Guides
OSINT Framework download: there is no installer, here is what to do
The site runs in a browser. For a local copy, clone the MIT-licensed GitHub repository; (T) tools come from their own projects, and AyeWatch covers alerts.
There is no OSINT Framework download to install: it is a free website you open at osintframework.com, and it works in any modern browser. If you want your own copy, the source code and the complete tool list are on GitHub under the MIT license, and a local version runs with a few commands.
The short answer by goal
| What you want | Where to get it |
|---|---|
| Use the tree | Open osintframework.com in a browser |
| The full list of tools as data | The arf.json file in the GitHub repository |
| The site on your own machine | Clone the repository and start it locally |
| A tool marked (T) | That tool's own project page, linked from the tree |
| Alerts when a source you found changes | AyeWatch, on the web or its iOS and Android apps |
No installer, no releases
The project is a web page: an HTML file, a style sheet, the D3 library and a script that draws the tree from one JSON file. Its GitHub repository, lockfale/osint-framework, publishes no releases and no installer as of November 2026. If a site offers you an OSINT Framework .exe or app, it did not come from this repository.
How to run it locally
The repository's package.json includes a start script, so with Git, Node.js and Python 3 installed:
git clone https://github.com/lockfale/osint-framework.git
cd osint-framework
npm install
npm start
The install step copies the D3 library into place, and the start script serves the public folder with Python's built-in web server on port 8000, so open localhost:8000 in your browser. The community ratings and the report form talk to the live site's server code, so expect those parts to be missing in a plain local copy. The tree and its links work as usual.
If you only want the data, download arf.json. Each entry has a name and URL, and most also carry a description, a status, a pricing label, the input and output, and an OPSEC note saying whether the tool is passive or contacts the target.
The (T) tools are separate downloads
A (T) after a name means that tool is installed and run on your own computer, and it comes from its own project, not from OSINT Framework. SpiderFoot, for example, is published on GitHub under the MIT license, and Maltego offers a free Basic plan with paid plans billed yearly. Download from those official pages, and consider a virtual machine; the tree's Tools branch lists options such as VirtualBox and Whonix.
If what you need is updates, not a copy
A downloaded list stays the same until you pull it again. When the goal is to know as soon as a public page, topic or account changes, AyeWatch's free preview is the quicker route: describe what to watch or paste a link, and it sends a short summary with sources when something new shows up. Paid plans start at $9 a month. It is our recommended pick for that job, while the GitHub copy remains the right choice if you want the list offline or plan to fork it.
Use it responsibly
Whatever copy you use, keep to public sources, respect each site's terms and your local law, and do not use the tools to track private individuals.