Hey DEV community! 👋
I just launched CodeFootprint, a macOS app that automatically tracks every file change in your project folders. I'd love your feedback!
What It Does
CodeFootprint sits quietly in your menu bar and monitors your project directories for:
- File creations
- File edits (with full diff tracking)
- File deletions
- Directory changes
All changes are recorded in a beautiful timeline view where you can:
- Browse changes chronologically
- Compare any two versions of a file
- See exact diff highlights
- Export change logs
Why I Built This
I was working on a project with AI coding tools and kept running into the same problem: AI would modify or delete files, and I'd have no record of what changed. Git only helps if you commit frequently, and we all know how that goes.
I wanted a tool that:
- Runs automatically with zero configuration
- Records EVERY change, not just commits
- Stays completely local (no cloud, no accounts)
- Uses minimal system resources
Technical Stack
- SwiftUI for the native macOS interface
- FileSystemEvent monitoring for efficient real-time tracking
- SQLite for reliable local data storage
- Diff algorithm for precise change detection
Screenshots
Check out the GitHub repo for screenshots and more details: https://github.com/Huaian666/CodeFootprint
What's Next
I'm actively developing new features:
- Search and filter change history
- Project-level statistics and analytics
- Integration with popular editors
- Change annotations and notes
Feedback Welcome!
I'd love to hear:
- What features would you find most useful?
- Any suggestions for improvement?
- Would you use something like this in your workflow?
Available on the Mac App Store - search "CodeFootprint" or visit the GitHub repo.
Thanks for checking it out! 🙏
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