Getting Started
Get Patchwork installed and set up in a few minutes. No account sign-up required — just a Discord login to connect with other systems.
Requirements
- Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)
- Python 3.13 (download from python.org)
- A Discord account (for sign-in)
- ~100 MB free disk space
Coming soon: Android support is in active development. An APK build will be available for direct installation on Android devices.
Installation
Install uv
Patchwork uses uv to manage its Python dependencies. Open PowerShell and run:
powershell -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"
Download Patchwork
Clone or download the repository to a folder on your computer, then open a terminal in that folder.
Install dependencies
In your terminal, run:
uv sync
This downloads KivyMD, Pydantic, and all other dependencies into an isolated virtual environment. It only runs once.
Launch Patchwork
Start the app with:
uv run patchwork
Signing In
On first launch, Patchwork will open your browser to a Discord sign-in page. This uses the Logto OIDC standard — Patchwork never sees your Discord password. You’re signing in to get a secure identity token that lets you connect with other Patchwork users.
Authorise with Discord
Your browser opens automatically. Click Authorise on the Discord OAuth screen. Patchwork only requests your username and avatar — nothing else.
Return to the app
After authorising, the browser redirects back to Patchwork automatically via a local callback. You can close the browser tab.
Name your system
On first sign-in, enter a name for your system. This is stored only on your device and is never sent to the server unless you choose to share it with a friend.
Privacy note: Patchwork uses a local HTTP server on a random port to receive the OAuth callback. Nothing is stored in your browser or sent to any third party beyond the Logto identity service.
First Steps
Once you’re in, here’s a suggested order for getting set up:
Import from SimplyPlural (optional)
If you’re already using SimplyPlural, import your data first so you don’t have to re-enter everything. See the Import guide.
Add your members
Navigate to the Members screen and add each member of your system — name, pronouns, and optionally a photo. See Managing Members.
Set up categories
If your system is large, organise members into categories now. Categories can be nested as deeply as you need. See Categories.
Log your first front
Open the Fronting screen and tap the member who is currently fronting to start tracking. See Fronting Tracker.
Connect with friends (optional)
Send a friend request to other Patchwork users to share encrypted fronting updates. See Friend System.