Headshot Pro

A hybrid Electron + Python desktop application for batch-normalizing headshots using AI background removal.

📋 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following installed on your machine:

• Node.js and npm (for the UI)
• Python 3.x and pip (for the AI engine)

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🛠️ How to Restore & Install Dependencies

If you are downloading this project from source or returning to it after deleting the heavy folders (node_modules, engine, etc.), follow these steps to get running again.

1. Install JavaScript Libraries

Open your terminal in the project folder and run:

npm install

2. Install Python Libraries

Install the required AI and image processing libraries:

pip3 install rembg pillow pyinstaller

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⚙️ Building the Python Engine (Critical Step)

The app relies on a compiled Python executable to handle the heavy AI processing. You must rebuild this if the engine/ folder is missing.

1. Compile the Script: Run this command to create the standalone folder (using --onedir for faster startup):

python3 -m PyInstaller --onedir --name engine engine.py

2. Move the Output: The compilation creates a dist/ folder containing an engine folder. You must move that engine folder to the root of your project. Mac/Linux Command:

mv dist/engine .

Windows Command: Move the dist\engine folder to the main project directory manually.

3. Cleanup (Optional): You can now safely delete the build/ and dist/ folders created by PyInstaller.

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🚀 Running in Development Mode

To test the app locally without building a full installer:

npm start

Note: In development mode, the app uses the python3 command directly. In production, it looks for the compiled engine executable.

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📦 Building the Standalone App

To create a shareable .dmg (Mac) or .exe (Windows) installer:

1. Ensure the engine/ folder exists in your project root (see "Building the Python Engine" above).
2. Run the build command:

npm run dist

3. Find your installer in the new dist/ folder.

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🧹 What to Keep vs. Delete

To save space when archiving this project, you can delete the heavy generated folders.

Safe to Delete:

• node_modules/ (Reinstall with npm install)
• engine/ (Rebuild with PyInstaller steps above)
• dist/ (Rebuild with npm run dist)
• build/ (PyInstaller temp files)
• __pycache__/

Must Keep (Source Code):

• engine.py
• main.js
• index.html
• package.json
• README.md