Yes. Ironsmith is described as free and open source, and the macOS app source code is licensed under GPL-3.0.

Which Macs does it support?

Ironsmith requires macOS 26 or newer and supports both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

Does it work with local AI models?

Yes. Ironsmith supports Ollama out of the box, custom OpenAI compatible endpoints, and Apple's Foundation Model for very simple apps.

Can I use hosted models without my own API key?

Yes. Signing into Ironsmith gives access to ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini through its hosted provider. New users get 10 credits to start.

Do I need Xcode installed?

No full Xcode install is required. Generated apps are built with the Xcode Command Line Tools, and Ironsmith checks for them on first launch.

Where does my data live?

Core app data is stored locally under ~/.ironsmith/ by default, provider API keys are stored in macOS Keychain, and Ironsmith includes no analytics or automatic telemetry.

Ironsmith: Prompt-built native Mac apps from the menu bar

What is Ironsmith?

Ironsmith is a free open-source macOS menu bar app for people who want small personal Mac utilities without starting a full app project. Describe the tool you need, and Ironsmith generates, builds, saves, launches, edits, and exports a native SwiftUI app. It requires macOS 26 or newer, supports Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, and can work with local models, your own provider keys, or Ironsmith's hosted AI provider.

Why Ironsmith works

Small one-off utilities usually die as half-written scripts, bookmarked web tools, or notes about an app you wish existed. Ironsmith keeps the creation loop in the menu bar and compiles SwiftUI apps locally with sandboxing on by default, so a specific blocker becomes a signed Mac utility instead of another search tab or unfinished script.

Ironsmith features

Menu bar app creation. Users can create a new app, run saved apps, edit an existing one, restore an earlier version, view code, or export a finished app bundle from the menu bar.
Native SwiftUI output. Generated apps are Swift and SwiftUI apps, not Electron wrappers or background browsers.
Local and hosted AI options. Ironsmith supports Ollama out of the box, OpenAI compatible endpoints, Apple's Foundation Model, OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, and Ironsmith's own hosted provider.
No full Xcode install. Generated apps are Swift packages built with the Xcode Command Line Tools, and first launch checks whether those tools are installed.
Sandboxed generated apps. Generated apps are built as signed app bundles with sandboxing and hardened runtime enabled by default, with sensitive permissions such as camera and microphone access turned on only when explicitly enabled.

Who Ironsmith is for

Mac users who keep needing small personal utilities like screenshot renamers, PDF splitters, clipboard cleaners, or CSV inspectors.
Developers and technical operators who want to inspect and edit generated SwiftUI code instead of relying on a black box.
Privacy minded Mac users who prefer Ollama, Apple's Foundation Model, or another local endpoint for simple app generation.
Non-engineers on macOS 26 who can describe a tiny workflow clearly and want a native app rather than a spreadsheet workaround.

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