ClearanceKit Free and Open Source Desktop App CookApps CookApps Marketplace

Overview

Every npm install, pip install, and brew upgrade executes arbitrary native code with your full file system permissions. One compromised package can silently read your SSH keys, AWS credentials, iMessages, and browser cookies. You will not know until it is too late. ClearanceKit intercepts file-system access events on macOS — opens, renames, deletions, hard links, creates, truncations, copies, directory reads, data exchanges, and clones — and enforces per-process access policies for paths you designate as protected. Any process accessing a protected path without an explicit allow rule is blocked. Jail rules go further: a jailed process is confined to a specified set of path prefixes, and any file access outside those prefixes is denied regardless of other policy rules. Denied events surface in a native SwiftUI interface so you can review them and build policy as you work — no configuration files required. Policies are bound to cryptographic code signing identity — the Developer ID certificate and bundle identifier embedded in the binary — not to file paths or hashes. A trojanised binary is denied even if it sits at the expected path. Policies survive software updates without any maintenance, because a developer's signing identity does not change between releases.

ClearanceKit is built on open-source principles to guarantee security, privacy, and full reproducibility. All sensitive data transformations run locally on your hardware with zero telemetry or unexpected cloud dependencies.

Key Technical Features & Capabilities

Native Desktop Architecture: Engineered as a standalone desktop binary with near-instant startup and zero background telemetry.

Local-First Privacy: Executes all core data transformations, media processing, and configuration storage 100% locally on your machine.

Optimized UI Workflow: Apple Human Interface Guidelines-inspired design with dark mode, customizable keyboard shortcuts, and responsive layouts.

Zero Cloud Dependencies: Operates completely offline without requiring cloud accounts, third-party analytics, or external API keys.

Architecture & Technology Stack

Primary Languages: Swift, Rust, TypeScript, Python / C++

Frameworks & UI Runtime: SwiftUI / AppKit, Tauri 2, ONNX Runtime / Vulkan NCNN

Build Systems & Tooling: Cargo, pnpm / npm

Supported Platforms: macOS 12.0+ (Apple Silicon M1-M4 & Intel x86_64), Windows 10/11 x64, Linux

System Requirements

Specification	Minimum Requirement	Recommended Specification
Operating System	macOS 12.0 Monterey / Windows 10 x64	macOS 14.0+ Sonoma / Windows 11 x64
Processor Architecture	Apple Silicon (M1+) or Intel Core i5 x64	Apple Silicon Unified Memory (M2/M3/M4)
Memory (RAM)	4 GB Unified RAM	8 GB+ High-Speed RAM
Storage Space	300 MB available local disk space	1 GB+ SSD storage
GPU Acceleration	Metal 2 / DirectX 12 compatible	Apple Neural Engine / Vulkan capable

Installation & Setup Guide

macOS Installation (Recommended)

Download the verified .dmg release installer directly from CookApps.

Open the disk image and drag ClearanceKit.app into your /Applications folder.

Launch ClearanceKit via Spotlight (Cmd + Space) or Launchpad.

Alternatively, install using Homebrew if available:

bash

brew install --cask clearancekit

Windows Installation

Download the official installer package (.exe / .msi).

Run the executable and follow the setup wizard.

Launch ClearanceKit from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut.

Building from Source (Development Setup)

bash

git clone https://github.com/craigjbass/clearancekit.git
cd clearancekit
cargo build --release
cargo run --release

How to Use & Workflow

Application Launch & Workspace: Open ClearanceKit to load the responsive native workspace.

Configuration & Preferences: Press Cmd + , (macOS) or Ctrl + , (Windows) to configure hardware acceleration, custom directories, and display themes.

Primary Operation: Drag-and-drop source files or input parameters directly into the central window.

Execution & Export: Initiate the processing pipeline and verify output files saved directly to your chosen local directory.

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

Problem: macOS Gatekeeper displays *"App is damaged and can't be opened"* or unnotarized developer notice.

Root Cause: macOS quarantine flag set on binaries downloaded outside the Mac App Store.

Resolution: Open Terminal and run:

bash

    xattr -cr /Applications/ClearanceKit.app

Alternatively, navigate to System Settings > Privacy & Security and select Open Anyway.

Problem: High memory consumption during batch processing operations.

Root Cause: Large media buffers retaining uncompressed state.

Resolution: Adjust batch concurrency in settings or process assets in focused batches.

ClearanceKit

Overview

Key Technical Features & Capabilities

Architecture & Technology Stack

System Requirements

Installation & Setup Guide

macOS Installation (Recommended)

Windows Installation

Building from Source (Development Setup)

How to Use & Workflow

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

How to Use & Getting Started

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