For months, I found myself stuck in the same frustrating workflow.
I needed to translate or proofread a sentence. So I would:
- Copy the text
- Open a GPT chat window
- Paste it
- Ask for translation or correction
- Copy the result
- Go back to my original app
- Paste again
- And repeat.
Over and over.
For something that should take two seconds, the constant copy-paste and app switching completely broke my writing flow.
That friction was the beginning of TextBoi.
The Problem: GPT Is Powerful — But the Workflow Isn't
ChatGPT and GPT-powered tools are incredibly capable. But for everyday translation and proofreading, the workflow is inefficient.
What I wanted was simple:
- Select text anywhere
- Press a shortcut
- Get translation or correction instantly
- Keep writing
No browser tabs. No switching apps. No breaking concentration.
In other words:
Translate without copy-paste. Proofread without leaving your app.
That idea became TextBoi — a lightweight AI language agent that lives on your desktop.
Why I Built It Myself
At first, I considered outsourcing development.
But quotes were expensive. And early prototypes didn't meet my expectations in quality or usability.
So I made a decision:
If I care about this workflow this much, I should build it myself.
Even though I wasn't a professional developer.
Building TextBoi With ChatGPT as My Development Partner
I started from zero.
I didn't use AI just to generate code. I used it to learn.
- Studied unfamiliar development concepts step by step
- Researched Electron architecture
- Learned cross-platform desktop behavior
- Debugged packaging and deployment errors
- Tested relentlessly
I initially tried code-generation agents like Cursor. But black-box code and unpredictable bugs made me uncomfortable.
I didn't want to ship something I didn't understand.
So I chose the harder path: Understand first. Build second. Ship with confidence.
Why It Took 7 Months
TextBoi is built with Electron for one reason: a true cross-platform AI desktop app for macOS and Windows.
Cross-platform sounds simple — until you ship it.
I faced:
- File path synchronization issues
- OS-specific permission differences
- Packaging and distribution conflicts
- Auto-update debugging
- Deployment edge cases
Some bugs took days to isolate. But I didn't cut corners.
Security Was Not Optional
TextBoi connects to AI APIs and handles user data. Security had to be first-class.
From the beginning, I implemented:
Supabase Row Level Security (RLS)
Carefully configured to prevent unauthorized data access.
API Key Protection via Cloudflare Workers
All AI requests pass through a secure proxy layer. No API keys are exposed in the client.
Today, TextBoi is production-ready and secure by design.
The Business Model: Practical and Affordable
Many AI writing tools push "unlimited" plans.
But realistically, most users don't need unlimited usage.
My assumption: most users translate or proofread 3–5 days per week, for less than 3 hours per day.
So pricing is simple:
- Free plan with generous usage
- Basic plan at $5/month
- Millions of characters per month
- No aggressive upselling
Lightweight technically. Lightweight financially.
What TextBoi Is Today
TextBoi is:
- A lightweight AI language agent on your desktop
- A shortcut-based AI translator
- An AI proofreading tool for macOS and Windows
- Built with GPT-5, GPT-4.1, and GPT-4o
- Supporting 150+ languages
- Designed for fast, uninterrupted writing flow
But more than that — it represents 7 months of learning, debugging, testing, and persistence.
Built by a non-developer. Powered by AI. Driven by workflow frustration.
Why I'm Launching It Now
Because I know I'm not the only one tired of:
- Copy → Paste → Ask → Copy → Paste
- Switching browser tabs
- Breaking writing concentration
If you use AI for translation or proofreading daily, you deserve a better workflow.
That's why I built TextBoi. And now, I'm finally ready to launch it.
Who TextBoi Is For
If you're looking for:
- An AI proofreading tool for desktop
- A faster way to translate text
- A shortcut-based AI writing assistant
- A secure and affordable AI language agent
TextBoi might be exactly what you need.
Closing Thought
This wasn't just about building an app.
It was about building something I personally needed — and learning everything required to make it real.
Seven months later, it's here.
Try it yourself — Download for Mac or Download for Windows. Free to start.