Show BF: Codeblocks A flexible, privacy-first AI chat client for your desktop
Show BF: Codeblocks A flexible, privacy-first AI chat client for your desktop.
Codeblocks v0.0.1 - TL;DR
A flexible, privacy-first AI chat client for your desktop.
Key highlights:
Connect to anything - OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, OpenRouter, or local models (Ollama, LM Studio)
Smart context - Long conversations that don't break, with auto-summarization and intelligent token management
Total privacy - Everything stored locally on your machine as JSON files
Powerful workflows - Fork conversations, regenerate responses, compare models, rich markdown editor
Full customization - Per-chat model settings, system prompts, tags, themes, keyboard shortcuts
Built for developers and power users who want control over their AI conversations, especially those experimenting with local LLMs.
Current status: Early alpha (macOS focus, some rough edges)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15Hf3N5LxvqT_hYjoc3gCEU4G3ftphSCF?usp=sharing
2 comments
[ 2.6 ms ] story [ 15.8 ms ] threadThe goal was to experiment with local LLMs and find novel ways they could help with my work. Along the way, it turned into a full desktop app with features I actually wanted: total privacy (everything on my machine), the ability to connect to any provider, smart context management that doesn't break long conversations, and deep customization.
While it's designed with local LLMs in mind, that's not a limitation—you can use any provider you like or mix and match as needed.
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## Key Features
### Connect to Any LLM Provider
Use whatever works for you:
- OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-4o, etc.) - Anthropic (Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Opus, Haiku) - Google Gemini - xAI (Grok) - OpenRouter (access to 100+ models) - Local models: Ollama, LM Studio - Any OpenAI-compatible API
Switch between providers whenever you want. Use different models for different tasks—GPT-4 for code, Claude for writing, local models when you want everything offline. Compare responses. No lock-in, just flexibility.
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### Smart Context Management
Long conversations work the way they should—without falling apart or losing important details.
*How it works:*
- Recent messages stay fully intact - Older content gets summarized automatically (you can use a cheaper model for this if you want) - Images, code blocks, and attachments are handled intelligently - Real-time visual indicator shows your token usage
*You get to choose the strategy:*
- Keep everything until you hit the limit - Keep only recent messages - Auto-summarize older messages - Reference content without including the full text
The goal was to make it so you can chat through 100+ messages without thinking about token limits. The app figures out what to keep detailed, what to compress, and what to just reference.
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### Conversation Workflows
*Forking:* See a message where you want to try a different direction? Just click it to branch off a new conversation from that point. The original stays intact, and you can explore freely.
*Regeneration:* Not happy with a response? Regenerate it—with the same model or switch to a different one. All versions stick around, so you can flip between them and see what works best.
*Multiple chats:* Keep several conversations going at once. Quick navigation through the sidebar makes it easy to jump between them.
*Model Control:* Configure which model to use per chat, set custom system prompts, and adjust temperature settings. Each conversation can have its own unique setup.
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### Rich Text Editor
Powered by Lexical (Facebook's text editor):
- Full markdown support with live preview - Syntax highlighting for code - Drag-and-drop for images
Code blocks get syntax highlighting and one-click copying. Works great in both light and dark themes.
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### Search & Organization
*Search:* Find anything instantly—across all your conversations, message versions, tags, everything. Results show up as you type.
*Tags:* Create custom tags with colors, throw multiple tags on each chat, filter by whatever you need. You can see which tags you're using most too.
*Filters:* Mix search with tags to zero in on exactly what you're looking for.
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### Keyboard Shortcuts
Stay productive with hotkeys:
| Shortcut | Action | | -------- | ---------------- | | `⌘N` | New chat | | `⌘/` | Focus chat input | | `⌘⇧S` | Toggle sidebar | | `⌘T` | Tag manager | | `⌘F` | Search | | `⌘↵` | Send message | | `Esc` | Stop generation | | `⌘,` | Settings | | `?` | Show help |
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### Privacy & Local Storage
Everything lives in `~/.codeblocks/` as JSON files on your computer. That's it. No cloud sync.
Your API keys? On your machine. Your conversations? On your machine. Want to go completely offline? Works perfectly with ...