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Desktop App

NBER-CLI Desktop is a local research workspace for following new NBER working papers. Desktop 0.9.1 bundles a one-shot worker built from the same Python implementation as the CLI. Users do not install Python or uv, and Desktop does not start a local web server or long-running sidecar.

Supported Downloads

Download installers only from the project's GitHub Releases page.

Platform Package label Use when
macOS Apple silicon macOS-arm64.dmg Mac with an M-series processor
macOS Intel macOS-x64.dmg Intel-based Mac
Windows Windows-x64.exe 64-bit Windows
Linux Linux-x64.AppImage or .deb 64-bit Linux desktop

Desktop and the Python package use the same version number and GitHub Release.

Unsigned Release Notice

Current Desktop releases are not code-signed or notarized because the project does not have paid Apple and Windows certificates. macOS Gatekeeper or Windows SmartScreen may therefore warn on first launch.

Before overriding a warning, confirm that the file came from the official SepineTam/NBER-CLI GitHub Release and that its version, platform, and CPU architecture match your computer. Do not continue with files from mirrors or chat attachments.

On macOS, use System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway only after those checks. On Windows, use More info → Run anyway only for the official download you verified.

First Launch and Local Data

Desktop opens the configured local database. On first launch, the bundled worker initializes the same database schema used by the CLI.

Path Purpose
~/.nber-cli/config.json Database location, cache settings, and automatic refresh interval
~/.nber-cli/nber.db Feed items, metadata cache, history, and read/unread state
~/.nber-cli/logs/ Local diagnostic directory; no long-running sidecar logs are created

Desktop honors feed.db-path from the shared CLI configuration, including a path set by nber-cli db migrate. On macOS and Linux, the path must stay inside the user's home directory.

If config.json is malformed, Desktop stops with an error instead of replacing the file. Repair or restore the file, then reopen the app.

Main Workflows

  • Refresh the feed starts the bundled worker for one operation, calls the existing Python fetch_feed implementation, updates the database, and exits.
  • Open a paper uses the existing Python metadata/cache implementation in the same one-shot worker, then Rust marks the paper read.
  • Mark read or unread updates the shared read_status table directly.
  • Open on NBER opens the public paper page.
  • Copy a citation supports BibTeX, APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, and GB/T 7714.
  • Load more pages through locally cached feed items.

Settings

The Settings page exposes the automatic feed refresh interval and local config/database/log paths. There is no service-port setting because Desktop does not run a local HTTP process. The optional nber-server command keeps its own server settings for users who explicitly run that integration.

Troubleshooting

Symptom Check
Feed refresh fails Check access to nber.org, then retry. Existing local data remains available.
Paper details fail The paper may be removed, restricted, or temporarily unavailable. The feed summary remains local.
Expected custom database is missing Check feed.db-path in ~/.nber-cli/config.json; it must point inside the home directory on macOS/Linux.
Database is reported as newer Upgrade Desktop; an older app refuses to write a database with a newer schema.

Desktop does not update itself automatically. Download a newer installer from the official GitHub Release and install it over the current version.

Before backing up or deleting local data, close Desktop and stop any separately running CLI, MCP, or HTTP process. Back up nber.db together with nber.db-wal and nber.db-shm if present. See Persistence Layer for an online backup command.