# Project pack: Mealie @ 581ac02

Facts about **Mealie** for an AI following the [BespokeAI handover guide](https://handoff.bespokeai.software/guide/v4.md). Pinned to one version; never changes after publication.

> Mealie keeps all your recipes in one place. Paste a link from any cooking site and it imports the recipe for you. Plan the week's meals on a calendar and turn them into a shopping list the whole household can share. It runs on your own computer or server, so your family's recipes stay yours.

## Setup path (checked 2026-11-03)
- **Needs Docker.** Tell the person before any setup work; no light non-Docker route is documented upstream. Docker Desktop on Windows may need a computer restart and an admin-only Windows feature (virtualisation); say so and let the person decide.
- Verdict source: https://docs.mealie.io
- You may be unable to download source archives or run commands in this session. The person downloads and runs things; if you cannot fetch something, give any changed file in full in chat with its path.

## Version and source
- Repository: https://github.com/mealie-recipes/mealie
- Pinned commit: `581ac022b01539ac534775f65d79b72d11c045ea`. Use exactly this version.
- Zip the person can download in a browser: https://github.com/mealie-recipes/mealie/archive/581ac022b01539ac534775f65d79b72d11c045ea.zip
- Fresh checkout (only if you have a shell and git): use the commands below in an empty folder. If this exact source is already checked out, keep your branch and use the development command; do not clone again or reset local changes.
- Official docs: https://docs.mealie.io
- Live demo: https://demo.mealie.io. Public demo. Don't enter anything private.
- Licence: **AGPL-3.0-only**. Free to use and change. If you run a changed version that other people use over the internet (not just your own household), you must offer them your source code under the same licence. Private family use has no extra obligations.

## Commands from the pinned source
- Developer commands (they may use Docker):

  ```sh
  git clone https://github.com/mealie-recipes/mealie bespoke-mealie
  cd bespoke-mealie
  git checkout --detach 581ac022b01539ac534775f65d79b72d11c045ea
  # Prepare development requirements and local configuration first.
  # Setup notes: backend on :9000; in another terminal: task ui (frontend on :3000)
  task setup && task py
  ```

- Separate trial of the current upstream release (not your changes; sample data and a separate data directory only):

  ```sh
  docker run -d --name mealie -p 9925:9000 -e TZ=Europe/London -e ALLOW_SIGNUP=false -v mealie-data:/app/data ghcr.io/mealie-recipes/mealie:latest # then open http://localhost:9925 (first-time login is shown in the docs)
  ```
- Tools these commands use: Docker, or for development Python 3.14 + uv + Node 22 + pnpm + Task (taskfile.dev)
- Develop: `task setup && task py   # backend on :9000; in another terminal: task ui (frontend on :3000)`
- Test: `task py:test && task ui:test`
- Check/lint: `task py:check && task ui:check`
- Stack: python, typescript, vue (FastAPI, SQLAlchemy, Nuxt 4, Vue 3, Vuetify). Difficulty for a non-developer with an AI: **moderate**. Theme colours, AI, notifications and webhooks are pure settings. Code changes need both the Python backend and the Nuxt frontend, with type generation between them (task dev:generate).
- The project's own AI instructions, in the repository: `AGENTS.md`.
Personal data: **yes**. Stored in: SQLite in the mealie-data volume (/app/data) by default; PostgreSQL optional. Secrets are entered by the person, never in chat.

---
Later, only when a step needs it: [reference.md](https://handoff.bespokeai.software/p/mealie/581ac02/r3/reference.md) (customisation points, must-keep-working, data and costs, coding conventions) · [hosting.md](https://handoff.bespokeai.software/p/mealie/581ac02/r3/hosting.md) (long-term hosting; hosts are paid third parties) · [bespoke.yaml](https://handoff.bespokeai.software/p/mealie/581ac02/r3/bespoke.yaml) · [SKILL.md](https://handoff.bespokeai.software/p/mealie/581ac02/r3/SKILL.md)