Sidekick

What it does

A local-first Mac app with a built-in inference engine, so you can start talking to an on-device model without installing anything else - and point it at your files, folders or specific web pages so answers come from your own material. Conversations stay offline by default; you can switch to an OpenAI-compatible API if you want a bigger model, at which point your content does leave the machine. macOS only, and speed depends on your hardware.

Summary based on the project's own description. The Japanese page has a fuller beginner guide: setup difficulty, what to prepare, and a step-by-step start.

Screenshots & visuals

Before you start

• Setup difficultySome setup needed
• Command lineNot required
• API keyNot required
• Sends data onlineNo

Judged automatically from the project's own metadata. Always confirm on the official page.

Sidekick FAQ

Is Sidekick free?

Yes. It runs on your own machine, so there is no usage-based cost either.

Do I need to install anything or write code to use Sidekick?

You install it like a normal desktop app. No command line involved.

Does Sidekick work on a phone?

No. It needs a computer.

Can I use Sidekick commercially?

The licence is MIT, which permits commercial use. Conditions such as keeping the copyright notice still apply, so read the licence text before shipping it inside something.

How it compares

The conditions that decide whether you can actually use it, side by side.

"Sends data out" means your input is uploaded to someone's server. Pick "No" when the material cannot leave your organisation.

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