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A local-first power workspace for ChatGPT.

Projects · long-thread performance · continuity · navigation · focused productivity

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NiakGPT

NiakGPT is a browser extension that turns the ChatGPT web interface into a more capable workspace for heavy, project-based use without replacing ChatGPT itself.

It adds a native-first layer for Projects, navigation, long conversations, continuity, diagnostics and local productivity. Core features run locally in the browser: no NiakGPT account, no NiakGPT analytics and no NiakGPT server are required.

Current version: 0.9.92. Pins now identify the real native Projects block from cached Project names when ChatGPT exposes no Projects heading or Project hrefs, preventing the block from falling near the account/Chats footer. Project Memory also consumes tab-close promise races and records redacted service-worker errors in the NiakGPT diagnostic. NiakGPT still never calls ChatGPT's native /backend-api/f/conversation/resume route.

Highlights

Hydration-safe startup

NiakGPT JavaScript no longer runs at document_start: the bootstrap group now starts at document_idle, then waits for stable host node identities, a long DOM quiet window, two idle scheduler turns and animation frames before any NiakGPT mutation. A dedicated Chromium/Firefox/WebKit lab simulates late React work via MessageChannel and fails if NiakGPT activates during a false-calm window.

Projects that behave like part of ChatGPT

• complete Project catalogue inside the verified native left sidebar;
• expandable Project rows with their conversations directly underneath;
• clicking a Project name opens/closes its drawer instead of unexpectedly navigating away;
• stable order, DOM identity, focus and scroll across cache refreshes, React remounts, SPA navigation and BFCache restores;
• direct-once Pins mounting: when ChatGPT replaces the sidebar or reveals a better native slot after late hydration, the old NiakGPT node is retired in place and a fresh block is mounted directly in the authoritative location instead of moving a live node between React branches;
• placement is anchored below ChatGPT's visible primary navigation; hidden/inert native Project surfaces or Project containers located above the primary controls cannot pull the NiakGPT catalogue to the top of the sidebar;
• current conversation, dates, counts and attention state kept visible;
• local search for large Projects;
• Project/chat action menus kept outside sidebar clipping and usable with mouse or keyboard;
• manual moves and continuity locks take priority over automatic classification.

NiakGPT deliberately separates responsibilities:

• sidebar-projects-authority-v112.js owns native Projects visibility;
• sidebar-projects-v121.js owns the NiakGPT catalogue and placement;
• ux-v131.js verifies the real sidebar and applies final UX/hit-testing guards.

This avoids multiple modules fighting over the same surface.

Fast navigation

• Alt+K — Quick Open for Projects and conversations;
• canonical Home → Project → conversation breadcrumb;
• current-thread outline;
• compact local status;
• Project-aware navigation across ChatGPT route changes.

Long-thread performance

NiakGPT reduces non-essential work when conversations become large:

• cold-history containment and incremental rendering helpers;
• reduced decoration during heavy activity;
• event-driven updates instead of permanent whole-document polling;
• Safe Mode to disable non-essential surfaces quickly;
• load guards that back off when native ChatGPT content is not ready.

NiakGPT does not globally replace window.fetch. The MAIN-world surface is intentionally limited to page-bridge.js.

Continuity and long-running work

NiakGPT distinguishes three different cases instead of treating every continuation the same way:

1. Parallel addition — a message sent while work is already active can receive the compact ↳ Suite en parallèle marker so it complements the current task.
2. Long-run recovery — after the bounded watchdog window (currently 6 min 30), NiakGPT may send a short ↻ Reprise NiakGPT turn only when a real Send control is available and the composer is safe to use.
3. Conversation-limit continuity — when ChatGPT requires a new thread, NiakGPT can carry the continuity capsule into the new conversation and preserve the exact Project relationship when known.

User text always wins: modified drafts are never erased merely because they still contain a NiakGPT marker.

Private Project Memory (optional)

NiakGPT 0.9.83 can attach a user-selected private GitHub repository to Project continuity from the Control Center, with a normal Sign in with GitHub flow and repository picker.

• connection is explicit and disabled by default;
• the GitHub App manifest starter opens in a normal extension tab and returns through the exact HTTPS chromiumapp.org callback; launchWebAuthFlow is used only with HTTP(S) GitHub URLs;
• the normal path is Sign in with GitHub → GitHub permission screen → repository selection; no PAT copy/paste is required;
• NiakGPT creates a private, per-browser-profile GitHub App through GitHub's manifest flow, with only Contents: write and Metadata: read;
• GitHub's own installation screen controls which repositories are accessible; the NiakGPT picker lists only authorized private, non-archived repositories;
• a newly created zero-commit private repository is initialized automatically on first connection;
• the selected repository is verified as private before initialization and again before reads/writes;
• first connection creates a persistent bootstrap queue immediately; a WORKER tab owns the actual sync and can resume it after tab-role changes, hides, reloads or a later browser session;
• a connected vault with no recorded successful sync automatically recreates that queue on 0.9.83 startup, so an already-initialized repository does not require reconnecting GitHub;
• the Control Center shows queued Projects, last sync and sync errors instead of reporting a bare “connected” state;
• Project description/instructions, conversation history snapshots, task/decision/architecture signals and a compact PROJECT_STATE.md checkpoint are stored under a dedicated memory root;
• after bootstrap, only conversations whose update timestamp changed are reread;
• full history remains in GitHub and is not injected into every prompt;
• on a new Project thread, NiakGPT can prepend the bounded compact checkpoint once to the first user message;
• sync pauses while ChatGPT is generating, waiting, executing or showing a verification state, and an interrupted sync queue can resume later.

The public niakw/NiakGPT repository is never used as a user-memory destination and its GitHub Actions never receive the vault name or credentials. GitHub App credentials and refresh material stay in the local browser profile. A fine-grained PAT remains available only as an advanced fallback for environments where GitHub App installation is restricted.

Quiet, native-first UI

The v131 UX layer removes the old “second application around ChatGPT” feeling:

• no permanent right-side layout reservation;
• right tools are a small reveal-on-demand dock;
• the full-width status bar is replaced by a passive capsule;
• the prompt coach is opt-in and compact;
• home/utility surfaces hide non-essential NiakGPT chrome;
• focus-visible and reduced-motion behavior are part of the contract;
• selecting/copying text from the live Diagnostic panel no longer loses the browser selection when metrics update; refresh resumes after the selection is released.

Local-first core, optional private sync

NiakGPT's core remains local-first. Version 0.9.83 declares:

storage
scripting
identity
https://chatgpt.com/*
https://api.github.com/*
https://github.com/login/*
https://lopeiincnbjihmoahcbogokeniojgobk.chromiumapp.org/*

There is no NiakGPT telemetry, advertising SDK, analytics endpoint or NiakGPT cloud account. GitHub endpoints are used only after an explicit Project Memory connection action. The identity permission drives the interactive GitHub authorization window; github.com/login/* is limited to OAuth token exchange, and the exact chromiumapp.org host is only the extension's HTTPS callback. No broad tabs permission is requested. Preferences, indexes, governance and recovery state remain local, while the optional memory repository is controlled by the user.

See Privacy and Security for the exact data, token and network model.

Installation

Unpacked extension

1. Download or clone this repository.
2. Open chrome://extensions in Chrome, Brave or another compatible Chromium browser.
3. Enable Developer mode.
4. Choose Load unpacked.
5. Select the repository root containing manifest.json.
6. Reload any ChatGPT tabs that were already open.

Release package

The packaging script builds a clean extension ZIP from the runtime declared by the manifest and background injector:

node tools/package-extension.mjs

Development labs, historical runtime and test artifacts are excluded from the installable ZIP.

Keyboard shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Quick Open	Alt+K
Local prompt optimizer	Alt+P
Control Center	Alt+,

Architecture

NiakGPT is a Manifest V3 extension with a deliberately small privilege surface.

• MAIN world: page-bridge.js only.
• Isolated world: cache, metadata, governance, classification, sidebar, navigation, continuity, UI and diagnostics.
• Hydration barrier: all document_start pre-runtime modules wait for the host-hydrated signal before observers, timers or DOM mutation.
• Boot barrier: metadata sanitation completes before downstream cache consumers.
• Projects: one visibility authority, one catalogue/placement owner, one final UX guard.
• Multi-tab: WORKER/CLIENT coordination via local browser primitives.
• Recovery: bounded native recovery paths; no challenge bypass and no automatic page reload loop.
• Project Memory: optional post-core runtime; backend/content-script failures cannot block Projects, Pins or their action menus. Private-repository verification is mandatory and normal prompt flow uses only a compact checkpoint.

For the runtime order, ownership invariants and failure model, read ARCHITECTURE.md.

Testing

NiakGPT treats evidence levels explicitly:

1. static/runtime/package invariants;
2. deterministic browser fixtures in Chromium, Firefox and WebKit;
3. real MV3 extension loaded in browser processes against controlled ChatGPT-shaped fixtures;
4. authenticated live ChatGPT evidence only when a real authenticated session is actually used.

The CI matrix includes Linux, Windows and macOS coverage, Chromium/Firefox/WebKit experience gates, real MV3 Chromium runs, focused continuity/recovery tests and a macOS Brave stable gate.

A fixture passing does not override a contradictory real user screenshot. See TESTING_TRUTH.md and the Visual Lab.

Repository maintenance

• installable packages are assembled from declared runtime files only;
• obsolete runtime is forbidden from leaking into release ZIPs;
• repository hygiene rejects generated junk and unreferenced top-level runtime files;
• historical regression labs are intentionally retained;
• GitHub Actions history is purged automatically once a week while keeping a short recent diagnostic window.

Documentation

Document	Purpose
README.fr.md	French README
ARCHITECTURE.md	Runtime architecture and ownership invariants
CHANGELOG.md	Detailed release history
RELEASE_NOTES_0.9.83.md	Current release summary
TROUBLESHOOTING.md	Diagnosis and recovery
PRIVACY.md	Local data and network behavior
SECURITY.md	Security model and reporting
CONTRIBUTING.md	Contribution rules
TESTING_TRUTH.md	What each test level actually proves

Project status

NiakGPT depends on the ChatGPT web UI and on a bounded set of internal web endpoints used by that UI. Those surfaces can change without notice. The project therefore favors safe degradation, explicit ownership and reproducible regressions over broad DOM interception.

NiakGPT is an independent community project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI.

License

NiakGPT is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0). See LICENSE.