Pointer

A secure AI chat application crafted for deep thinkers

中文 | English

Overview

Pointer is a cross-platform desktop AI chat client built with Electron, React 19, and TypeScript. It connects to various AI model APIs (OpenAI, Claude, DeepSeek, etc.) and provides advanced conversation management with a focus on knowledge organization and deep thinking workflows.

Features

Multi-Model Support

• Configure multiple llm configurations (OpenAI GPT, DeepSeek, etc.)
• Switch between models seamlessly during conversations

Conversation Branch Management

• Tree-structured message history with version control
• Create and switch between conversation branches
• Maintain context inheritance across branches
• Navigate conversation history with ease

Knowledge Organization

• Folder-based hierarchical organization
• Message bookmarking and tagging
• Parallel tab workflow for multiple conversations
• Global search with keyword highlighting

Data Management

• Import data from ChatGPT and DeepSeek exports
• Export conversations for backup
• Local data storage with privacy focus
• Batch operations and drag-and-drop sorting

Installation

Download

Download the latest release for your platform from the Releases page:

• Windows: .exe installer
• macOS: .dmg installer
• Linux: .AppImage or .deb package

Build from Source

Requirements:

• Node.js 18+
• pnpm

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/experdot/pointer.git
cd pointer
# Install dependencies
pnpm install
# Run in development mode
pnpm dev
# Build for your platform
pnpm build:win # Windows
pnpm build:mac # macOS
pnpm build:linux # Linux

Configuration

1. Launch the application
2. Open Settings
3. Add a new AI model configuration:
   • Name: Display name for the configuration
   • API Endpoint: The API URL (e.g., https://api.openai.com/v1)
   • API Key: Your access token
   • Model: Model identifier (e.g., gpt-4o, claude-3-5-sonnet)
4. Set as default and test the connection

Tech Stack

Category	Technologies
Frontend	React 19, TypeScript, Ant Design, Tailwind CSS
Desktop	Electron 35, electron-vite
State	Zustand, Immer
Build	Vite, Electron Builder
Editor	Monaco Editor
Rendering	Shiki (syntax highlighting), Streamdown (streaming markdown)

Project Structure

src/
├── main/ # Electron main process
│ ├── aiHandler.ts # AI API request handling
│ ├── ipcHandlers.ts # IPC communication
│ └── autoUpdater.ts # Auto-update logic
├── preload/ # Preload scripts (context bridge)
└── renderer/ # React application
└── src/
├── components/ # UI components
├── services/ # Business logic
├── stores/ # Zustand state management
├── hooks/ # Custom React hooks
├── features/ # Feature modules
└── utils/ # Utility functions

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Follow the coding standards (TypeScript, ESLint, Prettier)
4. Commit using conventional commits format
5. Open a Pull Request

License

MIT License