FAQ & troubleshooting
Quick answers first, fixes second — and if yours isn't here, open an issue.
General
Is HydraTree free?#
Yes — free, with no accounts, tiers, or telemetry-for-features tricks. The application source code is private; the release binaries are public on GitHub Releases.
Which platforms are supported?#
macOS Apple Silicon · Windows x64. On macOS that means Apple Silicon (M1 or later); Intel Macs are not supported.
Which Git hosts work today?#
GitHub.com (OAuth or PAT) and GitLab — both GitLab.com and self-hosted instances — via PAT. A self-hosted GitLab has to be reachable over HTTPS on a public hostname; .local names and private-network IP addresses are not supported yet. On the roadmap: GitHub Enterprise Server.
Is there a command-line tool?#
No. HydraTree is a desktop GUI app; it does not install anything on your PATH, and it leaves your terminal's git setup alone, except when you save values in Settings → Git: those are written to your global git config, the same one the terminal reads.
How is the browser demo different from the app?#
Sample-data preview only — OAuth, GitLab PAT sign-in, auto-updates, and real remotes need the installed desktop app.
Troubleshooting
The sign-in button doesn't open a browser#
Update to the latest release first. The button opens the browser chosen in Settings → Accounts → Sign-in browser (your default browser unless you changed it), where you enter the code HydraTree shows. If you close the browser mid-flow, click the button again to restart the sign-in.
Homebrew fails with “App source … is not there”#
Homebrew's record points at an app bundle that was moved or deleted. Run brew uninstall --cask --force hydratree and install again — full steps are in Installation.
My OS warns about an unknown developer / SmartScreen#
Expected for now: early builds are not code-signed. macOS 14 or earlier — Right-click → Open once; macOS 15 or later — try to open the app once, then System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway (or install via Homebrew, which re-signs locally). Windows — More info → Run anyway.
A push or commit is blocked with an account message#
That's the identity guardrail: the repo's bound account is missing, needs re-authentication, or has no access to the remote. Fix the account in Settings → Accounts, or rebind the repo in Settings → Repository.
Still stuck? Report a bug with your OS, app version (Settings → About), and what you expected to happen.