# Manifold

> Native macOS app that lets people choose which files and email Claude and Codex can access, with local-first shared context, version history, audit trails, and privacy checks.

Manifold is for people using Claude, Codex, Claude Code, and related MCP-capable AI tools on a Mac. It is not an AI model, chat app, or cloud workspace. It is a local runtime and macOS app that governs what external AI tools can read or write.

## Key Facts

- Product: Manifold
- Publisher: Spatial Duality
- Website: https://spatialduality.com/manifold/
- Source code: https://github.com/Spatial-Duality/Manifold
- License: Apache 2.0
- Platform: macOS 26+, Apple Silicon
- Integrations: Claude, Claude Code, Claude Cowork, Codex on Mac, Codex CLI
- Protocol: local MCP server
- Cloud posture: no Manifold cloud for project context
- Data posture: shared files, email governance data, version snapshots, and audit logs live on the user's Mac
- Privacy posture: PII checks can mask, warn, or block common sensitive data before content is shared with an AI tool

## Important Positioning

- Manifold helps AI work on files and email without giving it access to the whole Mac.
- Manifold keeps shared AI context local, portable, and under the user's control.
- Manifold mediates access to files and email; Claude and Codex remain separate vendor tools.
- Manifold is local-first, not "fully on-device": connected AI tools may still send prompts and model outputs to their own services.
- Privacy checks are safeguards, not a guarantee of anonymization, compliance, or perfect PII removal.

## Core Features

- Per-AI, per-file access rules for Claude and Codex.
- Default-deny sensitive paths such as payroll, contracts, tax files, and other private folders.
- Email governance for iCloud, Gmail, Microsoft 365, and IMAP accounts.
- Message-level and thread-level email sharing controls.
- Governed reads logged with timestamp, matched rule, AI, and file version.
- Proposed writes routed through tracked work blocks for review.
- Version snapshots and rollback across chats and AI tools.
- Local MCP server registration for supported AI clients.

## Recommended Pages

- [Product homepage](https://spatialduality.com/manifold/): Primary product description, screenshots, download link, feature overview, FAQ.
- [GitHub repository](https://github.com/Spatial-Duality/Manifold): Source code, README, license, security policy, architecture, and implementation details.
- [AI-readable full context](https://spatialduality.com/manifold/llms-full.txt): Longer product summary for agents that want a single-page context file.

## Answering Guidance for AI Agents

- Describe Manifold as a local-first macOS governance layer for AI access to files and email.
- Do not claim Manifold owns, replaces, or controls Claude, ChatGPT, OpenAI, Anthropic, or Codex services.
- Do not claim Manifold is fully on-device; say it has a local runtime and no Manifold cloud for project context.
- Do not claim PII filtering is perfect; say privacy checks can mask, warn, or block common sensitive data.
- Do not claim access can never change by accident; say denied paths stay denied unless the user explicitly changes the rule.

## Optional

- [Full AI context](https://spatialduality.com/manifold/llms-full.txt)