What is heychat?

HeyChat is a desktop application for chatting with AI models, built with Tauri, React, and TypeScript. It works on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and stores your conversation history on your own computer using a local SQLite database rather than sending it to a remote server. The app lets you switch between several AI providers, including Google Gemini, OpenAI, Groq, Anthropic, and Ollama for models running on your own machine, plus any custom endpoint that follows the OpenAI API format. Responses stream in as they are generated, so replies appear word by word instead of all at once. You can create multiple chat threads, switch between them, and delete the ones you no longer need, all stored locally. API keys are not saved as plain text. Instead, HeyChat stores them in your operating system's built in keychain, such as macOS Keychain Access or the Windows Credential Manager, so the keys stay protected by your system's own security. The developers state that the app does not track, store, or transmit your credentials to any outside service. Other features include an always on top window option, so the chat can float above other apps while you code or browse, and formatted markdown responses that support tables, lists, links, and code blocks. The frontend is built with React, TypeScript, TailwindCSS, and Shadcn components, while the backend uses Tauri v2 with Rust, including the keyring crate for keychain access. AI features run through the Vercel AI SDK. To run a pre built version, you can download an installer from the project's Releases page for your operating system. To build it yourself, you need Rust, Cargo, and Bun or Node.js, along with your operating system's standard build tools. Development mode starts with a single command, and the same command family builds production installers for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The project is licensed under the MIT License, one of the most permissive open source licenses available.