# 
Vocalinux
#### Voice-to-text for Linux, finally done right!
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/releases)
[](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/actions)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux)
[](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
[](https://www.gtk.org/)
[](https://codecov.io/gh/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/stargazers)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/network)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/watchers)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/commits)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/commits)
[](CONTRIBUTING.md)
[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues)
**A seamless free open-source private voice dictation system for Linux**, comparable to the built-in solutions on macOS and Windows.
> π **Alpha Release!**
>
> We're excited to share Vocalinux with the community.
> Try it out and [let us know what you think](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues)!
---
## β¨ Features
- π€ **Double-tap Ctrl** to start/stop voice dictation
- β‘ **Real-time transcription** with minimal latency
- π **Universal compatibility** across all Linux applications
- π **Offline operation** for privacy and reliability (with VOSK)
- π€ **Optional Whisper AI** support for enhanced accuracy
- π¨ **System tray integration** with visual status indicators
- π **Audio feedback** for recording status
- βοΈ **Graphical settings** dialog for easy configuration
## π Quick Install
### One-liner Installation (Recommended)
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --tag=v0.4.1-alpha
```
> **Note**: Installs v0.4.1-alpha. For the most recent version, check [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/releases).
This will:
- Clone the repository to `~/.local/share/vocalinux-install`
- Install all system dependencies
- Set up a virtual environment in `~/.local/share/vocalinux/venv`
- Install **both VOSK and Whisper AI** speech engines:
- **VOSK**: installs the `vosk` Python package from PyPI
- **Whisper**: installs the `openai-whisper` package from PyPI, which also pulls in PyTorch (the ML framework Whisper requires)
- Create a symlink at `~/.local/bin/vocalinux`
- Download the default **Whisper tiny** speech model (~75MB)
> β±οΈ **Note**: Installation takes ~5-10 minutes due to Whisper AI dependencies (PyTorch with CUDA support, ~2.3GB).
**Whisper with CPU-only PyTorch (no NVIDIA GPU needed):**
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --tag=v0.4.1-alpha --whisper-cpu
```
This installs Whisper with CPU-only PyTorch (~200MB instead of ~2.3GB). Works great for systems without NVIDIA GPU.
**For low-RAM systems (8GB or less) - VOSK only:**
```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/main/install.sh | bash -s -- --tag=v0.4.1-alpha --no-whisper
```
This skips Whisper installation entirely and configures VOSK as the default engine.
### Alternative: Install from Source
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux.git
cd vocalinux
# Run the installer (will prompt for Whisper)
./install.sh
# Or with Whisper support
./install.sh --with-whisper
```
The installer handles everything: system dependencies, Python environment, speech models, and desktop integration.
### After Installation
```bash
# If ~/.local/bin is in your PATH (recommended):
vocalinux
# Or activate the virtual environment first:
source ~/.local/bin/activate-vocalinux.sh
vocalinux
# Or run directly:
~/.local/share/vocalinux/venv/bin/vocalinux
```
Or launch it from your application menu!
### Uninstall
```bash
# If installed via curl:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/main/uninstall.sh | bash
# If installed from source:
./uninstall.sh
```
## π Requirements
- **OS**: Ubuntu 22.04+ (other Linux distros may work)
- **Python**: 3.8 or newer
- **Display**: X11 or Wayland
- **Hardware**: Microphone for voice input
## ποΈ Usage
### Voice Dictation
1. **Double-tap Ctrl** to start recording
2. Speak clearly into your microphone
3. **Double-tap Ctrl** again (or pause speaking) to stop
### Voice Commands
| Command | Action |
|---------|--------|
| "new line" | Inserts a line break |
| "period" / "full stop" | Types a period (.) |
| "comma" | Types a comma (,) |
| "question mark" | Types a question mark (?) |
| "exclamation mark" | Types an exclamation mark (!) |
| "delete that" | Deletes the last sentence |
| "capitalize" | Capitalizes the next word |
### Command Line Options
```bash
vocalinux --help # Show all options
vocalinux --debug # Enable debug logging
vocalinux --engine whisper # Use Whisper AI engine
vocalinux --model medium # Use medium-sized model
vocalinux --wayland # Force Wayland mode
```
## βοΈ Configuration
Configuration is stored in `~/.config/vocalinux/config.json`:
```json
{
"speech_recognition": {
"engine": "vosk",
"model_size": "small",
"vad_sensitivity": 3,
"silence_timeout": 2.0
}
}
```
You can also configure settings through the graphical Settings dialog (right-click the tray icon).
## π§ Development Setup
```bash
# Clone and install in dev mode
git clone https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux.git
cd vocalinux
./install.sh --dev
# Activate environment
source venv/bin/activate
# Run tests
pytest
# Run from source with debug
python -m vocalinux.main --debug
```
## π Project Structure
```
vocalinux/
βββ src/vocalinux/ # Main application code
β βββ speech_recognition/ # Speech recognition engines
β βββ text_injection/ # Text injection (X11/Wayland)
β βββ ui/ # GTK UI components
β βββ utils/ # Utility functions
βββ tests/ # Test suite
βββ resources/ # Icons and sounds
βββ docs/ # Documentation
βββ web/ # Website source
```
## π Documentation
- [Installation Guide](docs/INSTALL.md) - Detailed installation instructions
- [Update Guide](docs/UPDATE.md) - How to update Vocalinux
- [User Guide](docs/USER_GUIDE.md) - Complete user documentation
- [Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md) - Development setup and contribution guidelines
## πΊοΈ Roadmap
- [x] ~~Custom icon design~~ β
- [x] ~~Graphical settings dialog~~ β
- [x] ~~Whisper AI support~~ β
- [x] ~~Multi-language support (FR, DE, RU)~~ β
- [ ] In-app update mechanism
- [ ] Application-specific commands
- [ ] Debian/Ubuntu package (.deb)
- [ ] Improved Wayland support
- [ ] Voice command customization
## π€ Contributing
We welcome contributions! Whether it's bug reports, feature requests, or code contributions, please check out our [Contributing Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md).
### Quick Links
- π [Report a Bug](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues/new?template=bug_report.md)
- π‘ [Request a Feature](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues/new?template=feature_request.md)
- π¬ [Discussions](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/discussions)
## β Support
If you find Vocalinux useful, please consider:
- β Starring this repository
- π Reporting bugs you encounter
- π Improving documentation
- π Contributing code
## π License
This project is licensed under the **GNU General Public License v3.0** - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
---
Made with β€οΈ for the Linux community