Unified local knowledge base
Import folders and files into a personal knowledge base. The app automatically detects code projects and indexes them with function and class signatures.
Overview
Mane AI is a native macOS app for building a private local knowledge base from files on your Mac. It indexes documents, code, images, and audio, then lets you search and chat with that content using local AI.
The product is designed for people who want natural-language access to personal or project files without uploading data to the cloud. According to the README, it uses Ollama for local language models, supports semantic search, and can cite sources in chat responses.
Features
RAG-powered chat
Ask questions over your indexed content and get answers with cited source material. The backend retrieves relevant context before responding.
Semantic search
Search by meaning rather than exact keywords across documents, code, and image descriptions.
Multimodal ingestion
Index images with generated captions and audio with transcription so non-text content becomes searchable too.
Local-first privacy
Keeps data on the Mac and uses local AI through Ollama. The README describes the app as private, with no telemetry, cloud uploads, or accounts.
Native macOS architecture
Built as a native macOS app with SwiftUI and a NestJS backend, with a bundled local sidecar for distribution.
Use Cases
Find documents by intent
Search a personal archive for a note, contract, or reference file by describing what it means rather than remembering the exact filename or phrase.
Research and summarization
Ask questions across indexed files and get answers that point back to source material, which is useful when reviewing a research folder or project workspace.
Browse codebases locally
Index a development project so the app can find files by function names, class signatures, or manifest-detected project structure.
Search non-text media
Make images and audio searchable by captions and transcription, so visual or spoken material can be queried alongside text files.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Indexes multiple content types, including text documents, code, images, and audio.
- Supports semantic search and RAG chat rather than only keyword lookup.
- Keeps content local on the user's machine, with no cloud uploads described in the README.
- Detects common project manifests and indexes code projects more intelligently.
Cons
- Setup requires several local dependencies for development or distribution workflows, including macOS 14+, Ollama, Node.js 20+, pnpm, and Xcode 15+.
- The source does not document a hosted web version or cross-platform desktop support beyond macOS.
FAQ
What does Mane AI do?
Mane AI is a native macOS app that imports folders and files into a local knowledge base, then lets you search and chat with that content using Ollama-backed local AI.
What platforms does it support?
Yes. The README says it supports macOS 14+ Sonoma or later, and the release/distribution docs describe a macOS app that is built and packaged for desktop use.
What do I need to run it?
The source shows a local setup that requires Ollama, Node.js 20+, pnpm, and Xcode 15+ for development or distribution builds. For normal use, the app also expects Ollama to be running and a model such as qwen2.5 to be available.
What kinds of content can it index?
The app can index documents, code, images, and audio. It supports semantic search, RAG-style chat with source citations, project detection from manifest files, image captioning, and audio transcription.
Is my data sent to the cloud?
The README describes no telemetry, no cloud, and no accounts, with data kept on the user's machine. The app is positioned as a private local knowledge base rather than a hosted service.
Quick Facts
- Category
- AI Chat
- Platform
- macOS
- Primary use
- Local document search and chat
- Data handling
- Local-first, no cloud described
- Core dependency
- Ollama
- Source domain
- github.com
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