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Jatin K MalikandGitHub 68b00bd7d8 chore(release): prepare v0.16.1 (#755) 
Bump the stable line from 0.16.0 to 0.16.1. README and UPDATE keep the 0.16 series highlights and add the patch-only fixes. Website changelog, schema, AppStream, and AUR PKGBUILD follow.
2026-08-30 00:49:09 -07:00

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<div align="center">
<img src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/56dabe5c-5c65-44d5-a36a-429c9fea0719" width="50" height="50" alt="Vocalinux">
# Vocalinux
**Voice-to-text for Linux, finally done right!**
<!-- Badge rows ordered narrowest → widest (steps out into the hero) -->
<!-- Values + packaging (narrow) -->
[![Privacy: on-device](https://img.shields.io/badge/privacy-on--device%20after%20model%20download-success)](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux#features)
[![X11 & Wayland](https://img.shields.io/badge/display-X11%20%7C%20Wayland-lightgrey)](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux#features)
[![PRs Welcome](https://img.shields.io/badge/PRs-welcome-brightgreen.svg)](CONTRIBUTING.md)
[![License: AGPL-3.0](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-AGPL--3.0-blue.svg)](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0)
[![Python 3.11+](https://img.shields.io/badge/python-3.11+-blue.svg)](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
[![Discord](https://img.shields.io/discord/1538633755877580810?logo=discord&logoColor=white&label=Discord)](https://discord.gg/t6muquAJbm)
[![Email](https://img.shields.io/badge/hello%40vocahq.com-1a7f4e)](mailto:hello@vocahq.com)
[![VocaHQ](https://img.shields.io/badge/VocaHQ-vocahq.com-1a7f4e)](https://vocahq.com)
<!-- Identity + quality (medium) -->
[![GitHub release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/VocaHQ/vocalinux)](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/releases)
[![PyPI](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/vocalinux)](https://pypi.org/project/vocalinux/)
[![AUR](https://img.shields.io/aur/version/vocalinux)](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/vocalinux)
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[![Follow on X](https://img.shields.io/badge/Follow%20%40vocahq-000000?style=flat&logo=x&logoColor=white)](https://x.com/vocahq)
<!-- Distros (widest; base plate above the hero) -->
[![Ubuntu](https://img.shields.io/badge/Ubuntu-24.04+-E95420?logo=ubuntu&logoColor=white)](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md)
[![Debian](https://img.shields.io/badge/Debian-12+-A81D33?logo=debian&logoColor=white)](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md)
[![Fedora](https://img.shields.io/badge/Fedora-39+-51A2DA?logo=fedora&logoColor=white)](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md)
[![Arch](https://img.shields.io/badge/Arch-rolling-1793D1?logo=archlinux&logoColor=white)](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md)
[![openSUSE](https://img.shields.io/badge/openSUSE-Tumbleweed-73BA25?logo=opensuse&logoColor=white)](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md)
</div>
Linux has always punched above its weight, except when it comes to voice typing. Vocalinux fixes that.
It's a free, AGPL-3.0-licensed desktop app that lets you dictate text into *any* application, on X11 or Wayland, using on-device speech recognition after you download a model. Pick from three engines (whisper.cpp, OpenAI Whisper, or VOSK), get automatic GPU acceleration via Vulkan, and control it all with customizable keyboard shortcuts: toggle or push-to-talk.
Models are downloaded once. After that, speech-to-text stays on your machine. No Voca account is required. Just speak and type.
## 📚 What's New in v0.16.1
> **0.16.1** is a stability patch on the 0.16 series. Startup uses the engine's own model instead of a leftover generic key, leftover transcription no longer leaves the tray stuck, terminals get Ctrl+Shift+V paste, and the AppImage is built against a glibc Debian 12 can run. The installer now requires Python 3.11 and verifies model downloads.
### 0.16 series highlights
| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| **Update checker** | Settings → About checks stable/nightly channels; tray shows Update Available when GitHub has a newer release (#631, #645) |
| **Right Alt PTT default** | New installs default to hold Right Alt (push-to-talk); existing configs keep their shortcut (#648) |
| **Searchable languages** | Type to filter the Speech Model language list (#672) |
| **Delete unused models** | Remove leftover downloaded speech models from Settings (#671) |
| **AGPL-3.0** | License aligned with other VocaHQ projects (#660) |
| **Family mic icons** | App icon, tray states, and site favicons use the shared Voca family mic (#704) |
| **Tone picker** | Settings → Audio: Lift, Flick, Ember, Step, Voca, Soft, Chirp, Scale, Drop, Glass, Off, plus Preview. New installs default to Voca. Catalog uses family preview WAVs (#707, #708) |
| **Installer** | Justfile, uv lockfiles, distro python3-gi required (no pip sdist of PyGObject). Epic #701 still open (#700, #705, #706) |
### Bug fixes in v0.16.1
- **Speech models**: start on the engine's own model size; write the model to config only after it loaded; leftover-download list shows every row (#684, #685, #686, fixes #681, #683)
- **Config**: one ConfigManager for the process, so Settings writes are not overwritten by a stale cache (#691, fixes #689)
- **Tray**: stay idle after leftover transcription on toggle stop; the missing-model notification can download the recommended model (#741, #687)
- **Injection / IBus**: Ctrl+Shift+V paste in terminals; keep the GNOME XWayland layout after scoped inject (#734, #742)
- **Installer / AppImage**: Python 3.11 floor, verified model downloads, no invented GPUs; AppImage glibc that boots on Debian 12 through current Fedora (#713, #736, #743, #744)
- **Settings**: even dropdowns and a quieter About page with family platform marks (#754)
See [docs/UPDATE.md](docs/UPDATE.md) and the [full changelog](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/releases/tag/v0.16.1).
---
## Features
- 🎤 **Toggle or Push-to-Talk** activation modes
- ⚡ **Real-time transcription** with minimal latency
- 🌎 **Universal compatibility** across all Linux applications
- 🔒 **On-device after model download** — speech-to-text stays on your machine
- 🤖 **whisper.cpp by default** - High-performance C++ speech recognition
- 🎮 **Universal GPU support** - Vulkan acceleration for AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA
- 🎨 **System tray integration** with visual status indicators
- 🚀 **Start on login support** via XDG autostart (desktop-session startup)
- 🔊 **Pleasant audio feedback** - smooth gliding tones, headphone-friendly
- ⚙️ **Graphical settings** dialog for easy configuration
- 📦 **3 engine choices** - whisper.cpp (default), OpenAI Whisper, or VOSK
## 📸 Screenshots
Vocalinux in action. Settings gallery shots may lag the newest UI. Full gallery on the [website screenshots page](https://vocalinux.com/screenshots/).
### Product
<table>
<tr>
<td align="center" width="50%">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/00-transcription.png" alt="Transcription in Action" width="350"><br>
<em>Real-time voice-to-text transcription</em>
</td>
<td align="center" width="50%">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/02-system-tray.png" alt="System Tray" width="350"><br>
<em>System tray with listening indicator</em>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/05-about-view.png" alt="About View" width="350"><br>
<em>About &amp; Updates in Settings</em>
</td>
<td align="center">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/03-log-viewer.png" alt="Log Viewer" width="350"><br>
<em>Log viewer for debugging</em>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
### Settings
<table>
<tr>
<td align="center" width="33%">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/settings-speech-engine.png" alt="Speech Engine settings" width="260"><br>
<em>Speech Engine</em>
</td>
<td align="center" width="33%">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/settings-recognition.png" alt="Recognition settings" width="260"><br>
<em>Recognition</em>
</td>
<td align="center" width="33%">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/settings-audio.png" alt="Audio settings" width="260"><br>
<em>Audio</em>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/settings-performance.png" alt="Performance settings" width="260"><br>
<em>Performance</em>
</td>
<td align="center">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/settings-general.png" alt="General settings" width="260"><br>
<em>General</em>
</td>
<td align="center">
<img src="web/public/screenshots/settings-advanced.png" alt="Advanced tuning and settings" width="260"><br>
<em>Advanced</em>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
## 🚀 Quick Install
### Interactive Install (Recommended)
Our new interactive installer guides you through setup with intelligent hardware detection:
```bash
curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/main/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh
```
**Choose your engine:**
1. **whisper.cpp** ⭐ (Recommended) - Fast, works with any GPU via Vulkan
2. **Whisper** (OpenAI) - PyTorch-based, NVIDIA GPU only
3. **VOSK** - Lightweight, works on older systems
The installer will:
- **Auto-detect your hardware** (GPU, RAM, Vulkan support)
- **Recommend the best engine** for your system
- **Download the appropriate model** (~74MB for the default whisper.cpp tiny model)
- **Install neural VAD support** when ONNX Runtime is available
- **Install in ~1-2 minutes** (vs 5-10 min with old Whisper)
> **Note**: Always installs the latest release. For a specific version, check [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/releases).
### Installation Options
**Default (whisper.cpp - recommended):**
```bash
curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/main/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh
```
Fastest installation (~1-2 min), universal GPU support via Vulkan.
**Whisper (OpenAI) - if you prefer PyTorch:**
```bash
curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/main/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh --engine=whisper
```
NVIDIA GPU only (~5-10 min, downloads PyTorch + CUDA).
**VOSK only - for low-RAM systems:**
```bash
curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/main/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh --engine=vosk
```
Lightweight option (~40MB), works on systems with 4GB RAM.
### Arch Linux (AUR)
```bash
yay -S vocalinux
```
See [docs/AUR.md](docs/AUR.md).
### Flatpak (any distro)
For a sandboxed, distro-independent install (great for NixOS, Fedora Silverblue,
Steam Deck, and anywhere else), build the Flatpak from the bundled manifest:
```bash
flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Platform//50 org.gnome.Sdk//50
flatpak-builder --user --install --force-clean build-dir \
packaging/flatpak/com.vocalinux.Vocalinux.yml
flatpak run com.vocalinux.Vocalinux
```
The Flatpak ships the whisper.cpp engine with Vulkan GPU support and runs through
XWayland on Wayland sessions. See [`packaging/flatpak/README.md`](packaging/flatpak/README.md)
for build details, permissions, and Flathub submission notes. Flathub publishing
is in progress.
### Alternative: Install from Source
```bash
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux.git
cd vocalinux
# Run the interactive installer (engine picker + GPU detection)
./install.sh
# Or pick the engine up front
./install.sh --engine=whisper_cpp # whisper.cpp (default, GPU-accelerated)
./install.sh --engine=vosk # lightweight VOSK
```
The installer handles everything: system dependencies, Python environment, speech models, and desktop integration.
### 🌙 Nightly Releases (Bleeding Edge)
For developers and early adopters who want to test the latest features, check out our [GitHub Releases page](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/releases) which includes both beta and nightly builds.
> **⚠️ Warning**: Nightly releases contain the absolute latest code and may be unstable. For production use, we recommend using the latest beta release.
Nightly builds are automatically generated from the `main` branch every day. They include all merged changes but haven't undergone the same testing as beta releases.
**Release Channels:**
- **Beta** (Recommended) - Tested pre-releases with known features
- **Nightly** - Untested bleeding edge with latest commits
### 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!
## 📋 Requirements
- **OS**: Linux (tested on Ubuntu 24.04+, Debian 12+, Fedora 39+, Arch Linux, openSUSE Tumbleweed)
- **Python**: 3.11 or newer
- **Display**: X11 or Wayland
- **Hardware**: Microphone for voice input
**Note:** See [Distribution Compatibility](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md) for distribution-specific information and experimental support for Gentoo, Alpine, Void, Solus, and more.
## 🎙️ Usage
### Voice Dictation
1. **Push-to-talk (default)**: Hold Right Alt (Option on Mac-layout keyboards) and speak
2. Speak clearly into your microphone
3. **Release** the key to stop, or switch to **Toggle mode** in Settings (double-tap a key to start/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_cpp # Use whisper.cpp engine (default)
vocalinux --engine whisper # Use OpenAI Whisper engine
vocalinux --engine vosk # Use VOSK engine
vocalinux --model medium # Use medium-sized model
vocalinux --model medium.en-q5_0 # Use exact whisper.cpp model variant
vocalinux --model large-v3-turbo # Use large-v3 Turbo with whisper.cpp
vocalinux --wayland # Force Wayland mode
vocalinux --start-minimized # Start without first-run modal prompts
```
### Autostart on Login
Vocalinux uses the Linux desktop standard for autostart:
- **Mechanism**: XDG autostart desktop entry (`vocalinux.desktop`)
- **Path**: `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/autostart/` or `~/.config/autostart/` (fallback)
- **Launch mode**: Starts as a regular **user desktop app** in your graphical session
- **Not used**: No `systemd` unit/service is created by Vocalinux for autostart
How to enable/disable:
- First-run welcome dialog
- Tray menu: **Start on Login**
- Settings dialog: **Start on Login**
Compatibility notes:
- Works on mainstream desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, Xfce, Cinnamon, MATE, LXQt)
- On minimal/custom window-manager sessions, an autostart handler may be required
(for example DE-specific startup hooks or tools like `dex`)
## ⚙️ Configuration
Configuration is stored in `~/.config/vocalinux/config.json`:
```json
{
"speech_recognition": {
"engine": "whisper_cpp",
"model_size": "tiny",
"vad_sensitivity": 3,
"silence_timeout": 2.0
}
}
```
For whisper.cpp, `model_size` may be a size such as `tiny` or an exact ggml model ID
such as `medium.en-q5_0` or `large-v3-turbo`. You can also configure this through
the graphical Settings dialog, where whisper.cpp models are split into **Model Size**
and **Specialization** controls. Unused leftover downloads can be deleted from
**Unused downloads** on the Speech Model page (expand the section, then delete
one model at a time).
### Neural Voice Activity Detection
Vocalinux ships with a Silero VAD model and uses it automatically when `onnxruntime` is available. The official installer attempts to install this support automatically. Without it, recording falls back to the simpler amplitude-threshold VAD.
For manual or PyPI installs, enable neural VAD with:
```bash
pip install "vocalinux[vad]"
```
Restart Vocalinux after install. The Recognition tab in Settings shows which backend is active. The same `vad_sensitivity` (1-5) works for both -- it's mapped to a Silero probability threshold internally (1 = 0.8, 5 = 0.3).
## 🔧 Development Setup
```bash
# Clone and install in dev mode
git clone https://github.com/VocaHQ/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
```
## 📁 Project Structure
```
vocalinux/
├── src/vocalinux/ # Main application code
│ ├── speech_recognition/ # Speech recognition engines (VOSK, Whisper, whisper.cpp)
│ │ └── recognition_manager.py # Unified engine interface
│ ├── text_injection/ # Text injection (X11/Wayland)
│ ├── ui/ # GTK UI components
│ └── utils/ # Utility functions
│ ├── whispercpp_model_info.py # whisper.cpp model metadata & hardware detection
│ └── vosk_model_info.py # VOSK model metadata
├── tests/ # Test suite
├── scripts/ # Development utilities
│ └── generate_sounds.py # Sound generation script
├── resources/ # Icons and sounds
├── docs/ # Documentation
└── web/ # Website source
```
## 📖 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
- [Distribution Compatibility](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md) - Distro/session behavior and caveats
- [Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md) - Development setup and contribution guidelines
## Repository mirrors
GitHub is the **primary** forge for issues, pull requests, CI, and releases.
| Role | URL |
|------|-----|
| Primary | https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux |
| Read-only mirror (Codeberg) | https://codeberg.org/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux |
The Codeberg copy is a read-only source backup. Open issues and PRs on GitHub only.
## 🔊 Sound Customization
Vocalinux uses smooth, pleasant gliding tones for audio feedback:
- **Start**: Ascending F4→A4 (0.6s) - positive, uplifting
- **Stop**: Descending A4→F4 (0.6s) - resolves completion
- **Error**: Lower descending E4→C4 (0.7s) - gentle but noticeable
All sounds use pure sine waves with smoothstep interpolation for buttery smooth pitch transitions - perfect for headphone use!
### Regenerate Sounds
To modify or regenerate the notification sounds:
```bash
python scripts/generate_sounds.py
```
This script generates all three sounds using the same smooth glide algorithm. You can edit the frequencies, durations, and amplitudes in the script to customize the sounds to your preference.
## 🗺️ Roadmap
- [x] ~~Custom icon design~~ ✅
- [x] ~~Graphical settings dialog~~ ✅
- [x] ~~Whisper AI support~~ ✅
- [x] ~~Multi-language support (FR, DE, RU)~~ ✅
- [x] ~~whisper.cpp integration (default engine)~~ ✅
- [x] ~~Vulkan GPU support~~ ✅
- [x] In-app update mechanism ✅
- [x] ~~Wayland support via IBus~~ ✅
- [x] ~~Flatpak packaging~~ ✅ (Flathub submission in progress)
- [ ] Application-specific commands
- [ ] Debian/Ubuntu package (.deb)
- [ ] Voice command customization
## 🌐 The Voca Ecosystem
Vocalinux is part of [VocaHQ](https://vocahq.com). On-device speech-to-text first, one app per platform. Optional [VocaGateway](https://vocagateway.vocahq.com) is self-hosted and not on-device.
| Platform | Project | Website | GitHub | Status |
|----------|---------|---------|--------|--------|
| 🐧 Linux | **VocaLinux** | [vocalinux.com](https://vocalinux.com) | [VocaHQ/vocalinux](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux) | ✅ Available now (`v0.16.1`) |
| 🍎 macOS | **VocaMac** | [vocamac.com](https://vocamac.com) | [VocaHQ/vocamac](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocamac) | 🚀 Beta (`v0.9.0`) |
| 🪟 Windows | **VocaWin** | [vocawin.com](https://vocawin.com) | [VocaHQ/vocawin](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocawin) | 🚀 Unsigned beta (`v0.1.0-beta.1`) |
| 📱 Phone | **VocaPhone** | [vocaphone.vocahq.com](https://vocaphone.vocahq.com) | [VocaHQ/vocaphone](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocaphone) | 🚀 Android beta / iOS [TestFlight](https://testflight.apple.com/join/wd85wQ3W) |
| 🖧 Gateway | **VocaGateway** | [vocagateway.vocahq.com](https://vocagateway.vocahq.com) | [VocaHQ/vocagateway](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocagateway) | 🧪 Early · optional · not on-device |
> VocaWin is unsigned. SmartScreen may warn about an unknown publisher. It is not a Microsoft Store ship.
>
> Each platform uses native technologies. The shared bar is on-device first; [VocaGateway](https://vocagateway.vocahq.com) is optional self-hosted compute and is not on-device.
>
> Talk to us: [Discord](https://discord.gg/t6muquAJbm) · [X @vocahq](https://x.com/vocahq) · [hello@vocahq.com](mailto:hello@vocahq.com)
## 🤝 Contributing
We welcome contributions! Whether it's bug reports, feature requests, or code contributions, please check out our [Contributing Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md).
### Contributors
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to Vocalinux! 🙌
<a href="https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/graphs/contributors">
<img src="https://contrib.rocks/image?repo=VocaHQ/vocalinux" />
</a>
### Quick Links
- 🐛 [Report a Bug](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/issues/new?template=bug_report.md)
- 💡 [Request a Feature](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/issues/new?template=feature_request.md)
- 💬 [Discussions](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocalinux/discussions)
## ⭐ Support
If you find Vocalinux useful, please consider:
- ⭐ Starring this repository
- 🐛 Reporting bugs you encounter
- 📖 Improving documentation
- 🔀 Contributing code
## 📜 License
This project is licensed under the **GNU Affero General Public License v3.0**
([AGPL-3.0](LICENSE)), aligning with the other [VocaHQ](https://github.com/VocaHQ)
distribution projects ([VocaMac](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocamac),
[VocaPhone](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocaphone),
[VocaGateway](https://github.com/VocaHQ/vocagateway)).
You may use, study, modify, and redistribute the software under AGPL-3.0. If you
run a modified version as a network service, AGPL also requires that you make the
corresponding source available.
## Star Chart
[![Star History Chart](https://api.star-history.com/chart?repos=VocaHQ/vocalinux&type=date&legend=top-left&sealed_token=ZWyQQLhSORoR4mKf6UXMGFSCBXRxM_yEZgc8MFCH_ysBjaFUm_OCH-bI3TD7OivczEzm-ADRIpF9xCWFOMHvBPW95eQBxzfRMpNksChz7rN_eiqL7AIMDw)](https://www.star-history.com/?type=date&repos=VocaHQ%2Fvocalinux)
---
<p align="center">
Made with ❤️ for the Linux community
</p>
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