Quick Start Guide

Installation

Get RobolaWeb up and running in minutes.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10 or higher

• Modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)

Step 1: Install uv (Recommended)

uv is a fast Python package and project manager. We recommend using it for easy environment management.

Install uv

Windows (PowerShell):

powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

macOS/Linux:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Verify installation:

uv --version

Alternative: Check Your Existing Python

If you prefer to use your existing Python setup:

python --version
# or
python3 --version

Step 2: Install Robola with uv

Create an isolated environment and install robola:

# Create a new virtual environment
uv venv --python 3.12

# Activate the environment
source .venv/bin/activate  # On macOS/Linux
# or
.venv\Scripts\activate     # On Windows

# Install robola
uv pip install robola

Verify Installation

robola --version

You should see the version number printed.

💡 Tip: Keep the virtual environment activated when running robola serve. You can deactivate it later with deactivate command.

Alternative: Using pip

If you prefer to use pip instead of uv:

pip install robola
# or
pip3 install robola

This works but we recommend uv for better dependency management and faster installation.

Step 3: Prepare Your Model

RobolaWeb works with existing MJCF files. You can:

Option A: Use an Example Model

Download from MuJoCo Menagerie:

git clone https://github.com/google-deepmind/mujoco_menagerie.git
cd mujoco_menagerie

Option B: Create a New Model from Scratch

Use the CLI’s --new shortcut to scaffold a brand-new MJCF from the built-in template and start the server in one step:

robola serve .robola_test/scene.xml --new

This command will create .robola_test/scene.xml with the default scene template (fails if the file already exists) and immediately launch the runtime so you can connect from the editor.

Option C: Use Your Existing Model

Point to any .xml MJCF file you already have.

Step 4: Start the Server

If use --new , skip this.

Navigate to your model's directory and start the server:

# Make sure virtual environment is activated first!
# source .venv/bin/activate  (macOS/Linux)
# .venv\Scripts\activate     (Windows)

robola serve /path/to/your/model.xml

Step 5: Open the Editor

Open your browser and visit, please login first:

https://www.robolaweb.com/editor

Or click the link in your terminal (if your terminal supports it).

Updating

To update to the latest version:

# Make sure virtual environment is activated
uv pip install --upgrade robola

Or with pip:

pip install --upgrade robola

Uninstalling

To remove RobolaWeb:

# With uv
uv pip uninstall robola

# Or with pip
pip uninstall robola

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Next Steps

• Quick Start - Learn the basics in 5 minutes

• Interface Overview - Understand the editor layout

• Your First Model - Build something from scratch