Uses

What VAND is made of.

An /uses page in the indie-web tradition — the stack behind a $0, local-first, one-person AI.

The machine

  • Mac, Apple Silicon
    Everything is built and tested on the same hardware VAND runs on.
  • macOS
    Native window, dock icon, menu bar — no browser chrome.

What the app is built with

  • Electron
    The desktop shell. VAND is one real local app, not a web tab.
  • sql.js (SQLite/WASM)
    The on-device store — zero native compilation, one encrypted file.
  • AES-256-GCM + OS keychain
    Data at rest, encrypted; the key is wrapped by macOS Keychain (or your passphrase).
  • Ollama
    Optional local LLM on localhost. No cloud AI, ever. A rules engine covers the rest.

What the site is built with

  • Next.js + Vercel
    The marketing site (this one). App Router, static-first.
  • Geist
    The typeface, across site and app.
  • GitHub Releases
    Free, durable distribution for the installers.

How it stays $0 and one-person

  • No paid signing
    Unsigned installers + clear open instructions instead of a $99/yr Apple fee.
  • No SaaS to run VAND
    There is no server. Your data is the product surface, and it lives on your Mac.
  • License keys, no accounts
    Paid tiers unlock locally — nothing about you is stored online.

Updated July 2026 · See also the colophon and security model.