Add a macOS menu bar companion that bundles and governs the server.

The accessory app ships the ai-memory binary and hooks tree, starts the
existing LaunchAgent, and opens /web, status, config, and logs. Durable
data stays in Application Support so replacing the .app is an update.

docs/install.md

@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 # Installation cookbook
 
 The [README quick-start](../README.md#quick-start) covers the happy
-path (docker + Claude Code). This page covers everything else:
+paths (Docker + Claude Code, Arch AUR, macOS menu bar app). This page
+covers everything else:
 
 - [Server on a different machine](#server-on-a-different-machine)
   (homelab, LAN box, remote server)
 - [Configuring the CLI URL and auth](#configuring-the-cli-url-and-auth)
 - [Arch Linux native packages (AUR)](#arch-linux-native-packages-aur)
   (systemd system service or user service)
+- [macOS menu bar app](#macos-menu-bar-app)
+  (self-contained `.app` + LaunchAgent)
 - [Configuring other agent CLIs](#configuring-other-agent-clis)
   (Codex, Command Code, Devin CLI, OpenCode, OMP, Pi, Cursor, Claude Desktop, Gemini CLI, Antigravity CLI, Grok Build CLI, Zero, ZCode, Kimi Code, Kiro CLI, Pool, OpenClaw, VS Code Copilot, Zed)
 - [Installing hooks without docker](#installing-hooks-without-docker)
@@ -714,6 +717,42 @@ AI_MEMORY_NATIVE_TEST_IMAGE=quay.io/toolbx/arch-toolbox:latest scripts/test-nati
 
 ---
 
+## macOS menu bar app
+
+On a Mac, the self-contained menu bar app is the GUI install: it bundles the
+native `ai-memory` binary and `hooks/` tree, governs the existing LaunchAgent
+(`com.github.akitaonrails.ai-memory`), and opens `/web`, `ai-memory status`,
+`config.toml`, the data directory, and logs. It does not replace those tools
+with a second dashboard.
+
+Needs a Rust toolchain and Xcode / Swift 6 (the same as a source build):
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/akitaonrails/ai-memory
+cd ai-memory
+./companions/ai-memory-macos/build.sh
+open "companions/ai-memory-macos/dist/AI Memory.app"
+```
+
+Drag **AI Memory.app** to `/Applications`, then **Install & Start Server**
+from the menu extra (no Dock icon). When the status item is green, wire an
+agent with the bundled binary so `install-hooks` finds the sibling `hooks/`
+tree:
+
+```bash
+BIN="/Applications/AI Memory.app/Contents/Resources/runtime/ai-memory"
+"$BIN" install-mcp --client claude-code --apply
+"$BIN" install-hooks --agent claude-code --apply
+```
+
+Durable memory stays in `~/Library/Application Support/ai-memory`. Replacing
+the `.app` is an update and does not rewrite that tree. Prebuilt tarball,
+source-build, Docker-wrapper, and hand-installed launchd paths remain in
+[`docs/macos.md`](macos.md). Companion source:
+[`companions/ai-memory-macos`](../companions/ai-memory-macos).
+
+---
+
 ## Configuring other agent CLIs
 
 > `install-mcp --server-url` accepts either the bare server origin or the full
@@ -1543,7 +1582,9 @@ The `serve` subcommand also accepts:
 | _(config only)_ | `AI_MEMORY_HOOK_RATE_PER_SEC`, `AI_MEMORY_HOOK_RATE_BURST` | Optional per-actor/session hook ingest token bucket. Unset/`0` rate disables it; burst defaults to the rate (minimum one token when enabled). |
 
 On macOS, see [`docs/macos.md`](macos.md); use the archive matching your
-architecture: `aarch64` for Apple Silicon, `x86_64` for Intel. On Windows, see
+architecture: `aarch64` for Apple Silicon, `x86_64` for Intel. The
+[menu bar app](#macos-menu-bar-app) is the self-contained GUI path (bundles
+the binary, starts the LaunchAgent, opens `/web` and status). On Windows, see
 [`docs/windows.md`](windows.md).
 The short version: run the install commands from the same environment that
 launches the agent. WSL2-launched agents need WSL paths and POSIX `.sh` hooks.
@@ -2369,6 +2410,11 @@ unrelated Compose project just because its file occupies a conventional path;
 the wrapper instead writes the inspected standalone recreation script for
 review, preserving the existing `/data` mount and other runtime options.
 
+The macOS menu bar app is not covered by `ai-memory upgrade`. Rebuild with
+`./companions/ai-memory-macos/build.sh` (or replace `/Applications/AI Memory.app`
+with a newer staged bundle). Wiki, SQLite, config, and models stay in
+`~/Library/Application Support/ai-memory`.
+
 Set `AI_MEMORY_NO_VERSION_CHECK=1` to silence the daily check. To pin wrapper
 self-upgrades to a fork or tagged release, set `AI_MEMORY_WRAPPER_URL=<url>`;
 the wrapper requires `<url>.sha256` unless
@@ -2412,6 +2458,8 @@ write to `~/.local/share/ai-memory/hooks/`.
 
 ## See also
 
+- [`docs/macos.md`](macos.md) - macOS install paths: menu bar app, native
+  release tarball, source build, Docker wrapper, and launchd
 - [`docs/deploy.md`](deploy.md) - homelab deploy walkthrough
   (`bin/deploy`, cloudflared TLS, env-file management)
 - [`docs/usage.md`](usage.md) - handoffs, proactive querying, web UI, slim