Show HN: Oliphaunt – A native Mastodon client for macOS
29 comments
·May 9, 2025thephyber
New iOS (XCode) developer here.
Do you have any pro tips for optimizing workflow, reducing toil in XCode, or speeding up UI testing?
grishka
It does look nice.
I can't seem to figure out how to open posts and profiles though. Neither single nor double-clicking does anything. Sometimes double-clicking a post that contains a link would open the link in the web browser. The only thing that works is right click -> open in new window. MacOS 14.7.5 (23H527)
anosidium
Thanks!
Yes, that’s intentional — to view a thread or profile, use the contextual menu (right-click or control-click). Clicking is reserved for posts that contain a link or preview card, which will open in the browser.
noiv
I like the Mac integration and all the features in the menu. Did I miss bigger fonts somewhere?
anosidium
Nope. I will add this feature in future updates.
andrewmcwatters
Nicely done, looks good!
dlachausse
Always great to see native macOS apps! Is there a reason you aren’t using SwiftUI for the whole thing and that you opted for Core Data instead of Swift Data?
anosidium
Thanks! I’m glad to hear that.
It’s an AppKit-first app — I’ve used SwiftUI in parts where it fits well, but I’ve avoided relying on it entirely because it’s still maturing, especially on macOS. In certain areas, it can compromise the native look and feel, or introduce unexpected behaviour.
As for Core Data, it’s a proven and robust framework that already does everything I need. Swift Data is still relatively new and doesn’t yet offer the same level of flexibility or stability for more advanced use cases.
wpm
Swift Data is CoreData in a wrapper.
Also, not OP, but I’m glad it’s written in AppKit vs SwiftUI purely; AppKit just feels better on the desktop. I can always “smell” a SwiftUI app just like I can an Electron app.
techlatest_net
Thanks for the TestFlight invite! I’ll install the iOS build and keep an eye on performance, UI responsiveness, and any crash logs. Happy to send feedback through the TestFlight app if anything comes up.
zimpenfish
Alas, fell at the first hurdle by saying my Akkoma and GotoSocial instances aren't valid.
anosidium
Could you please give me some instance URLs so that I can check?
zimpenfish
Added a couple of mine to the issue I filed earlier.
rglullis
You can find out about different servers on https://fedidb.com
anosidium
Thanks, that's helpful!
stonogo
FediDB doesn't track GoToSocial servers, because of a dispute about scraping/crawling.
I’ve been building Oliphaunt, a native Mastodon client for macOS, as a solo project — designed to be fast, lightweight and feel right at home on the Mac. It’s not built with Catalyst or Electron framework.
Key features:
• Native macOS UI using AppKit with some SwiftUI integration (not a web wrapper)
• Core Data for local caching
• Responsive, keyboard-friendly interface
• UX tailored for desktop-class Mac computers
• Supports multiple accounts, cross-instance timelines and search
You can try it via TestFlight (macOS 14+ Sonoma): https://testflight.apple.com/join/Epq1P3Cw
Feedback is welcome here, on GitHub, or via TestFlight: https://github.com/anosidium/Oliphaunt-Feedback-And-Support