Hacker News
Show HN: Micasa – track your house from the terminal
Hacker News · Feb 19, 2026 · Collected from RSS
Summary
micasa is a terminal UI that helps you track home stuff, in a single SQLite file. No cloud, no account, no subscription. Backup with cp. I built it because I was tired of losing track of everything in notes apps, and "I'll remember that"s. When do I need to clean the dishwasher filter? What's the best quote for a complete overhaul of the backyard. Oops, found some mold behind the trim, need to address that ASAP. That sort of stuff. Another reason I made micasa was to build a (hopefully useful) low-stakes personal project where the code was written entirely by AI. I still review the code and click the merge button, but 99% of the programming was done with an agent. Here are some things I think make it worth checking out: - Vim-style modal UI. Nav mode to browse, edit mode to change. Multicolumn sort, fuzzy-jump to columns, pin-and-filter rows, hide columns you don't need, drill into related records (like quotes for a project). Much of the spirit of the design and some of the actual design choices is and are inspired by VisiData. You should check that out too. - Local LLM chat. Definitely a gimmick, but I am trying preempt "Yeah, but does it AI?"-style conversations. This is an optional feature and you can simply pretend it doesn't exist. All features work without it. - Single-file SQLite-based architecture. Document attachments (manuals, receipts, photos) are stored as BLOBs in the same SQLite database. One file is the whole app state. If you think this won't scale, you're right. It's pretty damn easy to work with though. - Pure Go, zero CGO. Built on Charmbracelet for the TUI and GORM + go-sqlite for the database. Charm makes pretty nice TUIs, and this was my first time using it. Try it with sample data: go install github.com/cpcloud/micasa/cmd/micasa@latest && micasa --demo If you're insane you can also run micasa --demo --years 1000 to generate 1000 years worth of demo data. Not sure what house would last that long, but hey, you do you. Comments UR
Full Article
should've used micasa.A terminal UI for tracking everything about your home. Single SQLite file. No cloud. No account. No subscriptions.github.com/cpcloud/micasaYour house is quietly plotting to break while you sleep—and you’re dreaming about redoing the kitchen.micasa tracks maintenance, projects, incidents, appliances, vendors, quotes, and documents—all from your terminal.Frequently asked questionsWhen did I last change the furnace filter?Maintenance schedules, auto-computed due dates, full service history.What if we finally did the backyard?Projects from napkin sketch to completion—or graceful abandonment.How much would it actually cost to…Quotes side by side, vendor history, and the math you need to actually decide.Is the dishwasher still under warranty?Appliance tracking with purchase dates, warranty status, and maintenance history tied to each one.The basement is leaking again.Log incidents with severity and location, link them to appliances and vendors, and resolve them when fixed.Who did we use last time?A vendor directory with contact info, quote history, and every job they've done for you.Where’s the warranty card?Attach files—manuals, invoices, photos—directly to projects and appliances. Stored in the same SQLite file.Get startedInstall with Go (1.25+):go install github.com/cpcloud/micasa/cmd/micasa@latestor grab a binary from the latest releaseLinux, macOS, and Windows binaries are available for amd64 and arm64.Try it in 30 seconds:micasa --demo # poke around with sample data micasa # start fresh with your own house micasa --print-path # show where the database livesLinux, macOS, Windows. One SQLite file, your machine. Back it up with cp.Keyboard drivenVim-style modal keys. nav to browse, edit to change things. Sort by any column, jump to columns with fuzzy search, hide what you don't need, drill into related records. The full list is in the keybinding reference.What people are sayingWhy this existsI built this because my home maintenance system was a shoebox of receipts and the vague feeling I was supposed to call someone about the roof.micasa replaces the shoebox, the binder you never open, and the sticky note on the fridge with one SQLite file and a terminal you already have open. Its modal, keyboard-driven interface is inspired by VisiData.
Share this story