Tools for makers, crafted in the open.
OpenFabrica builds native desktop apps, developer tools and local-first software for makers, builders and creatives. Every line of code is public on GitHub.
On the workbench
Projects under the OpenFabrica org, plus personal repos that are moving in soon.
Aster
One native macOS workspace for your terminal, files and previews. Pure AppKit on the Ghostty engine — recursive splits, SSH workspaces, and live status for Claude Code and Codex sessions.
Glimmer 微明
A cross-platform input method. Type a whole sentence of pinyin, let a local model rerank, with a gloss in the language you're learning. No uploads, no accounts.
Cortex
A desktop workspace where teams work alongside AI agents. Electron app and Next.js web app from one monorepo.
Shishi 拾事
A local-only to-do app for macOS in pure AppKit. Areas, projects, quick entry, and import from Things 3.
Tidy
Find what's eating your Mac's disk and clear it out — caches, build leftovers, forgotten downloads.
MailFabrica
A native desktop email client with HTML rendering and theme-based grouping — the Foxmail workflow, rebuilt in Rust.
In the workshop
Early-stage repos taking shape in public. Watch the org to follow along.
How things get made here
Native first
AppKit on the Mac, Rust where it counts. Apps that feel at home on your machine, not a browser in disguise.
Local first
Your data stays on your disk. No forced accounts, no silent uploads — cloud features are opt-in.
Open by default
Source, issues and roadmaps live on GitHub. Fork it, fix it, ship your own version.
Built with agents
A small crew working alongside AI coding agents, out in the open — agent instructions ship in the repo.
Questions, answered
What is OpenFabrica?
OpenFabrica is an open-source GitHub organization (github.com/OpenFabrica) that builds native desktop apps, developer tools and local-first software for makers, builders and creatives. Its projects include Aster, Glimmer, MailFabrica, Cortex, Shishi and Tidy.
What is Aster?
Aster is a native macOS terminal workspace written in Swift and AppKit and powered by the Ghostty terminal engine. It combines terminals, a file browser, an editor and previews in one window, with tabs, recursive splits, SSH workspaces and status tracking for Claude Code and Codex sessions. It is MIT-licensed and needs macOS 14 or later.
What is Glimmer?
Glimmer (微明) is a cross-platform input method written in Rust, derived from Qingjian. You can type a whole sentence of pinyin while a local model reranks candidates, and see a short translation in the language you are learning. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux, uploads nothing, and is licensed GPL-3.0-or-later.
Which platforms do the projects support?
Aster, Shishi and Tidy are macOS apps. Glimmer targets macOS, Windows and Linux. MailFabrica is a Rust desktop email client, and Cortex ships as both an Electron desktop app and a Next.js web app.
Is the code free to use?
All source code is public on GitHub. Each project carries its own license: Aster is MIT and Glimmer is GPL-3.0-or-later. Check the LICENSE file in each repository for details.
How can I contribute?
Star a repository, open an issue or send a pull request on GitHub. Contributions of every size are welcome, from typo fixes to new features.
Who maintains OpenFabrica?
OpenFabrica was started by Mike (@daveylan2 on X, rambocode on GitHub), an engineer who writes about AI developer tools, vibe coding and open source at AI SOP Lab.
Pull up a stool. The workshop is open.
Star a repo, open an issue, send a pull request. Contributions of every size are welcome.
Engineer and tinkerer. Writes about AI dev tools, vibe coding and open source.