Node.js 26.13.1 and the npm 11.20.0 that comes with it. - Linux with glibc, for example Debian or Ubuntu, or macOS for testing. The Content Credentials reader ships prebuilt for macOS, Linux (x64 and arm64, glibc) and Windows x64. Alpine Linux (musl) is not supported for Content Credentials.
- A VPS, not shared hosting: the server is a long-running Node.js process with a SQLite database. Size it by how many checks you expect; most of the work is done by the outside services.
- Free disk for uploads: files are kept on disk only while they are checked. Plan for about twice the largest file you allow times the number of uploads that may arrive at once: about 1.6 GB with the defaults. See Uploads.
- A subdomain with https, for example
checks.yourcompany.com. The app talks to the server at the root of that address; it cannot sit under a path such as/api. - ffmpeg and ffprobe (optional). They are needed to check the sound track of a video and to read the length of media files. Without them, those parts are listed as not checked.
- Build tools
python3,makeandg++only ifnpm cifinds no prebuilt database driver for your server. The Docker build installs them for you.
02Building the app
- Flutter 3.41.4 or newer (Dart 3.11.1 or newer).
- Android Studio with the Android SDK, for Android builds.
- A Mac with Xcode, for iOS builds. iOS apps can only be built on a Mac. The app and its Share Extension target iOS 15 or newer.
03Accounts
| Account | Needed for | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program | Publishing on the App Store, the App Group the Share Extension needs, selling Pro on iOS | to publish |
| Google Play Console | Publishing on Google Play, selling Pro on Android | to publish |
| Hosting provider | The server and its domain | required |
| Google Cloud | Web Risk, Cloud Vision, Fact Check Tools; a service account for Pro on Google Play | optional |
| Sightengine | AI-made, face-swap and AI-speech signals | optional |
| Anthropic or Perplexity | Cited web research for claims | optional |
| A speech-to-text service | Transcripts of voice messages and video sound | optional |
| A language model provider | Reading messages, pages and screenshots, finding claims, summaries and the assistant | optional, strongly advised |
All provider usage is billed to your own accounts. See Costs.
04About the commands in these pages
Commands are written for a macOS or Linux terminal. On Windows, use WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) or Git Bash.