Hey everyone,
I got tired of digging through 10 different open apps just to find my notes, check my clipboard history, or ask an LLM a quick question. So, I built KoBar, an "always-on-top" modular utility sidebar for Windows.
The Product: It sits at the edge of your screen and houses mini-apps: a multi-slot Clipboard Manager, an AI Hub (supports local Ollama or APIs), a Screenshot tool, Note Studio, and a "KoBox" (a temporary dropzone folder that auto-deletes files after 24h). You can also pin any 3rd party window to the top of your screen with a click.
The Tech (The risky part): It is built on Electron and React. To make the side panels slide out smoothly without getting clipped by the edge of the screen, I built a massive transparent "Ghost Window". It uses mouse click-through so you only interact with the visible UI components, and click straight through the transparent parts to your desktop.
Stage & Distribution: Solo developer. It is a paid app with a 7-day free trial, currently live exclusively on the Microsoft Store. Why? Because the Microsoft Store is free to publish on. I am waiting for the app to earn its own money to cover the $100 Apple Developer fee for a Mac release, and eventually, I will add it to Steam too.
What I want roasted: I am too close to the project and need a reality check.
- Feature Bloat: Is it trying to do too much? I wanted a Swiss Army knife, but did I just build a bloated mess?
- The Tech Stack: I know people hate Electron for background utilities. Is the "Ghost Window" architecture clever or just a memory-hogging workaround?
- Distribution: Is my strategy of starting exclusively on the Microsoft Store just to save the initial $100 Apple App Store fee shooting myself in the foot for a power-user tool? Should I have prioritized Steam?
Store Link: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9p2kpff3g9l9
Don't hold back.