lokii

Project Overview

Lokii brings the lightning-fast Everything search experience from Windows to macOS: the high-performance in-memory index engine lokii-core written in Rust bridges over UniFFI to a native Swift/AppKit interface, keeping sub-millisecond query latency across 500k+ files with under 100 MB of memory.

The index syncs in real time via multi-channel FSEvents with dirty-queue debouncing to avoid CPU spikes; queries intelligently detect substring, wildcard, regex and fuzzy modes, and a keyboard-first flow with the global ⌘⇧Space shortcut makes search an instant reflex.

Item	Value
Platform	macOS 13+ (Apple Silicon and Intel)
Stack	Rust (index core) + Swift/AppKit (UI), UniFFI bridge
Performance	Sub-millisecond at 500k+ files, memory under 100 MB
License	MIT

The Mac finally has its Everything: two keystrokes and any file name is yours.

Key Features

• Instant search: sub-millisecond responses across 500k+ files, results refresh as you type
• Multi-mode queries: automatic detection of substring, wildcard (*, ?), regex and fuzzy matching
• Real-time sync: multi-channel FSEvents with dirty-queue debouncing keeps the index fresh without CPU cost
• Native UI: high-density virtualized list, native file icons and zebra striping
• Keyboard-first: ⌘⇧Space summons globally, arrows navigate, Enter reveals in Finder, ⌘C copies the path
• Persistent cache: versioned binary index cache with automatic legacy migration
• Permission guidance: native preferences window with Full Disk Access setup instructions

Target Audience

• Windows switchers missing Everything
• Users with tens of thousands of files Finder cannot search
• Keyboard-driven developers chasing speed
• Advanced users searching names by regex or wildcard

Quick Start

1. Download the DMG for your chip from Releases
2. Grant Full Disk Access on first launch
3. Wait for the initial index to build in the background
4. Press ⌘⇧Space anywhere and type a file name for instant results
5. Enter reveals the file in Finder, ⌘C copies the full path

Core Advantages

• Blistering performance: Rust in-memory indexing plus FSEvents stays instant at any scale
• Native feel: an AppKit interface that matches the system, not an Electron shell
• Four match modes: substring, wildcard, regex and fuzzy in one box
• Light resident: under 100 MB of memory, background sync without CPU fights

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
OS	macOS 13 or later
Chips	Apple Silicon and Intel
Permissions	Full Disk Access (whole-drive indexing)

Notes

• FDA required: without Full Disk Access only some directories are indexed
• First index takes time: initial indexing scales with file count, updates are instant afterwards