explaingit

aymandakir-gh/gh-notch

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

28SwiftAudience · vibe coderComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

A free macOS app that turns the MacBook notch into an AI command bar and utility panel.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((gh-notch))
    What it does
      Turns notch into utility bar
      On-device AI command bar
      Battery indicator
    Tech stack
      Swift
      macOS
      Ollama
    Use cases
      Run quick calculations locally
      Query AI models from notch
      Monitor battery status
    Audience
      Vibe coders
      MacBook power users

Code map

Detail Auto

An interactive map of this repo's files and how they connect — its source is parsed live in your browser. Click Visualize to build it.

filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Run quick on-device math, word counts, and date lookups from the notch without internet.

USE CASE 2

Query a locally running Ollama model or an OpenAI-compatible API from the notch bar.

USE CASE 3

Check battery charge, charging status, and time remaining at a glance.

USE CASE 4

Try an early-alpha notch utility on a Mac without a physical notch (renders as a top bar).

What is it built with?

SwiftmacOSOllama

How does it compare?

aymandakir-gh/gh-notchayushap18/pokefoldersvlr-code/dictly
Stars282828
LanguageSwiftSwiftSwift
Setup difficultyeasymoderateeasy
Complexity2/52/51/5
Audiencevibe coderdesignergeneral

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later, unsigned build needs a right-click Open to bypass Gatekeeper.

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

In plain English

MacBooks with a notch have a small cutout at the top center of the screen that most apps simply leave empty. This project, gh-notch, turns that space into a utility bar. It is a free, open-source macOS application written in Swift that places tools directly in the notch area so they do not take up screen real estate elsewhere. The main feature currently working is an AI command bar. You can type a command into the notch and the app first tries to answer it on your device, handling things like math calculations, word counts, text transformations, and date lookups without sending anything to the internet. If the command needs an AI model, it forwards the query to whichever AI endpoint you have configured, such as a locally running Ollama model or an OpenAI-compatible service using your own API key. A small icon shows whether a result came from your device or from the network. A battery indicator is also live, showing charge level, whether it is charging, and how much time remains. Features planned for future versions include media controls with album art and a live audio visualizer, a calendar showing your next event, a file shelf where you can drag files temporarily and then AirDrop them, and a replacement for the default macOS brightness and volume overlay. The app runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later. On Macs without a physical notch, it appears as a bar at the top center of the screen instead. The project is in early alpha: the core notch panel and the two shipped features are tested in continuous integration, but most of the roadmap is still unbuilt. Unsigned builds are available for download, macOS will warn you on first launch, which you dismiss by right-clicking and choosing Open. MIT license, no telemetry.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Explain how this app decides whether to answer a command on-device or send it to an AI endpoint.
Prompt 2
Help me configure my own OpenAI-compatible API key or local Ollama model for this app.
Prompt 3
Walk me through how the notch panel behaves differently on Macs without a physical notch.
Prompt 4
Show me the unsigned build install steps and why macOS warns on first launch.

Frequently asked questions

What is gh-notch?

A free macOS app that turns the MacBook notch into an AI command bar and utility panel.

What language is gh-notch written in?

Mainly Swift. The stack also includes Swift, macOS, Ollama.

What license does gh-notch use?

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

How hard is gh-notch to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is gh-notch for?

Mainly vibe coder.

Open on GitHub → Explain another repo

This repo across BitVibe Labs

Verify against the repo before relying on details.