Display Name
defract
Category
Alternative Clients
Sub-Category
General
Primary Link
https://defract.dev
Author Name
João Camarate
Author Link
https://github.com/joaosp
License
Other (specify below)
Other License
Proprietary
Description
macOS app that orchestrates Claude Code through an opinionated lifecycle — story → design → architecture → implementation → review — with a built-in visual design stage and per-task review gates. Local-first: your repo and PTY transcripts never leave the device, and you bring your own Anthropic key. Free, no signup.
Validate Claims
Download defract (free, no signup) and point it at any local git repo. Create a task like "add a settings page" and watch it produce a written story and an actual visual design artifact during the design stage — before any code is written — then move through architecture → implementation → review gates. To verify the local-first claim: defract uses your own Anthropic API key, so with a network monitor (e.g. Little Snitch) you can confirm coding traffic goes to api.anthropic.com and your repo + PTY transcripts stay on disk.
Specific Task(s)
Open defract, point it at a small real repo, and give it a feature task such as: "Add a dark-mode toggle to the settings screen." Step through each lifecycle stage (story → design → architecture → implementation → review) and inspect the visual design the design stage produces before implementation begins.
Specific Prompt(s)
Add a dark-mode toggle to the app's settings screen, persist the preference, and default to the system setting.
(then approve each stage gate and look at the design-stage output)
Additional Comments
defract is a closed-source macOS app (free, open beta, no signup) by https://github.com/defractdev. It's a GUI harness/alternative client for Claude Code: it drives an opinionated story → design → architecture → implementation → review lifecycle with a built-in visual design stage and per-task review gates. Bring-your-own-Anthropic-key; local-first (repo + PTY transcripts stay on device). macOS only for now.
Recommendation Checklist
Display Name
defract
Category
Alternative Clients
Sub-Category
General
Primary Link
https://defract.dev
Author Name
João Camarate
Author Link
https://github.com/joaosp
License
Other (specify below)
Other License
Proprietary
Description
macOS app that orchestrates Claude Code through an opinionated lifecycle — story → design → architecture → implementation → review — with a built-in visual design stage and per-task review gates. Local-first: your repo and PTY transcripts never leave the device, and you bring your own Anthropic key. Free, no signup.
Validate Claims
Download defract (free, no signup) and point it at any local git repo. Create a task like "add a settings page" and watch it produce a written story and an actual visual design artifact during the design stage — before any code is written — then move through architecture → implementation → review gates. To verify the local-first claim: defract uses your own Anthropic API key, so with a network monitor (e.g. Little Snitch) you can confirm coding traffic goes to api.anthropic.com and your repo + PTY transcripts stay on disk.
Specific Task(s)
Open defract, point it at a small real repo, and give it a feature task such as: "Add a dark-mode toggle to the settings screen." Step through each lifecycle stage (story → design → architecture → implementation → review) and inspect the visual design the design stage produces before implementation begins.
Specific Prompt(s)
Add a dark-mode toggle to the app's settings screen, persist the preference, and default to the system setting.
(then approve each stage gate and look at the design-stage output)
Additional Comments
defract is a closed-source macOS app (free, open beta, no signup) by https://github.com/defractdev. It's a GUI harness/alternative client for Claude Code: it drives an opinionated story → design → architecture → implementation → review lifecycle with a built-in visual design stage and per-task review gates. Bring-your-own-Anthropic-key; local-first (repo + PTY transcripts stay on device). macOS only for now.
Recommendation Checklist