Installation
Escher is a native desktop app for macOS. Install it, launch it, and the in-app onboarding wizard takes you the rest of the way — including installing the AWS and Azure CLIs for you via Homebrew.
System requirements
| Requirement | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | macOS 13 (Ventura) or later |
| Architecture | Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) or Intel |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM |
| Disk space | 1 GB (Escher + Homebrew + cloud CLIs) |
| Network | Outbound HTTPS to AWS / Azure APIs and to AWS Cognito for sign-in |
| Terminal | macOS Terminal app (the wizard opens it for you) |
INFO
Windows and Linux builds are on the roadmap. If you need them sooner, let your account contact know.
Install Escher
- Download the latest Escher release from the link your Tessell contact shared.
- Open the
.dmgfile and drag Escher to your Applications folder. - Launch Escher from Applications. On first launch, macOS may ask you to confirm an app from outside the App Store — confirm to proceed.
- The Welcome screen appears.
You don't need to install Homebrew, the AWS CLI, or the Azure CLI before launching — the in-app wizard guides you through Homebrew, then installs the cloud CLIs for you. The next step is the Quickstart, which walks through each onboarding screen in order.
What gets installed locally
The Escher app itself, plus what the onboarding wizard installs on your behalf:
- Homebrew — installed once in Step 4 of the wizard (you paste a single command into Terminal)
- AWS CLI — installed in Step 5 of the wizard via
brew install awscliwhen you tick AWS - Azure CLI — same, via
brew install azure-cliwhen you tick Azure
The app itself stores:
- Your sign-in token (in the macOS Keychain — never on disk in plaintext)
- A local cache of your cloud estate metadata
- Conversation history for your sessions
Your cloud credentials never leave your device. After onboarding, Escher reads your existing AWS / Azure CLI credentials (created during the Connect AWS / Connect Azure steps) from your local ~/.aws/ and ~/.azure/ config — it doesn't store them, copy them, or send them to any server.
What you'll see on first launch
After install, launching Escher takes you to the Welcome to Escher screen:
Welcome to EscherYour AI agent for cloud operations. Reads your existing cloud profiles and CLI configurations to get to work immediately.
[ Get started ] Already have an account? Sign in
Click Get started to begin the 8-screen onboarding wizard. The Quickstart walks through each screen.
Sign in
Sign-in uses AWS Cognito with federated identity (typically Google). The wizard opens a browser window to the sign-in page; once you authenticate, the browser closes and Escher continues to the next onboarding step.
If your team doesn't have an Escher account yet, the in-app flow lets you create one on first sign-in — no need to wait on a separate provisioning step. If you're joining an existing team and your email isn't recognised, ask your Tessell contact to add you to the team.
What's next
- Quickstart — Walk through the full onboarding wizard
- Connect AWS — Reference for the AWS connection step (SSO + access keys)
- Connect Azure — Reference for the Azure connection step
- Security & Privacy — How Escher handles your data