Get started with the desktop app

Install the Miragon BPMN Modeler as a desktop app for macOS, Windows or Linux when you do not want to run an IDE. It runs the same modeler as the VS Code extension in an Eclipse Theia shell.

Install

Get the package for your system from the Download page:

System	Package	Updates
macOS	Signed and notarized .dmg	In-app updater
Windows	.exe installer	In-app updater
Linux x86_64	Flatpak from the Miragon repository, or a .flatpak bundle	flatpak update

All files are also on GitHub Releases.

macOS with Homebrew

brew tap miragon/tap
brew install --cask miragon-bpmn-modeler

Update with brew upgrade --cask miragon-bpmn-modeler.

Linux with Flatpak

Install Flatpak first. Miragon publishes the app in its own Flatpak repository, because the Flathub policy on generative AI does not accept apps with AI-assisted code or documentation.

Install for your user (no root needed):

flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists miragon https://miragon.github.io/bpmn-modeler-flatpak-repo/miragon.flatpakrepo
flatpak install --user miragon io.miragon.BpmnModeler
flatpak run io.miragon.BpmnModeler

For all users, run the same two install commands with sudo and --system instead of --user. Update with flatpak update --user io.miragon.BpmnModeler (or --system).

The .flatpak bundle from the Download page does not update itself. To update it, download the newer bundle and run flatpak install --user --bundle Miragon.BPMN.Modeler-<version>-x86_64.flatpak. Prefer the repository.

Build from source

See apps/standalone/README.md. A .dmg you build yourself is unsigned: on first launch, right-click the app in /Applications, choose Open and confirm.

Open a file

Use File ▸ Open… for a .bpmn, .dmn or .form file, or drop it onto the window. Use File ▸ Open Folder… to work with a folder of models.

On macOS you can open files from the terminal:

open -a "Miragon BPMN Modeler" path/to/diagram.bpmn
open -a "Miragon BPMN Modeler" path/to/diagrams/

How it differs from VS Code

• Auto-save is on: every change is saved one second after the last edit. Change it under Settings ▸ Files: Auto Save.
• Source Control uses the VS Code Git extension, including the BPMN diff. On macOS and Windows, install and configure git on the system. The Flatpak app brings its own git and forwards the ssh-agent.
• There is no Extensions view.

Everything else (modes, element templates, diff, deployment) works as in VS Code.

Next steps

• Features: what the modeler can do.
• Configuration: the settings, also available in the app.
• Deployment: deploy to Camunda 7 or Camunda 8.