Show HN: Micasa – track your house from the terminal
Micasa introduces a terminal UI for tracking all home maintenance, projects, and documents in a single, local SQLite file, championing a "no cloud, no subscription" philosophy. This "Show HN" project gained traction for its Vim-style interface and Go-based implementation, appealing directly to the Hacker News ethos of self-sufficiency and robust, simple tools. The author's candid mention of using AI for 99% of the code also sparked curiosity and discussion.
The Lowdown
Micasa is a command-line interface (CLI) application designed to centralize and track various aspects of home management, from routine maintenance tasks and ongoing projects to appliance details, vendor contacts, and important documents. The creator, 'cpcloud', built it out of frustration with disparate note-taking methods and unreliable memory, aiming to provide a robust, keyboard-driven solution.
- Self-Contained & Private: Micasa operates entirely locally, storing all data, including document attachments, within a single SQLite file. This "no cloud, no account, no subscription" model is a core selling point.
- Vim-Inspired UI: The application features a modal terminal user interface (TUI) reminiscent of Vim and VisiData, offering efficient navigation and data manipulation through keyboard shortcuts.
- Technical Stack: Developed in Go with zero CGO, Micasa leverages the Charmbracelet library for its TUI and GORM with
go-sqlitefor database interactions. - AI-Assisted Development: The author openly states that 99% of the code was generated by an AI agent, with manual review and merging, positioning the project as a low-stakes experiment in AI-driven development.
- Optional Local LLM: Micasa includes an optional, local LLM chat feature, acknowledged by the author as a "gimmick" but included to preempt "does it AI?" questions. All core functionalities work without it.
- Comprehensive Tracking: The tool helps users log maintenance schedules, track projects from start to finish, record incidents, manage appliance warranties, maintain a vendor directory, and attach relevant files like manuals or receipts.
Ultimately, Micasa offers a highly technical, privacy-focused alternative to conventional home management solutions, catering to users comfortable with terminal environments and valuing local data control.
The Gossip
Terminal Tensions & Web Woes
Many commenters lauded Micasa's beautiful TUI, appreciating its keyboard-driven efficiency and self-hosted nature. However, a recurring point of contention was the terminal-only interface, with several users expressing that while they might embrace it, other household members (e.g., spouses) would likely require a more user-friendly web UI to adopt the system collaboratively. This highlights a common tension between developer-centric tools and broader usability.
Home Automation Hopes & Hacks
The discussion quickly branched into parallels with other home management and automation platforms, notably Home Assistant. Users expressed a strong desire for a TUI integration or similar functionality within Home Assistant, indicating a broader interest in unified, command-line accessible control over smart home ecosystems. Some shared their current "hacks" like using Emacs org-mode for similar tasks, validating the problem Micasa aims to solve, while others envisioned future AI-powered home management systems.
Project Praises & Practicalities
Beyond the interface and integration debates, a significant portion of the comments offered direct praise for Micasa itself. Users appreciated the slick presentation, the humorous testimonials embedded in the project description, and the clear utility of a tool that tackles the universal problem of chaotic home maintenance. Many expressed intent to try it out, drawn by its "no cloud" philosophy and robust feature set for personal use.