- Client
- Dsignable
- Role
- Product Design, Brand & Full-Stack Development
- Timeline
- Ongoing product
- Year
- 2026
- Category
- AI Platform
Overview
Ivy (IvyHub / EVIE locally) is a local-first AI router: Electron macOS desktop (v0.2.17 public), Next.js UI, FastAPI + Ollama/LiteLLM, Firebase `ivy-hub`. Public site getivyhub.com; Firebase ivy-hub.web.app. Routes include chat, canvas, 3D, settings, download, admin. Cursor/OpenAI-compatible local API.
Why
Developers were overpaying for cloud AI on tasks a Mac can do locally, picking models by hand, and sending private code to APIs by default. Ivy (IvyHub / EVIE locally) is a local-first router: intent classification sends work to Qwen, DeepSeek, Gemma, or cloud only when needed.
Relevant to any local-AI product that has to feel effortless. Answers must use real on-device data — mail, weather, disk — with hallucination guards when it cannot fetch. Cursor connect via an OpenAI-compatible local API is how it sits in a real workflow.
The challenge
Developers overpaid for cloud AI on tasks a Mac can do locally, picked models by hand, and sent private code to APIs by default. Ivy had to feel effortless, stay offline-capable, and refuse to invent weather or inbox data it cannot fetch.
What made it hard
- Developers were paying cloud prices for work a Mac can do locally.
- Model picking was manual; private code went to APIs by default.
- Answers had to use real on-device data (mail, weather, disk) — no hallucinated widgets.
Approach
Intent classification routes to Qwen, DeepSeek, Gemma, or cloud only when needed. Desktop hub + chat; marketing/PWA; Firebase auth/admin/billing. Rich cards for weather, mail, disk, calendar, reminders. Hallucination guards when data cannot be fetched.
Process
- Router: Local models first, cloud as escalation.
- Desktop: Menu bar + hub + chat with OS control.
- Site + admin: getivyhub.com, downloads, Firebase billing.
What we built
- Smart router: Classifies intent and picks Qwen / DeepSeek / Gemma / cloud — the product’s brain.
- Desktop hub: Electron menu-bar app with compact hub and full chat.
- Rich cards: Weather, unread mail, disk, calendar, reminders from real device data.
- IDE connect: OpenAI-compatible local API for Cursor and similar tools.
- Marketing + admin: Next.js site, downloads, Firebase auth/admin.
How it was built
Electron macOS desktop (v0.2.17 public), Next.js UI, FastAPI + Ollama/LiteLLM, Firebase `ivy-hub`. Public site getivyhub.com; Firebase ivy-hub.web.app. Desktop: menu-bar hub + full chat. Routes include chat, canvas, 3D, settings, download, admin.
Rich cards for weather, unread mail, disk, calendar, reminders from real device data. OS control opens apps, reads the clipboard, summarizes unread email locally. Stripe + WebAuthn for billing and passkeys. Cloud escalation is a gated Pro path, not the default.
Stack
- Electron: macOS desktop
- FastAPI + Ollama: Local router
- Next.js: getivyhub.com
- Firebase: ivy-hub auth/admin
- Stripe + WebAuthn: Billing and passkeys
Outcomes
- v0.2.17: Public macOS download
- Local-first: Ollama / LiteLLM routing
- Cursor: OpenAI-compatible API
- Live: getivyhub.com
Wins
- Local-first FastAPI router (Qwen / DeepSeek / Gemma, cloud only when needed).
- Electron macOS hub + chat (v0.2.17) with rich cards from real on-device data.
- OpenAI-compatible local API for Cursor and similar tools.
- Marketing, downloads, Firebase auth/admin, Stripe + WebAuthn at getivyhub.com.
Hard parts
- Default to local: Private code going to APIs by default was the bug. Routing had to make local the path of least resistance.
- No fake widgets: Hallucination guards stop weather, mail, or disk cards when the data cannot be fetched. A pretty lie is worse than a refusal.
- IDE-native: A chat island is not a workflow. The local OpenAI-compatible API is how Ivy sits inside Cursor.
Services
- Electron macOS Desktop App (menu bar + floating hub)
- Next.js Marketing Site & PWA
- FastAPI Smart Router + Ollama / LiteLLM
- Firebase Hosting, Auth & Cloud Admin
- Cursor / IDE Auto-Connect
- Tiered Permissions (Free local · Pro cloud)
- Premium Rich Cards (weather, mail, disk, calendar, reminders)
- Context-Aware Chat & Iterative Image / Video
- On-Device Email Summarization & OS Control