DevHelper
AI wireframing → clickable prototype → starter code. Free desktop.
Free2,521 impressions#7 of its week
DevHelper is a free, local-first desktop app for builders. Its headline feature is Sketchly AI — describe an app, get a wireframe, theme it from a brand brief, generate a Codex-ready project plan, then click "Code it" and OpenAI Codex writes the starter repo. The canvas stays hand-editable end to end, so AI handles the tedious parts and you keep creative control.
What else is in the box:
- Chartly — Mermaid flowcharts and diagrams
- Devily — dev-news reader (Hacker News, dev.to, Reddit)
- Live AI-usage trays for Claude + ChatGPT (token-spend awareness)
- Extension marketplace with a curated window.appAPI for desktop integration
- Programmable tray launcher
Pricing — fully free. Sketchly AI is funded by community donations through Buy Me a Coffee; failed runs don't consume credits, and donors get bonus tokens.
Stack — Electron, React, TypeScript, Supabase, OpenAI Codex.
DevHelper is a free local-first desktop app that lets you describe an app, generate wireframes, themes, a project plan and a starter code repo with AI.
- for
- Developers and designers who want AI-assisted app prototyping without subscriptions.
- pricing
- free
Key features
- Sketchly AI — Describe an app in plain text and get clickable wireframes, auto-themed designs, and a full project plan.
- One-click Code Generation — Generate a complete starter repository with OpenAI Codex that matches your wireframes.
- Live AI Usage Trays — Monitor Claude and ChatGPT token usage directly from the menu bar.
- Extension Marketplace — Install or build community extensions using the window.appAPI for desktop integration.
- Chartly Diagrams — Create Mermaid flowcharts, ER diagrams and export them as SVG/PNG.
- Devily News Reader — Read dev-news from Hacker News, dev.to and Reddit without leaving the app.
Use cases
- Turn a product idea into a clickable prototype and downloadable starter repo in minutes
- Generate themed UI designs and export them for hand-off to designers or developers
- Use the built-in tray launcher to run scripts, URLs or terminal commands from the menu bar
DevHelper FAQ
Is DevHelper free or does it have a subscription?+
DevHelper is completely free with no subscriptions, ads, or paid tiers.
Do I need to sign in to use Sketchly AI?+
Sign-in is optional; you can use all core features with a temporary email.
How are the AI tokens funded?+
Tokens are funded by community donations via Buy Me a Coffee, and most of each donation is returned as AI vouchers.
What happens if an AI generation fails?+
Failed runs do not consume tokens; you only pay for successful completions.
Can I export the generated project?+
Yes, you can download a ZIP bundle or let Codex write the repo directly to your machine.
Is my data stored locally?+
All data is stored locally first; optional cloud backup is available when signed in.
Summarized by DevHunt from smileytech.mk · Oct 1, 2026. Details may change; check the official site.
