Velar

AI-Powered Desktop Assistant for Developers

A free, open-source alternative to Cluely — privacy-first, cross-platform, and fast.

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Overview

Velar is an AI-powered desktop assistant designed for developers, students, and professionals.
It provides instant AI analysis of screenshots, voice transcription, intelligent chat, and privacy-first local processing.

Velar combines the best of cloud and local AI — Gemini for accuracy and Ollama for offline privacy.

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Features

Smart Screenshot Analysis

• Capture screen instantly with Cmd/Ctrl + H
• AI-powered explanations and debugging support
• Queue up to five screenshots for contextual analysis

Dual AI Engine

• Gemini (Cloud AI) – high accuracy
• Ollama (Local AI) – full offline privacy
• Seamless switching between both

Interactive Chat

• Context-aware conversations
• Follow-up queries and explanations
• Designed for coding, learning, and research

Voice Input and Transcription

• Record meetings or voice notes
• AI-based transcription and summarization

Privacy-First Design

• Toggle Incognito with Cmd/Ctrl + I
• Hidden from screen-recording tools
• Zero data storage or telemetry

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + Space	Show or hide window
Cmd/Ctrl + H	Capture screenshot
Cmd/Ctrl + Enter	Analyze screenshots
Cmd/Ctrl + I	Toggle incognito mode
Cmd/Ctrl + Q	Quit application

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Installation

1. Download

Choose the latest release for your OS:

• macOS: Velar-1.0.0.dmg
• Windows: Velar-Setup-1.0.0.exe
• Linux: Velar-1.0.0.AppImage

2. Configure AI Provider

Gemini (Cloud AI)

1. Get your API key from Google AI Studio
2. Create a .env file:

   VITE_GEMINI_API_KEY=your_api_key
   VITE_GEMINI_ENABLED=true

Ollama (Local AI)

1. Install from ollama.ai
2. Pull a model:

   ollama pull llama3.2

3. Add configuration:

   VITE_OLLAMA_ENDPOINT=http://localhost:11434
   VITE_OLLAMA_ENABLED=true

3. Run Velar

Development Mode

npm install
npm start

Production Build

npm run dist

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Usage Workflow

1. Capture – Press Cmd/Ctrl + H to take screenshots.
2. Queue – Add up to 5 screenshots for context.
3. Analyze – Use Cmd/Ctrl + Enter to process with AI.
4. Chat – Discuss results interactively.
5. Privacy – Use Cmd/Ctrl + I to enable incognito mode.

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AI Options

Provider	Type	Offline	Accuracy	Privacy
Gemini	Cloud	No	High	Medium
Ollama	Local	Yes	Moderate	Full

Recommended Models

• llama3.2 – General purpose
• codellama – Optimized for code
• mistral – Lightweight
• mixtral – High accuracy

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Privacy & Security

• Screenshots deleted immediately after processing
• No telemetry, tracking, or analytics
• API keys encrypted locally
• Incognito mode prevents OS-level capture detection
• Open-source for full auditability

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Velar vs Cluely

Feature	Velar (Free)	Cluely (Paid)
Price	Free	$29–99/month
AI Options	Gemini + Ollama	Cloud only
Offline Mode	Yes	No
Privacy	100% Local Option	Cloud-based
Customization	Full	Limited
Open Source	Yes	No
Subscription	None	Required

Velar provides the same functionality as Cluely with added privacy, offline mode, and no subscription.

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Troubleshooting

Port 5180 in Use

lsof -i :5180
kill -9 <PID>

Rebuild Sharp

SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1 npm install --ignore-scripts
npm rebuild sharp

Ollama Connection Error

ollama serve
ollama pull llama3.2

macOS Screen Recording

• Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording
• Enable Velar or Electron
• Restart the app

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Development Guide

Requirements

• Node.js ≥ 18
• npm ≥ 9
• macOS, Windows, or Linux

Structure

velar/
├── electron/          # Electron main process
├── src/               # React renderer
├── assets/            # Static assets
├── release/           # Build outputs
└── .env               # Environment configuration

Stack

• React + TypeScript + TailwindCSS
• Electron + Vite + Sharp
• Gemini & Ollama AI backends
• Radix UI + Lucide Icons

Run Commands

npm start          # Development
npm run build      # Build renderer
npm run dist       # Production build
npm run clean      # Clear artifacts

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Roadmap

Version	Planned Features
1.1	Plugin system, multi-language support, team collaboration
1.2	Cloud sync (optional), mobile companion app
Future	Browser extension, automation, enterprise support

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome.

Steps

git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature
git commit -m "Add amazing feature"
git push origin feature/amazing-feature

Then, open a Pull Request.

Guidelines

• Follow existing code style
• Keep commits focused
• Update docs for new features
• Add tests if possible

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License

CC BY-NC 4.0 — Free for personal and non-commercial use.

For commercial licensing, contact the Velar Team.

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Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: Architecture Guide

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⭐ Star this repository if Velar helps you!
Built with ❤️ by the Velar Team

Download · Report Bug · Request Feature

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