Lil Buddy

A local-first desktop AI helper for planning, search, writing, learning, light coding, and everyday work.

---

Demo

Screenshots

What is Lil Buddy?

Lil Buddy is a warm, local-first desktop AI helper built for people who want a personal assistant they can understand, customize, and run from their own machine.

It is not mainly a coding app. Coding help is one ability. Lil Buddy is meant to help with:

• planning and organizing ideas
• searching and researching
• writing and rewriting
• learning and brainstorming
• managing expert/persona workflows
• light coding and project assistance
• optional Telegram access for remote chatting

Status: Developer Preview Lil Buddy is experimental. Expect rough edges, rapid changes, and active polishing.

Features

• Different Animations for companions like walking, saying hi, etc
• Local-first AI helper experience
• Expert/persona switching
• Chat sessions and tabs
• Workspace-aware helpers
• Companion character animations
• Theme and companion customization
• Provider/CLI integration
• Telegram gateway support
• System tray controls
• Planning, writing, searching, light coding, and everyday helper workflows

Why local-first?

Lil Buddy is designed to keep the desktop app useful even without a hosted backend. You choose your providers and workflows.

Developer Preview expectations

This release is for early users, builders, and testers.

Please expect:

• occasional bugs
• UI polish issues
• platform-specific quirks
• changing settings and storage formats
• incomplete documentation

Getting started

npm install
cp .env.example .env
npm run tauri dev

Telegram environment variables

Lil Buddy can load Telegram credentials from .env or process environment variables. Saved in-app settings take precedence when present; blank settings fields fall back to environment values.

Supported variables:

LIL_BUDDY_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=
LIL_BUDDY_TELEGRAM_WEBHOOK_PUBLIC_URL=
LIL_BUDDY_TELEGRAM_WEBHOOK_PATH_SECRET=
LIL_BUDDY_TELEGRAM_WEBHOOK_SECRET=
LIL_BUDDY_TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_CHAT_ID=

Use .env.example as the template and keep real secrets only in .env.

Linux/Wayland fallback options:

npm run tauri:wayland-safe
npm run tauri:x11

linux/hyprland:

env = LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME,nvidia
env = GBM_BACKEND,nvidia-drm
env = __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME,nvidia
env = WLR_NO_HARDWARE_CURSORS,1

env = WEBKIT_DISABLE_DMABUF_RENDERER,1

// Native companion / pet
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy Native Companion)$, float on
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy Native Companion)$, no_blur on
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy Native Companion)$, border_size 0
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy Native Companion)$, no_shadow on
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy Native Companion)$, pin on

// Chat window
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy)$, float on
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy)$, border_size 0
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy)$, no_blur on
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy)$, no_shadow on
windowrule = match:title ^(Lil Buddy)$, no_initial_focus on

Licensing

The source code is licensed under MIT. See LICENSE.

The Lil Buddy logo, companion art, animation assets, premium packs, screenshots, and brand identity are covered separately. See ASSET_LICENSE.md.

Safety note

Lil Buddy can connect to local CLI tools and workspaces. Review commands carefully and avoid giving it access to sensitive folders until you understand how your provider and workspace settings are configured.

Support the project

If Lil Buddy helps you, consider supporting development through GitHub Sponsors, Ko-fi, or Patreon once those links are added.

See .github/FUNDING.yml.

Contributing

See docs/CONTRIBUTING.md.

Security

See docs/SECURITY.md.

Installing packaged builds

For regular users, download the installer for your operating system from GitHub Releases.

Recommended release files:

Windows: .exe setup installer
macOS: .dmg
Linux: .AppImage, .deb, or .rpm

Build and packaging notes are in docs/PACKAGING.md.