Show HN: Raincast – Describe an app, get a native desktop app (open source)

Raincast, an open-source project by developer tihiera, is a desktop application that generates other native desktop applications from natural language descriptions. Powered by AI models like Anthropic's Claude and Google's Gemini, it builds fully shippable Tauri apps with React frontends and Rust backends. The tool offers 9 layout templates—including dashboards, chat interfaces, and media players—and compiles to standalone binaries for distribution on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Its standout feature is a live preview system that uses a proxy binary to simulate real app behavior, allowing file system access and shell commands during development.

Under the hood, Raincast parses generated Rust source code to extract Tauri command functions, creating a proxy CLI that routes frontend calls for immediate testing. When ready, users can click 'Ship' to compile the actual Tauri binary. The application supports bringing your own API key for AI providers and has straightforward installation scripts. Example use cases range from building VPN status utilities and local AI chat clients to side-scrolling platformer games and automated file organizers, demonstrating its versatility for both simple tools and complex applications.