# aman > Local amanuensis Python X11 STT daemon that records audio, runs Whisper, applies local AI cleanup, and injects text. ## Requirements - X11 - `sounddevice` (PortAudio) - `faster-whisper` - `llama-cpp-python` - Tray icon deps: `gtk3`, `libayatana-appindicator3` - Python deps (core): `numpy`, `pillow`, `faster-whisper`, `llama-cpp-python`, `sounddevice` - X11 extras: `PyGObject`, `python-xlib` System packages (example names): `portaudio`/`libportaudio2`.
Ubuntu/Debian ```bash sudo apt install -y portaudio19-dev libportaudio2 python3-gi gir1.2-gtk-3.0 libayatana-appindicator3-1 ```
Arch Linux ```bash sudo pacman -S --needed portaudio gtk3 libayatana-appindicator ```
Fedora ```bash sudo dnf install -y portaudio portaudio-devel gtk3 libayatana-appindicator-gtk3 ```
openSUSE ```bash sudo zypper install -y portaudio portaudio-devel gtk3 libayatana-appindicator3-1 ```
## Python Daemon Install Python deps: X11 (supported): ```bash uv sync --extra x11 ``` ## Config Create `~/.config/aman/config.json` (or let `aman` create it automatically on first start if missing): ```json { "daemon": { "hotkey": "Cmd+m" }, "recording": { "input": "0" }, "stt": { "model": "base", "device": "cpu" }, "injection": { "backend": "clipboard", "remove_transcription_from_clipboard": false }, "vocabulary": { "replacements": [ { "from": "Martha", "to": "Marta" }, { "from": "docker", "to": "Docker" } ], "terms": ["Systemd", "Kubernetes"] } } ``` Recording input can be a device index (preferred) or a substring of the device name. Hotkey notes: - Use one key plus optional modifiers (for example `Cmd+m`, `Super+m`, `Ctrl+space`). - `Super` and `Cmd` are equivalent aliases for the same modifier. - Invalid hotkey syntax in config prevents startup/reload. - When `~/.config/aman/pipelines.py` exists, hotkeys come from `HOTKEY_PIPELINES`. - `daemon.hotkey` is used as the fallback/default hotkey only when no pipelines file is present. AI cleanup is always enabled and uses the locked local Llama-3.2-3B GGUF model downloaded to `~/.cache/aman/models/` during daemon initialization. Use `-v/--verbose` to enable DEBUG logs, including recognized/processed transcript text and llama.cpp logs (`llama::` prefix). Without `-v`, logs are INFO level. Vocabulary correction: - `vocabulary.replacements` is deterministic correction (`from -> to`). - `vocabulary.terms` is a preferred spelling list used as hinting context. - Wildcards are intentionally rejected (`*`, `?`, `[`, `]`, `{`, `}`) to avoid ambiguous rules. - Rules are deduplicated case-insensitively; conflicting replacements are rejected. STT hinting: - Vocabulary is passed to Whisper as `hotwords`/`initial_prompt` only when those arguments are supported by the installed `faster-whisper` runtime. ## systemd user service ```bash mkdir -p ~/.local/share/aman/src/assets cp src/*.py ~/.local/share/aman/src/ cp src/assets/*.png ~/.local/share/aman/src/assets/ cp systemd/aman.service ~/.config/systemd/user/aman.service systemctl --user daemon-reload systemctl --user enable --now aman ``` ## Usage - Press the hotkey once to start recording. - Press it again to stop and run STT. - Press `Esc` while recording to cancel without processing. - Transcript contents are logged only when `-v/--verbose` is used. - Config changes are hot-reloaded automatically (polled every 1 second). - `~/.config/aman/pipelines.py` changes are hot-reloaded automatically (polled every 1 second). - Send `SIGHUP` to force an immediate reload of config and pipelines: `systemctl --user kill -s HUP aman` (or send `HUP` to the process directly). - Reloads are applied when the daemon is idle; invalid updates are rejected and the last valid config stays active. - Reload success/failure is logged, and desktop notifications are shown when available. Wayland note: - Running under Wayland currently exits with a message explaining that it is not supported yet. Injection backends: - `clipboard`: copy to clipboard and inject via Ctrl+Shift+V (GTK clipboard + XTest) - `injection`: type the text with simulated keypresses (XTest) - `injection.remove_transcription_from_clipboard`: when `true` and backend is `clipboard`, restores/clears the clipboard after paste so the transcript is not kept there AI processing: - Local llama.cpp model only (no remote provider configuration). ## Pipelines API `aman` is split into: - shell daemon: hotkeys, recording/cancel, and desktop injection - pipeline engine: `lib.transcribe(...)` and `lib.llm(...)` - pipeline implementation: Python callables mapped per hotkey Pipeline file path: - `~/.config/aman/pipelines.py` - You can start from [`pipelines.example.py`](./pipelines.example.py). - If `pipelines.py` is missing, `aman` uses a built-in reference pipeline bound to `daemon.hotkey`. - If `pipelines.py` exists but is invalid, startup fails fast. - Pipelines are hot-reloaded automatically when the module file changes. - Send `SIGHUP` to force an immediate reload of both config and pipelines. Expected module exports: ```python HOTKEY_PIPELINES = { "Super+m": my_pipeline, "Super+Shift+m": caps_pipeline, } PIPELINE_OPTIONS = { "Super+Shift+m": {"failure_policy": "strict"}, # optional } ``` Pipeline callable signature: ```python def my_pipeline(audio, lib) -> str: text = lib.transcribe(audio) context = lib.llm( system_prompt="context system prompt", user_prompt=f"Transcript: {text}", ) out = lib.llm( system_prompt="amanuensis prompt", user_prompt=f"context={context}\ntext={text}", ) return out ``` `lib` API: - `lib.transcribe(audio, hints=None, whisper_opts=None) -> str` - `lib.llm(system_prompt=..., user_prompt=..., llm_opts=None) -> str` Failure policy options: - `best_effort` (default): pipeline errors return empty output - `strict`: pipeline errors abort the current run Validation: - `HOTKEY_PIPELINES` must be a non-empty dictionary. - Every hotkey key must be a non-empty string. - Every pipeline value must be callable. - `PIPELINE_OPTIONS` must be a dictionary when provided. Reference behavior: - The built-in fallback pipeline (used when `pipelines.py` is missing) uses `lib.llm(...)` twice: - first to infer context - second to run the amanuensis rewrite - The second pass requests JSON output and expects `{"cleaned_text": "..."}`. - Deterministic dictionary replacements are then applied as part of that reference implementation. Control: ```bash make run make check ```