A system tray pit stop for mental wellness. Micro-sessions that close themselves so you can get back to what matters.
Most wellness apps want your attention. backlight is the opposite. It lives quietly in your system tray, opens when you need a moment, and closes itself when the session ends. No lingering tabs, no guilt about closing it, no disruption to your flow.
Tell backlight how you're feeling. It surfaces activities matched to your current state — whether you need to decompress, reset, or just breathe.
Visual, timer-driven breathing sessions using proven methods like the 4-7-8 technique. A gentle rhythm to follow, a clear signal when you're done.
Forest, ocean, rain — layered ambient sounds with per-track volume controls. Set the mix that works for you and let it fade into the background.
A built-in music player that searches and plays music based on your preferences, powered by a local Python script. Save favorite artists, like songs, and let your taste shape every session.
An integrated chat interface for emotional support and guidance. Not a replacement for real help — but a low-friction place to process thoughts when you need it most. Conversation history is saved so context carries across sessions.
Every completed activity is automatically logged. Your profile tracks total session times and gives you a quiet sense of progress over time.
A seamless, native-feeling window that looks and behaves exactly the way it should — no OS chrome getting in the way.
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Frontend | TypeScript, CSS, HTML, Vite |
| Desktop shell | Tauri 2 (Rust) |
| Music backend | Python |
- Node.js (v18+)
- Rust (stable toolchain)
- Python 3 (for music integration)
- Tauri CLI prerequisites for your OS — see the Tauri setup guide
# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/sidharthsreelal/backlight.git
cd backlight
# Install JS dependencies
npm install
# Run in development mode
npm run tauri:devvnpm run tauri:buildThe compiled installer/binary will be in src-tauri/target/release/bundle/.
