What is Niuton?
Niuton is a self-hosted, AI-powered cloud desktop operating system that runs entirely in the browser. It provides a full desktop experience — complete with a window manager, dock, file system, and a growing ecosystem of built-in apps — all accessible from any device with a web browser.
Vision
Niuton aims to be the operating system for the AI era: a place where your data, your AI assistants, and your tools live together in a unified, private environment that you fully control.
Key Principles
- Privacy First — Your data stays on your server. No telemetry, no cloud dependencies.
- AI Native — Aurora, the built-in AI assistant, is deeply integrated into every aspect of the system.
- Self-Hosted — Runs on your own infrastructure (LXC container, VPS, or bare metal).
- Extensible — Build custom apps with the App Builder or directly in PHP/HTML/JS.
- Multi-User — Full user management with roles, 2FA, and per-user data isolation.
What You Get
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Desktop | Browser-based window manager with dock, wallpaper, activities overview |
| Aurora AI | Multi-model AI assistant with 66 tools, vision, and desktop vibe-coding |
| Files | Full filesystem with quota, Markdown editor, upload/download |
| Team Chat | Real-time collaboration with rooms, shared files, AI integration |
| Notes | Rich text notes with folders, search, and Markdown support |
| Finance | Income/expense tracking, budgets, portfolio management |
| Documents | Wiki-style knowledge base with categories and AI writing tools |
| Maps | Location management with map visualization and Aurora search |
| Routines | Recurring task scheduler with cron integration |
| Chess | Play against Stockfish, Aurora AI, or other users |
| Rechner | Scientific calculator with history |
| Kontakte | Contact management with vCard import/export and groups |
| Kalender | Calendar with events, month/week/day views |
| Aufgaben | Task management with lists, due dates, and priorities |
| Wetter | Weather dashboard with forecasts |
| PDF Viewer | PDF reader with annotations |
| Zeichnen | Drawing canvas with tools and layers |
| Sprachmemos | Voice recorder with playback and folders |
| Bildschirmfoto | Screenshot tool with region selection and annotation |
| Passwords | Encrypted password manager |
| Bookmarks | Bookmark manager with categories |
| App Builder | Visual AI-assisted app creation tool |
| Settings | User profile, 2FA, appearance, and system configuration |
| Trash | macOS-style trash with restore capability |
Architecture at a Glance
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Browser (Desktop UI) │
│ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ │
│ │ Files│ │Aurora│ │ Chat │ │ Apps │ ... │
│ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Nginx Reverse Proxy (SSL, Auth) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Apache + PHP 8.1 │
│ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ │
│ │ REST API │ │ Aurora AI Engine │ │
│ │ /api/* │ │ Multi-Provider │ │
│ └──────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ PostgreSQL Database │
│ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ ┌──────┐ │
│ │Users │ │Files │ │ Chat │ │ Apps │ ... │
│ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ └──────┘ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Filesystem (userdata/user_X/) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘Local Client (Tauri 2.0)
Niuton also provides a native desktop client built with Tauri 2.0 and React that syncs your files and data locally, enabling offline access and native OS integration.