Pipulate is a local-first AI SEO software platform that lets you design and run structured, step-by-step workflows for SEO, data processing, and AI-assisted tasks entirely on your machine. The server lets you execute an AI-enabled workflow described by Pipulate’s Python-based components, enabling you to build repeatable pipelines (e.g., keyword research, content gap analysis, technical SEO audits, CSV data cleaning, and report generation) that can leverage local AI models or cloud APIs while keeping your data in your control. The included workflows guide AI through defined steps, giving you visibility and reproducibility, with integration points for JupyterLab and other tooling when run locally.

To use Pipulate, first prepare the local environment, then run the AI_RUNME.py script inside a Python virtual environment. This starts the local server and exposes the Pipulate workflows through your terminal and browser. You can customize or extend the workflows by editing the Python code behind each step, allowing experts to codify best practices into repeatable automations. The platform emphasizes privacy and locality, enabling you to run AI tasks on your machine, use local models, and optionally connect to cloud services for heavier processing when needed.

Prerequisites:

• Git
• Python 3.8+ installed on your system (or be comfortable using a virtual environment)
• Optional: Python virtual environment tooling (venv) if you don’t want to use an existing one
• A bash-compatible shell

Step-by-step installation:

1. Clone the repository containing Pipulate: git clone https://github.com/miklevin/pipulate.git cd pipulate

2. Create and activate a Python virtual environment (recommended): python -m venv .venv source .venv/bin/activate

   On Windows use: .venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install Python dependencies (if a requirements.txt or setup is provided): pip install -r requirements.txt

   If there is no requirements.txt, ensure Python dependencies needed by AI_RUNME.py are installed manually

4. Ensure the AI runner script is ready:

   • Confirm AI_RUNME.py exists in the project root or the expected path
   • Make sure it is executable if necessary (e.g., chmod +x AI_RUNME.py on Unix-like systems)

5. Run the Pipulate runner: python AI_RUNME.py

   This will start the local Pipulate environment and expose the interface at the shown URL (e.g., http://localhost:5001)

Notes:

• If you prefer a Nix-based setup described in the README, follow the Nix-based quick start before running the Python script.
• The exact file paths may vary slightly depending on your checkout or version; adjust the command to point to AI_RUNME.py accordingly.

Tips and troubleshooting:

• If the server doesn’t start, verify that the virtual environment is activated and that AI_RUNME.py is accessible at the expected path.
• Ensure your firewall or antivirus is not blocking the local port used by Pipulate (commonly 5001).
• If you plan to use cloud AI APIs, configure API keys and environment variables as required by the workflows; keep sensitive keys secure and out of version control.
• Pipulate workflows are designed to be extended by Python code behind each step; you can customize steps to fit your domain and data formats.
• For reproducible environments, consider using the included Nix approach described in the README to lock dependencies across platforms.