Roadmap
ClipKit's goal is to become the best lightweight, privacy-first clipboard manager for macOS.
Principles
- Local-first — No cloud required; user controls all data
- Fast by default — Low latency UI and minimal CPU/battery impact
- Privacy-first — Least-privilege, explicit opt-ins
- Do less, better — Ship a focused feature set, polished
Performance Targets
- UI open latency < 150ms
- Pasteboard polling overhead < 1% CPU
- Zero data loss across updates
v1.3: Stability & Distribution
Table stakes for a real clipboard manager.
- Menu bar mode — background agent, no Dock icon
- Homebrew Cask distribution (
brew install --cask clipkit) - Bug fixes and polish
v1.4: UX Polish
Daily usability improvements.
- Preview/expand items — rich text, compact images
- Show source app metadata
v1.5: Privacy Controls
For users who copy sensitive data.
- Per-app exclusions (ignore password managers, etc.)
- Pause capture hotkey
v2.0: Sync (If Demand Exists)
Only if users request it.
- iCloud sync for pinned items (opt-in, encrypted)
- Conflict resolution
Deferred Ideas
These are not planned but may be revisited based on user demand:
| Idea | Why Deferred |
|---|---|
| SQLite storage | JSON works fine for <1000 items |
| Snippets/templates | Scope creep — not a text expander |
| CLI tool | Niche audience |
| Plugin architecture | Maintenance burden |
| Encryption at rest | Most users don't need it |
| More data types (files, etc.) | Text + images covers 99% of use |
Feature Requests
Have an idea? Open an issue on the GitHub issue tracker.