About

An AI chat application that runs entirely in the browser — no server, no API keys, no data leaving your device. It supports multiple local AI backends:

• Gemini Nano via Chrome’s built-in AI APIs
• Transformers.js for running Hugging Face models in-browser
• WebLLM for larger models via WebGPU

Why I built this

I wanted to explore what’s possible with client-side AI in 2025+. As browser capabilities improve (WebGPU, built-in AI APIs), more AI workloads can run locally without sacrificing too much quality. This project is a testbed for those possibilities.

Technical highlights

• Zero backend — everything runs in the browser
• WebGPU acceleration where available
• Conversation history stored locally
• Model switching between different AI backends

AI chat that runs entirely in your browser. No servers, no API keys, no data collection.

Features

• Local AI Models: Built-in AI (Gemini Nano), Transformers.js, WebLLM
• Complete Privacy: All processing happens in your browser
• Multi-modal: Text, images, documents, audio
• Offline: Works without internet after setup
• PWA: Install like a native app
• File Support: Drag-and-drop attachments

Tech Stack

• React + TypeScript + TailwindCSS
• Vite + PWA
• TanStack Router
• IndexedDB (Dexie)

Development

git clone https://github.com/bimsina/browser-chat.git
pnpm install
pnpm dev

Model Types

Built-in AI: Browser native (Chrome/Edge only), instant startup

• Chrome’s Built-in AI

Transformers.js: ONNX models, good variety, medium size

• Transformers.js

WebLLM: Large models, most capable, bigger downloads

• WebLLM

Browser Support

• Chrome/Edge: Full support
• Firefox: Transformers.js + WebLLM
• Safari: Transformers.js only