Yi-111-a · Oct 1, 2026 · Oct 1, 2026 · Oct 2, 2026 · Oct 3, 2026 · greptile-apps
diff --git a/INSTALLATION.md b/INSTALLATION.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ and verify your installation.
 - [MacOS](#macos)
 - [Windows](#windows)
 - [Build from source](#build-from-source)
+  - [Build without the web UI](#build-without-the-web-ui)
 - [Verify your installation](#verify-your-installation)
 
 <!-- mdformat-toc end -->
@@ -210,6 +211,13 @@ dependencies:
 - `git`
 - `go`
 - `make`
+- `nodejs` and `pnpm`, for the web UI only; see
+  [below](#build-without-the-web-ui) if you don't need it
+
+The exact versions used in development are pinned in `.tool-versions`, if you
+use [`asdf`][asdf] then `asdf install` will install them for you. `asdf install`
+only supplies the pinned versions for plugins you already registered, so run
+the plugin registrations from [`CONTRIBUTING.md`][contrib] once beforehand.
 
 Ensure that the `go` binary directory (`$GOPATH/bin`) is in your `PATH`. It is
 recommended to set this within your shell configuration file(s), such as
@@ -325,6 +333,44 @@ This will build <code>git-bug</code> and place it in your Go binary directory.
 
 </details>
 
+### Build without the web UI<a name="build-without-the-web-ui"></a>
+
+The `install` and `build` targets in `//:Makefile` compile the web UI first,
+which is where the `nodejs` and `pnpm` dependencies come from. The web UI is
+optional: the assets are embedded behind the `webui` build tag, so building
+without that tag gives you a binary that works for everything except
+`git bug webui`, and needs nothing beyond `git`, `go` and `make`.
+
+The `nowebui` target is newer than every release tag, so none of them have it:
+checking out `v0.11.0` or older and running `make` fails with `No rule to make
-checking out `v0.11.0` or older and running `make` fails with `No rule to make
+checking out `v0.11.0` or older and running `make nowebui` fails with `No rule to make
-checking out `v0.11.0` or older and running `make` fails with `No rule to make
+checking out `v0.11.0` or older and running `make nowebui` fails with `No rule to make
+target 'nowebui'`. Check out `trunk`, or another revision that carries the
+target, and then run it from `//:Makefile` instead of `install`:
+
+<details><summary>Build <strong>without the web UI</strong></summary>
+
+<pre>
+make nowebui
+</pre>
+
+Like <code>make build</code>, this leaves the binary in the working directory
+rather than installing it, so move it wherever you want it on your
+<code>PATH</code>, for example your Go binary directory. <code>make</code> does
+not create that directory for you, so create it first on a fresh Go setup:
+
+<pre>
+mkdir -p "$(go env GOPATH)/bin"
+mv git-bug "$(go env GOPATH)/bin/"
+</pre>
+
+The binary is stamped with the same version as <code>make install</code>, but
+lacks the embedded web UI. Running <code>git bug webui</code> on it prints an
+explanatory message instead of serving a broken page.
+
+</details>
+
+If you'd rather keep the web UI but skip the Node.js toolchain, download a
+[pre-compiled release binary](#download-a-pre-compiled-release-binary) instead.
+
 ## Verify your installation<a name="verify-your-installation"></a>
 
 To verify that `git-bug` was installed correctly, you can run the following
@@ -359,6 +405,7 @@ ______________________________________________________________________
 [arc/openbsd_amd64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/download/v0.11.0/git-bug_0.11.0_openbsd_amd64.tar.gz
 [arc/windows_amd64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/download/v0.11.0/git-bug_0.11.0_windows_amd64.zip
 [arc/windows_arm64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/download/v0.11.0/git-bug_0.11.0_windows_arm64.zip
+[asdf]: https://asdf-vm.com/guide/getting-started.html
 [bin/darwin_amd64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/latest/download/git-bug_darwin_amd64
 [bin/darwin_arm64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/latest/download/git-bug_darwin_arm64
 [bin/freebsd_amd64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/latest/download/git-bug_freebsd_amd64
@@ -372,6 +419,7 @@ ______________________________________________________________________
 [bin/windows_amd64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/latest/download/git-bug_windows_amd64.exe
 [bin/windows_arm64]: https://github.com/git-bug/git-bug/releases/latest/download/git-bug_windows_arm64.exe
 [brew.sh]: https://brew.sh
+[contrib]: ./CONTRIBUTING.md
 [cosign]: https://docs.sigstore.dev/cosign/system_config/installation/
 [docs/home]: ./doc
 [p/arch-repo]: https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/git-bug/

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ install: build-webui
 	go generate
 	go install -tags webui -ldflags "$(LDFLAGS)" .
 
+# build without the embedded web UI (no Node.js / pnpm needed)
+.PHONY: nowebui
+nowebui:
+	go generate
+	go build -ldflags "$(LDFLAGS)" .
+
 .PHONY: secure
 secure:
 	go tool govulncheck ./...