Getting Started

Welcome to TheCube — a 10 cm desktop companion built to be open, extensible, and full of personality.
This section will help you understand the big picture before you dive into setup or development.

What is TheCube?

At its core, TheCube is a desktop assistant powered by a Raspberry Pi 5.
It combines hardware, software, and AI into a modular platform that can:

  • Run apps that extend its abilities
  • Provide local AI assistance with no required cloud connection
  • Support expansion ports and toppers for hardware tinkering
  • Express itself through characters and personality modes

TheCube is not just a device — it’s meant to be a companion on your desk, blending productivity and playfulness.

TheCube-Core

The Core is the system runtime that ties everything together.
It’s responsible for:

  • Boot and initialization
  • Managing the app lifecycle
  • Routing messages over the event bus
  • Handling security and sandboxing
  • Providing APIs for apps to interact with hardware and AI
  • Managing user preferences and settings
  • Enabling communication with TheCube+ cloud services (if opted in)
  • Serving as the foundation for all TheCube functionality

Think of the Core as the operating system layer for TheCube.

👉 Learn more in the TheCube-Core Overview

Apps

Apps bring TheCube to life. They can:

  • Add productivity tools (timers, reminders, email summaries)
  • Connect external devices (stream decks, sensors, smart lights)
  • Provide entertainment (games, animations, playful interactions)

Apps run in a sandboxed environment and communicate with the Core through APIs and events.

👉 Explore the App Platform Overview

TheCube+

While TheCube works completely offline, TheCube+ adds optional cloud features:

  • Account management & device syncing
  • Access to larger AI models
  • Cloud storage for history and preferences
  • Usage quotas and subscription tiers

You can use TheCube standalone, or opt into TheCube+ if you want extra power and convenience.

👉 Details here: TheCube+ Overview

Next Steps

Ready to begin? Follow the onboarding path:

  1. Install — set up TheCube hardware & software
  2. Quickstart — power on and say hello
  3. FAQ — answers to common questions

💡 Tip: If you’re a developer, you can skip ahead to the SDK section and start building your first app right away.

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