Handy is an open-source speech-to-text tool that runs locally.
The origin story of Handy is quite interesting. The author, having broken a finger and wearing a cast, was unable to type code normally and was forced to create this tool to assist with input. Its core logic is straightforward and direct: you press and hold a customizable hotkey on your computer (similar to a walkie-talkie mode), speak into the microphone, and upon releasing the key, the program uses the Whisper model in the background to convert your speech into text. It then automatically simulates keyboard input to "type" what you just said into whichever editor, chat box, or any text area you are currently using.
The tool's most defining characteristic is its "stubbornly principled" insistence on being completely offline. Your audio data is never uploaded to any cloud server; all recognition happens on your own computer's CPU or GPU. This ensures absolute privacy (you don't have to worry about big tech companies eavesdropping while you write documents or discuss sensitive matters), but it also means its recognition speed and accuracy depend on your computer's performance and the size of the model you choose.
Unlike commercial software that integrates various fancy AI polishing or real-time translation features, Handy is solely focused on doing one thing well: "dictation." For developers or geeks, it serves as a clean foundation. Not only is it open-source, but its architecture is intentionally designed to be easily modifiable (Forkable). If you want to add a specific vocabulary or a particular trigger logic, its Rust backend is relatively straightforward to modify. In short, it's a personal stenographer with no subscription fees, no need for an internet connection, and always ready on demand.
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