aman/README.md

# 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`.

<details>
<summary>Ubuntu/Debian</summary>

```bash
sudo apt install -y portaudio19-dev libportaudio2 python3-gi gir1.2-gtk-3.0 libayatana-appindicator3-1
```

</details>

<details>
<summary>Arch Linux</summary>

```bash
sudo pacman -S --needed portaudio gtk3 libayatana-appindicator
```

</details>

<details>
<summary>Fedora</summary>

```bash
sudo dnf install -y portaudio portaudio-devel gtk3 libayatana-appindicator-gtk3
```

</details>

<details>
<summary>openSUSE</summary>

```bash
sudo zypper install -y portaudio portaudio-devel gtk3 libayatana-appindicator3-1
```

</details>

## Python Daemon

Install Python deps:

X11 (supported):

```bash
uv sync --extra x11
```

## Quickstart

```bash
uv run python3 src/aman.py init
uv run python3 src/aman.py doctor
uv run python3 src/aman.py run
```

## 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
  },
  "ux": {
    "profile": "default",
    "show_notifications": true
  },
  "advanced": {
    "strict_startup": true
  },
  "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.
If `recording.input` is explicitly set and cannot be resolved, startup fails
instead of falling back to a default device.

Config validation is strict: unknown fields are rejected with a startup error.
Validation errors include the exact field and an example fix snippet.

Profile options:

- `ux.profile=default`: baseline cleanup behavior.
- `ux.profile=fast`: lower-latency AI generation settings.
- `ux.profile=polished`: same cleanup depth as default.
- `advanced.strict_startup=true`: keep fail-fast startup validation behavior.

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.

AI cleanup is always enabled and uses the locked local Llama-3.2-3B GGUF model
downloaded to `~/.cache/aman/models/` during daemon initialization.
Model downloads use a network timeout and SHA256 verification before activation.
Cached models are checksum-verified on startup; mismatches trigger a forced
redownload.

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
```

Service notes:

- The user unit launches `uv` via `/usr/bin/env`; ensure `uv` is available in your user `PATH` (for example `~/.local/bin`).
- Inspect failures with `systemctl --user status aman` and `journalctl --user -u aman -f`.

## Usage

- Press the hotkey once to start recording.
- Press it again to stop and run STT.
- Press `Esc` while recording to cancel without processing.
- `Esc` is only captured during active recording.
- Recording start is aborted if the cancel listener cannot be armed.
- Transcript contents are logged only when `-v/--verbose` is used.
- Tray menu includes: `Pause/Resume Aman`, `Reload Config`, `Run Diagnostics`, `Open Config Path`, and `Quit`.

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).

Control:

```bash
make run
make doctor
make check
```

CLI:

```bash
uv run python3 src/aman.py run --config ~/.config/aman/config.json
uv run python3 src/aman.py doctor --config ~/.config/aman/config.json --json
uv run python3 src/aman.py init --config ~/.config/aman/config.json --force
```