Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/JerryZLiu/Dayflow/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Overview
Dayflow supports three AI provider options, each with different trade-offs for privacy, quality, and performance. You choose which provider to use based on your priorities.Provider Comparison
| Provider | Privacy | Quality | Speed | LLM Calls | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini | Cloud (BYO API key) | Excellent | Fast | 2 per batch | Free tier available |
| Local Models | 100% offline | Good | Moderate | 33+ per batch | Free |
| ChatGPT/Claude | Cloud (paid subscription) | Best | Fast | 4-6 per batch | $20/month |
Gemini (Cloud)
How It Works
Gemini uses Google’s native video understanding API to process your screenshots efficiently:- Upload + Transcribe (1 LLM call): Batch of screenshots is uploaded and analyzed
- Generate Cards (1 LLM call): AI generates timeline cards from the analysis
Privacy Considerations
- Data sent to Google: Screenshot batches are uploaded to Google’s Gemini API
- Bring your own API key: You control the API key and billing
- Paid Services data handling: If you enable Cloud Billing on any Gemini project, Google does not use your prompts/responses to train models (see Gemini API Terms)
- Abuse monitoring: Google logs prompts for policy enforcement, even under Paid Services
EEA/UK/Switzerland users: Paid-style data handling applies by default, even without billing enabled.
Setup
- Get a Gemini API key: https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/api-key
- Open Dayflow → Settings → AI Provider
- Select Gemini
- Enter your API key
Model Selection
Dayflow supports multiple Gemini models:- Gemini 1.5 Flash (default): Fast and cost-effective
- Gemini 1.5 Pro: Higher quality, slower, more expensive
- Gemini 2.0 Flash: Latest model with improved reasoning
Fallback to Gemma
If Gemini’s video API fails (e.g., rate limits, API errors), Dayflow automatically falls back to Gemma (a text-only model) to extract frame descriptions. This increases LLM call count but ensures timeline generation continues.Local Models (Ollama / LM Studio)
How It Works
Local models process screenshots entirely on your Mac using a local inference server:- Extract 30 frames from the screenshot batch
- Describe frames (30 LLM calls): Each frame is analyzed individually
- Merge descriptions (1 call): Combine frame descriptions into observations
- Generate title (1 call): Create a title for the observation
- Merge check (1 call): Decide if observations should be combined
- Merge cards (1 call): Finalize timeline cards
Privacy Considerations
- 100% offline: All processing happens on your Mac
- No data leaves your machine: Screenshots, prompts, and responses stay local
- Model downloads: Models are downloaded once from Ollama/LM Studio and cached locally
Local models are the most private option — no cloud services involved.
Setup
Option 1: Ollama
- Install Ollama: https://ollama.com/
- Pull a vision model (e.g.,
llama3.2-vision): - Start Ollama server:
- Open Dayflow → Settings → AI Provider
- Select Local (Ollama/LM Studio)
- Enter endpoint:
http://localhost:11434(default Ollama port)
Option 2: LM Studio
- Download LM Studio: https://lmstudio.ai/
- Download a vision-capable model from the LM Studio UI
- Start the local server (default:
http://localhost:1234) - Open Dayflow → Settings → AI Provider
- Select Local (Ollama/LM Studio)
- Enter endpoint:
http://localhost:1234
Performance & Battery
- GPU-heavy: Local inference uses Apple Silicon GPU acceleration
- Battery drain: Expect faster battery drain during processing
- Recommendation: Keep your Mac plugged in for long capture sessions
- Quality: Open-source models may underperform cloud models on complex contexts
ChatGPT / Claude (CLI-Based)
How It Works
ChatGPT/Claude use CLI tools to batch-process screenshots with frontier reasoning models:- Extract frames (every 60s)
- Batch describe (10 frames per call): Describe frames in batches
- Merge segments (1 call): Combine descriptions into observations
- Generate Cards (1 call): Create timeline cards
Privacy Considerations
- Data sent to OpenAI/Anthropic: Screenshots are processed by OpenAI (ChatGPT) or Anthropic (Claude)
- Subscription required: You must have an active paid subscription:
- ChatGPT Plus/Pro: $20+/month
- Claude Pro: $20/month
- No offline mode: Requires active internet connection
Setup
ChatGPT (Codex CLI)
- Install Codex CLI: https://github.com/openai/codex
- Sign in with your ChatGPT Plus/Pro account
- Open Dayflow → Settings → AI Provider
- Select ChatGPT/Claude
- Choose Codex as the CLI tool
Claude (Claude Code)
- Install Claude Code: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code
- Sign in with your Claude Pro account
- Open Dayflow → Settings → AI Provider
- Select ChatGPT/Claude
- Choose Claude as the CLI tool
Quality
ChatGPT and Claude provide the highest quality timeline summaries:- Best-in-class narrative quality: Frontier reasoning models excel at context understanding
- Nuanced insights: Better at distinguishing similar activities
- Consistent formatting: More reliable card structure
Processing Pipeline Comparison
- Gemini
- Local
- ChatGPT/Claude
Efficiency: 2 LLM calls per batch
Strengths: Fast, cost-effective, leverages native video understanding
Trade-offs: Data sent to Google
Strengths: Fast, cost-effective, leverages native video understanding
Trade-offs: Data sent to Google
Choosing the Right Provider
I want maximum privacy and don't mind slower processing
I want maximum privacy and don't mind slower processing
→ Local Models (Ollama/LM Studio)Best for: Privacy advocates, offline workflows, users with powerful Macs
I want a good balance of quality, speed, and cost
I want a good balance of quality, speed, and cost
→ GeminiBest for: Most users, especially those comfortable with Google’s data handling under Paid Services
I want the absolute best quality and already have a ChatGPT/Claude subscription
I want the absolute best quality and already have a ChatGPT/Claude subscription
→ ChatGPT/ClaudeBest for: Users prioritizing quality, existing Plus/Pro subscribers
I don't trust any cloud provider with my data
I don't trust any cloud provider with my data
→ Local ModelsOnly local models keep 100% of your data on your machine.
Switching Providers
You can switch providers at any time in Settings → AI Provider. Existing timeline cards remain unchanged — only future batches use the new provider.Next Steps
Gemini Setup
Configure Gemini with your API key
Local Models Setup
Set up Ollama or LM Studio for offline processing
ChatGPT/Claude Setup
Configure CLI-based inference
Privacy Overview
Learn about data handling and privacy