Vibecode Transmit
track this build5 steps, step by step0%The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For Transmit, build a focused SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and transfer queue. The hard boundary is protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance, plus os integration polish and maintenance.
You are building a lean indie version of Transmit. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== README.md ===== # Transmit indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core Transmit workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance - years of OS-version edge cases - large extension ecosystem - cross-device sync - commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes If those capabilities are essential, use Espanso instead of pretending the gap is solved. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs". ===== BUILD_PLAN.md ===== # Build plan ## Original build brief Build a personal replacement for Transmit in an empty repository. Use Swift 6, SwiftUI, AppKit where necessary, SQLite, and the macOS Keychain; do not offer alternative stacks. The core loop is: build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. Make the first run work locally with one documented command. Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward. Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials. Create a menu-bar app with a searchable command window and global hotkey. Implement only the primary feature and one settings screen instead of a plugin platform. Request permissions just in time and explain why each is needed before opening System Settings. Store configuration locally, support export or import, and never capture unrelated user content. Add launch-at-login, update-check opt-in, diagnostics export, and a complete uninstall note. Write unit tests for transformation logic and one UI test for the core keyboard workflow. Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states. Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs. Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path. Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps. Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane. Deliberately leave out a third-party extension marketplace. Deliberately leave out cloud accounts and cross-device sync. Deliberately leave out broad automation that executes untrusted scripts. Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used. ## Required capabilities - macOS 14 or later - Xcode - only the permissions required by the selected feature ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden. ===== .env.example ===== # Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
You are building a lean indie version of Transmit. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== README.md ===== # Transmit indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core Transmit workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance - years of OS-version edge cases - large extension ecosystem - cross-device sync - commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes If those capabilities are essential, use Espanso instead of pretending the gap is solved. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs". ===== BUILD_PLAN.md ===== # Build plan ## Original build brief Build a personal replacement for Transmit in an empty repository. Use Swift 6, SwiftUI, AppKit where necessary, SQLite, and the macOS Keychain; do not offer alternative stacks. The core loop is: build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. Make the first run work locally with one documented command. Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward. Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials. Create a menu-bar app with a searchable command window and global hotkey. Implement only the primary feature and one settings screen instead of a plugin platform. Request permissions just in time and explain why each is needed before opening System Settings. Store configuration locally, support export or import, and never capture unrelated user content. Add launch-at-login, update-check opt-in, diagnostics export, and a complete uninstall note. Write unit tests for transformation logic and one UI test for the core keyboard workflow. Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states. Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs. Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path. Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps. Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane. Deliberately leave out a third-party extension marketplace. Deliberately leave out cloud accounts and cross-device sync. Deliberately leave out broad automation that executes untrusted scripts. Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used. ## Required capabilities - macOS 14 or later - Xcode - only the permissions required by the selected feature ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden. ===== .env.example ===== # Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
You are building a production product version of Transmit. Create the following project files first, then implement the application by following them. Keep the files updated as decisions change. Do not collapse this into a single README or prompt. ===== PRODUCT.md ===== # Transmit product brief ## Problem The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For Transmit, build a focused SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and transfer queue. The hard boundary is protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance, plus os integration polish and maintenance. ## Product outcome Build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. ## Target user A serious builder who needs a maintainable product foundation rather than a one-off demo. ## Required capabilities - macOS 14 or later - Xcode - only the permissions required by the selected feature ## Explicit non-goals for v1 - protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance - years of OS-version edge cases - large extension ecosystem - cross-device sync - commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes ## Success criteria - The primary workflow is measurable end to end. - Setup is reproducible in a clean environment. - Failure, recovery, and support paths are documented. - Product claims match what the implementation actually guarantees. ===== ARCHITECTURE.md ===== # Architecture ## Starting brief Build a personal replacement for Transmit in an empty repository. Use Swift 6, SwiftUI, AppKit where necessary, SQLite, and the macOS Keychain; do not offer alternative stacks. The core loop is: build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. Make the first run work locally with one documented command. Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward. Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials. Create a menu-bar app with a searchable command window and global hotkey. Implement only the primary feature and one settings screen instead of a plugin platform. Request permissions just in time and explain why each is needed before opening System Settings. Store configuration locally, support export or import, and never capture unrelated user content. Add launch-at-login, update-check opt-in, diagnostics export, and a complete uninstall note. Write unit tests for transformation logic and one UI test for the core keyboard workflow. Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states. Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs. Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path. Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps. Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane. Deliberately leave out a third-party extension marketplace. Deliberately leave out cloud accounts and cross-device sync. Deliberately leave out broad automation that executes untrusted scripts. Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used. ## Boundaries Separate the product into replaceable modules for interface, application logic, persistence, external integrations, and operational concerns. Keep domain logic independent from delivery frameworks and vendors. ## Production baseline - Configuration: validated at startup with safe local defaults where possible. - Security: least privilege, input validation, secret redaction, rate limits on abuse-prone paths, and no invented security primitives. - Data: explicit schema and migrations, transactional writes where integrity matters, backup and restore instructions. - Integrations: adapters around third-party providers, idempotent webhook or job processing, bounded retries, and timeouts. - Observability: structured logs with request or operation IDs, an error-tracking hook, and health/readiness checks where a server exists. - Quality: unit tests for domain rules, integration tests at module boundaries, and one end-to-end critical-path test. ## Decision records For each major dependency, document why it was chosen, its failure mode, and how it can be replaced. Do not introduce infrastructure until a requirement justifies it. ===== AGENTS.md ===== # Agent instructions - Read `PRODUCT.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.md` before changing code. - Implement milestone by milestone; keep each change reviewable and leave the application runnable. - Treat authentication, payments, encryption, imports, webhooks, and destructive actions as high-risk boundaries when present. - Never invent cryptography or silently weaken a requirement to make a test pass. - Use provider interfaces for external services and deterministic fakes in tests. - Add migrations and rollback or recovery notes for persistent data changes. - Log useful operational context without credentials, tokens, passwords, or personal data. - Update documentation and run all checks before completing a milestone. ===== MILESTONES.md ===== # Delivery milestones ## M0 — Decisions and scaffold - Confirm the runtime, persistence model, threat boundaries, and deployment target. - Create a reproducible local environment and continuous checks. ## M1 — Core workflow - Implement the smallest end-to-end product path with validation and tests. - Keep integrations behind interfaces. ## M2 — Trust layer - Add secure failure behavior, recovery paths, audit-relevant events, and data safeguards. - Test abuse cases and destructive operations. ## M3 — Operability - Add structured logs, error reporting hooks, health signals, backup/restore documentation, and deployment configuration. ## M4 — Release gate - Run a clean-install test, critical-path end-to-end test, dependency review, and documented rollback exercise. - Compare the shipped behavior with `PRODUCT.md` and publish remaining limitations. ===== OPERATIONS.md ===== # Operations ## Before release - Validate configuration and secrets at startup. - Define backup, restore, and rollback procedures and test them. - Document logs, error tracking, health signals, and alert ownership. - Set dependency update and vulnerability review expectations. ## Incident checklist 1. Contain the issue without destroying evidence or user data. 2. Record the timeline and affected scope. 3. Rotate exposed secrets and revoke compromised sessions or credentials. 4. Restore from a verified source when needed. 5. Document the root cause, remediation, and regression test. ## Launch constraint Do not market omitted Transmit capabilities as implemented. The v1 non-goals in `PRODUCT.md` remain user-visible limitations until they are deliberately delivered.
# Transmit indie build ## Goal Build the smallest trustworthy replacement for the core Transmit workflow for one developer or a tiny team. ## Scope Build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. ## Quick start 1. Install the documented dependencies. 2. Copy `.env.example` to `.env`. 3. Run the development command chosen during implementation. 4. Complete the acceptance checks in `BUILD_PLAN.md`. ## Honest limits This build deliberately does not replace: - protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance - years of OS-version edge cases - large extension ecosystem - cross-device sync - commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes If those capabilities are essential, use Espanso instead of pretending the gap is solved.
# Agent instructions - Optimize for a working, understandable weekend build. - Prefer the fewest moving parts that satisfy the brief. - Do not invent cryptography, security guarantees, APIs, or compliance claims. - Keep secrets out of source control and logs. - Add focused tests for destructive, security-sensitive, and data-loss paths. - Run the project checks before declaring the build complete. - Record any deliberate shortcut in the README under "Tradeoffs".
# Build plan ## Original build brief Build a personal replacement for Transmit in an empty repository. Use Swift 6, SwiftUI, AppKit where necessary, SQLite, and the macOS Keychain; do not offer alternative stacks. The core loop is: build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. Make the first run work locally with one documented command. Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward. Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials. Create a menu-bar app with a searchable command window and global hotkey. Implement only the primary feature and one settings screen instead of a plugin platform. Request permissions just in time and explain why each is needed before opening System Settings. Store configuration locally, support export or import, and never capture unrelated user content. Add launch-at-login, update-check opt-in, diagnostics export, and a complete uninstall note. Write unit tests for transformation logic and one UI test for the core keyboard workflow. Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states. Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs. Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path. Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps. Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane. Deliberately leave out a third-party extension marketplace. Deliberately leave out cloud accounts and cross-device sync. Deliberately leave out broad automation that executes untrusted scripts. Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used. ## Required capabilities - macOS 14 or later - Xcode - only the permissions required by the selected feature ## Delivery order 1. Scaffold the smallest runnable application and document its commands. 2. Implement the primary data model and core workflow. 3. Add validation, safe failure states, and persistence. 4. Cover the critical path with automated tests. 5. Exercise a clean install from the README and fix every missing step. ## Done when - A new user can go from clone to first successful workflow using only the README. - The core workflow works without paid infrastructure unless the brief requires it. - Tests cover the highest-risk behavior. - Known limitations are explicit rather than hidden.
# Copy to .env and document every variable when it is introduced. # Never put real credentials in this file. APP_ENV=development # Add only values required by the selected implementation.
# Transmit product brief ## Problem The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For Transmit, build a focused SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and transfer queue. The hard boundary is protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance, plus os integration polish and maintenance. ## Product outcome Build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. ## Target user A serious builder who needs a maintainable product foundation rather than a one-off demo. ## Required capabilities - macOS 14 or later - Xcode - only the permissions required by the selected feature ## Explicit non-goals for v1 - protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance - years of OS-version edge cases - large extension ecosystem - cross-device sync - commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes ## Success criteria - The primary workflow is measurable end to end. - Setup is reproducible in a clean environment. - Failure, recovery, and support paths are documented. - Product claims match what the implementation actually guarantees.
# Architecture ## Starting brief Build a personal replacement for Transmit in an empty repository. Use Swift 6, SwiftUI, AppKit where necessary, SQLite, and the macOS Keychain; do not offer alternative stacks. The core loop is: build a focused macOS SFTP and object-storage client with bookmarks and a transfer queue, expose keyboard-first controls, and store settings locally. Make the first run work locally with one documented command. Store all user data locally by default and make export straightforward. Put secrets in .env, ship .env.example, and never commit credentials. Create a menu-bar app with a searchable command window and global hotkey. Implement only the primary feature and one settings screen instead of a plugin platform. Request permissions just in time and explain why each is needed before opening System Settings. Store configuration locally, support export or import, and never capture unrelated user content. Add launch-at-login, update-check opt-in, diagnostics export, and a complete uninstall note. Write unit tests for transformation logic and one UI test for the core keyboard workflow. Include clear empty, loading, success, and recoverable error states. Add input validation, safe filenames, and graceful handling of unavailable APIs. Write focused tests for the core transformation and one end-to-end happy path. Create a README with setup, architecture, permissions, data location, and backup steps. Do not add accounts, billing, telemetry, analytics, or a hosted control plane. Deliberately leave out a third-party extension marketplace. Deliberately leave out cloud accounts and cross-device sync. Deliberately leave out broad automation that executes untrusted scripts. Finish by running the tests and listing the exact commands used. ## Boundaries Separate the product into replaceable modules for interface, application logic, persistence, external integrations, and operational concerns. Keep domain logic independent from delivery frameworks and vendors. ## Production baseline - Configuration: validated at startup with safe local defaults where possible. - Security: least privilege, input validation, secret redaction, rate limits on abuse-prone paths, and no invented security primitives. - Data: explicit schema and migrations, transactional writes where integrity matters, backup and restore instructions. - Integrations: adapters around third-party providers, idempotent webhook or job processing, bounded retries, and timeouts. - Observability: structured logs with request or operation IDs, an error-tracking hook, and health/readiness checks where a server exists. - Quality: unit tests for domain rules, integration tests at module boundaries, and one end-to-end critical-path test. ## Decision records For each major dependency, document why it was chosen, its failure mode, and how it can be replaced. Do not introduce infrastructure until a requirement justifies it.
# Agent instructions - Read `PRODUCT.md` and `ARCHITECTURE.md` before changing code. - Implement milestone by milestone; keep each change reviewable and leave the application runnable. - Treat authentication, payments, encryption, imports, webhooks, and destructive actions as high-risk boundaries when present. - Never invent cryptography or silently weaken a requirement to make a test pass. - Use provider interfaces for external services and deterministic fakes in tests. - Add migrations and rollback or recovery notes for persistent data changes. - Log useful operational context without credentials, tokens, passwords, or personal data. - Update documentation and run all checks before completing a milestone.
# Delivery milestones ## M0 — Decisions and scaffold - Confirm the runtime, persistence model, threat boundaries, and deployment target. - Create a reproducible local environment and continuous checks. ## M1 — Core workflow - Implement the smallest end-to-end product path with validation and tests. - Keep integrations behind interfaces. ## M2 — Trust layer - Add secure failure behavior, recovery paths, audit-relevant events, and data safeguards. - Test abuse cases and destructive operations. ## M3 — Operability - Add structured logs, error reporting hooks, health signals, backup/restore documentation, and deployment configuration. ## M4 — Release gate - Run a clean-install test, critical-path end-to-end test, dependency review, and documented rollback exercise. - Compare the shipped behavior with `PRODUCT.md` and publish remaining limitations.
# Operations ## Before release - Validate configuration and secrets at startup. - Define backup, restore, and rollback procedures and test them. - Document logs, error tracking, health signals, and alert ownership. - Set dependency update and vulnerability review expectations. ## Incident checklist 1. Contain the issue without destroying evidence or user data. 2. Record the timeline and affected scope. 3. Rotate exposed secrets and revoke compromised sessions or credentials. 4. Restore from a verified source when needed. 5. Document the root cause, remediation, and regression test. ## Launch constraint Do not market omitted Transmit capabilities as implemented. The v1 non-goals in `PRODUCT.md` remain user-visible limitations until they are deliberately delivered.
$ choose a build depth, inspect the files, then open the complete pack in your agent · this prompt is generated from the build plan · improve it via PR
People still pay for Transmit because small utilities are technically reproducible, but customers pay for polish and immediate fixes when an OS update breaks a daily habit. The recurring cost buys permissions, accessibility APIs, sandboxing, signing, notarization, OS regressions, updates, backups, and support, not just the visible interface.
xprotocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance
xyears of OS-version edge cases
xlarge extension ecosystem
xcross-device sync
xcommercial support and rapid compatibility fixes
Don't feel like building it? These folks already made it free.
no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
Transmit pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| transmit 5 direct license | custom | — | 1 named user; install on every Mac that user owns or controls; 7-day unrestricted trial |
| transmit 5 mac app store annual | — | $2.08/user | 1 Apple Account; use on all Macs; major updates included while the subscription remains active |
free tierno free tier; 7-day full-featured unrestricted trial
billingone-time $45 direct license or annual-only $24.99 Mac App Store subscription; no monthly plan
hidden costsThe direct license may require a paid future major-version upgrade; the App Store edition stops working after expiry and cannot offer every direct-build integration.
verified 2026-08-14 · source ↗
Vibecode Transmit
Yes. A competent AI coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor) can build a usable personal Transmit replacement in one session with the prompt on this page. It runs on your own machine or server with no subscription.
How much does Transmit cost?
Transmit's pricing is usage-based or varies by plan · Sold as a one-time Mac licence..
What do I lose by replacing Transmit?
Honestly: protocol compatibility, native polish, sync, security, and ongoing maintenance; years of OS-version edge cases; large extension ecosystem; cross-device sync; commercial support and rapid compatibility fixes. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Transmit?
Yes: Cyberduck (Transmit's protocol list, bookmarks, and transfer queue, plus a donation nag instead of a receipt.) The prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.