DRAM Desktop

DRAM is a secure, local-first desktop interface for OpenClaw. It provides chat, voice, and canvas workflows with operational safety guardrails without replacing the external engine.

Important

Alpha Release: This project is in alpha. Expect active iteration, rapid change, and occasional breaking behavior while architecture and UX are being hardened.

Quick Links

• Screenshots
• Getting Started
• Documentation
• Build and Release
• Security Model
• Roadmap
• TODO.md

Mission

• Preserve OpenClaw as the external engine.
• Add a production-grade desktop surface on top.
• Keep security, local control, and modularity as first-class constraints.

At a Glance

Area	What DRAM Does	Why It Matters
Engine Model	Uses OpenClaw as an external runtime	No forked engine maintenance burden
Security	Local-first operation, secure credential handling, hardened IPC boundaries	Lower risk of key leakage and unsafe cross-process access
Workflow	Chat, voice, canvas, file-based iteration	Faster build-edit-test loops in one desktop surface
Portability	Windows, Linux, and macOS build paths with CI/CD	Cleaner release operations and repeatable builds

Key Features

Secure and Private

• Local-first architecture; user data stays on the machine by default.
• OS keychain integration for credential storage.
• Strict process boundaries (main, preload, renderer) with controlled IPC.
• CSP and renderer hardening to reduce injection risk.

Advanced Chat and Workspace

• Multi-model routing through OpenClaw.
• Tabbed chat sessions and session-aware workflows.
• Voice mode support.
• File attachments and workspace-linked interactions.
• Canvas for code previews, generated content, and edit iterations.

Symbiotic OpenClaw Integration

• Auto-discovery of existing OpenClaw installation and config.
• Non-destructive config adoption.
• Bidirectional sync between CLI-side changes and desktop state.
• Gateway-managed runtime connection with reconnect behavior.

How It Works

DRAM does not replace OpenClaw. It runs as a desktop layer that talks to the OpenClaw gateway.

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| DRAM Desktop (Electron)                                     |
|                                                             |
|  +------------------+   +------------------+                |
|  | Renderer UI      |   | Canvas / Voice   |                |
|  | Chat / Settings  |   | File UX          |                |
|  +------------------+   +------------------+                |
|             |                          |                    |
|             +------------ IPC ---------+                    |
|                          |                                  |
|                    Main / Preload                           |
+--------------------------|----------------------------------+
                           | WebSocket / mgmt requests
+--------------------------v----------------------------------+
| External engine (gateway)                                   |
| Gateway | Agents | Plugins | Models | Skills | Config       |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

User Flows

Existing OpenClaw User

1. Launch DRAM.
2. DRAM discovers OpenClaw and existing config.
3. User confirms adoption of settings.
4. DRAM uses the same engine/config without breaking CLI workflow.

New User

1. Launch DRAM.
2. Follow first-run setup.
3. Configure model/provider credentials.
4. Start chatting with local desktop controls.

Screenshots

Fresh Chat	Canvas (Code)	Canvas (Render)
Voice (Fullscreen)	Settings	Memory
Usage	Gateway Info	Fallback Hover

Click any image to open full size.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• npm 9+
• OpenClaw available (or installable by your setup flow)

Install and Run

git clone https://github.com/Jeremy8776/DRAM.git
cd DRAM
npm install
npm run dev

Build

npm run build

Platform-specific build commands are available:

npm run build:win
npm run build:linux
npm run build:mac

Expected installer outputs:

• Windows: NSIS setup .exe + portable .exe
• Linux: .AppImage + .deb
• macOS: .dmg + .zip

Build output is written to dist/.

Configuration

DRAM interoperates with OpenClaw configuration at:

• macOS/Linux: ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
• Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.openclaw\openclaw.json

Behavior:

• DRAM watches and syncs config changes.
• DRAM writes config in compatible OpenClaw format.
• CLI and desktop remain aligned.

Development

Repository Layout

src/
  main/                 Electron main process
  preload/              Context bridge and safe API surface
  renderer/             Frontend modules and styles
packages/
  dram-plugin/          DRAM plugin package
scripts/                Tooling, checks, and maintenance helpers
test/                   Security and IPC test suites
.github/workflows/      CI, CD, and release automation
TODO.md                 Roadmap and hardening plan

Key Commands

• npm run dev
• npm run lint
• npm run test
• npm run check:ipc
• npm run check:loc
• npm run build

CI/CD and Release

• ci.yml: lint, tests, and LOC guard.
• cd.yml: build artifacts for Windows, Linux, and macOS on main and manual trigger.
• release.yml: tag-based release (v*.*.*) with multi-platform artifacts published to GitHub Releases.

Documentation

• Documentation Hub
• Architecture
• Security
• Release Process
• Contributing
• Machine-readable context

Security Model

Security is a core mission requirement.

• Sensitive keys are kept out of renderer and protected through secure storage patterns.
• IPC surfaces are explicit and audited.
• External access is constrained; loopback gateway usage is default.
• Project includes security tests and path guard tests.

Troubleshooting

OpenClaw Not Found

• Confirm CLI is on PATH (where openclaw on Windows, which openclaw on macOS/Linux).
• Verify ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json exists and is valid.
• Restart DRAM after install/config changes.

Config Validation Errors

If OpenClaw reports unknown config keys, run:

openclaw doctor --fix

Then restart DRAM.

Attachment and Payload Errors

If you hit websocket max payload or model attachment limits:

• Reduce image/file size before send.
• Prefer lower-size formats for large screenshots.
• Use model-appropriate attachment behavior when multimodal limits apply.

FAQ

Does DRAM replace OpenClaw?

No. DRAM is an add-on desktop layer that integrates with OpenClaw.

Is DRAM local-first?

Yes. DRAM is designed for local-first operation and secure local credential handling.

Can DRAM build for Windows, Linux, and macOS?

Yes. The project includes platform-specific builds and multi-platform GitHub workflows.

Roadmap

Use TODO.md for the current implementation and hardening checklist, including modularity, security, and release-readiness milestones.

Acknowledgements

DRAM is built to extend the OpenClaw ecosystem. Credit to the OpenClaw project and community.

License

MIT