Today’s date, always today.
;today → Keep it current.
Drop in dates and times automatically. Tomorrow’s date? Next week’s? That too.
For things
worth repeating.
A free text expander and clipboard manager for your Mac.
Your best words, a few keystrokes away.
Free & open source·macOS 14+·Apple Silicon & Intel·Notarized by Apple
Pick a snippet
Type its shortcut
All snippets4 snippets
TRY IT
A warm hello
Typeor press it to watch
Just a practice run. On your Mac, this works in every app that accepts text.
You’ve written it before.
You shouldn’t have to again.
The same introduction. That link you’re always looking for. The thing you copied five minutes ago. Kudzu keeps the little things close, so you can get on with the good stuff.
01 / TEXT SHORTCUTSA few keys.
A few keys.
A whole lot said.
Turn the things you type all the time into shortcuts you’ll actually remember. Email replies, addresses, code, your very particular sign-off. Write it once. Make it yours.
Try your first shortcutChanged your mind? Backspace undoes an expansion.
A short trigger becomes a complete email
YouJust a little
;hellonowNew message
To: someone you’ll be glad you met
Hey there!
So lovely to hear from you. Thanks for reaching out — I’m excited to see what we can make together.
Let’s get into it.
02 / CLIPBOARD HISTORYCopied it.
Copied it.
Kept it. Found it.
Your clipboard has a memory now. Find that link, color, image, or perfect turn of phrase. Search what you’ve copied, pin the keepers, and paste right where you left off.
⌃⌥VYour recent copies, one shortcut away.
Your clipboard history stays on this Mac.
⌘ K
Aa
Good design is in the details.Text · a moment ago
github.com/Stringsaeed/kudzuLink · 2 minutes ago
#3255E7Color · 4 minutes ago
a rather good blue{ }
const idea = "something good";Code · 5 minutes ago
03 / A LITTLE CLEVERNESSRepetition.
Repetition.
With a personal touch.
Same starting point. The right details, every time.
Let your snippets do a little thinking for you.
Make room for the human.
Hey Alex, lovely to meet you.
A template, never templated.
Fill in a name, choose from a dropdown, and make every reply feel like you wrote it just now.
Good things, better together.
My go-to reply
↳ Introduction↳ Signature
Build on your best words.
Nest snippets inside snippets. Update your signature once, and use it wherever it belongs.
More in Kudzu
Formatted snippets
Bold, links, lists, and embedded images, pasted as rich text where apps support it.
Quick search
Press ⌃⌥Space in any app. Search names, triggers, and content, then insert.
Per-app rules
Allow or block snippets by app, and choose how each one inserts its text.
Insights
See expansions, characters, and time saved. What you type is never stored.
iCloud sync
Your snippet library follows you between Macs through your private iCloud.
Backups
Daily local backups, with the last 14 kept and one click to restore.
THE REAL THING
Right at home on your Mac.
Groups, favorites, a live preview, and rules for every snippet. Shown with sample data.
A SMALL APP. SOME FIRM BELIEFS.Your words.
Your words.
Your Mac.
End of story.
No account to create. No subscription to cancel. No analytics watching over your shoulder. Just a useful little app, doing its thing.
Open source. Come have a look.Local feels right.
Your clipboard history stays on your Mac. Password managers are excluded by default, and concealed clipboard content is skipped.
Your Macs, in sync.
Turn on iCloud sync and your snippet library travels between your Macs through your private iCloud database, which Kudzu’s developer can’t see.
Always a way out.
Import from Espanso. Export to JSON or YAML. Daily local backups keep a little extra peace of mind.
What Kudzu can see, and what it does with it.
A text expander has to watch for your shortcuts, so macOS asks you to approve Accessibility access (called Device Control and Data Access on macOS 27 and later). Here’s exactly what that’s for.
What it does
- Keeps a short rolling buffer of recent keys in memory, just enough to spot a shortcut.
- Inserts your snippet into the app you’re using, restoring your clipboard if it pasted.
- Records what you copy for clipboard history, on this Mac, for as long as you choose.
What it never does
- Store what you type. Insights only count expansions.
- Record passwords or concealed copies, or expand in password managers by default.
- Phone home. There are no Kudzu servers. It only goes online to check for updates and, if you turn it on, for iCloud sync.
You stay in charge: macOS owns the permission, and you can revoke it in System Settings at any time. Read the key buffer or the whole engine. Privacy details
ALREADY HAVE A SYSTEM?
Coming from somewhere else.
An honest look at how Kudzu compares,
and what moving over really takes.
THE LAST FEW THINGS
Glad you asked.
Little app. Straight answers.
Actually free?
Yes. Kudzu is free and open source under the MIT license. No subscription, no account, and no paid tier to unlock the features you came for.
Does Kudzu read what I type?
Only enough to spot your shortcuts. Kudzu keeps a short rolling buffer of recent keys in memory and never stores what you type. See exactly what it can see, or read the source code.
Will it work on my Mac?
Kudzu needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later and runs on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. Download the universal DMG, move Kudzu to Applications, and follow the setup guide.
Where do my shortcuts work?
Kudzu expands text across your Mac, wherever an app supports text insertion. It includes per-app rules and insertion settings for apps that behave differently. Password managers are excluded by default, and macOS Secure Input can pause expansion.
Why does it need Accessibility permission?
Kudzu needs macOS permissions to recognize your shortcuts and insert their text into other apps. Onboarding walks you through the setup. Typed text is not stored; your snippet library and local clipboard history are separate.
Can I bring my Espanso snippets?
Absolutely. Kudzu can detect and import an existing Espanso library, including supported dates, clipboard variables, forms, and nested snippets. Unsupported script and rich-text features are imported as plain text with warnings so you can review them.
How do updates work?
Kudzu checks for updates and lets you install and restart when you’re ready. You can also check manually in Settings → About. Your library gets a backup before an update migration.
MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR NEXT GOOD THOUGHT.A little less typing.
A little more living.
Free. Open source. Yours.·macOS 14+·Version 0.5.0
brew install --cask stringsaeed/tap/kudzu- 1
Drag it to Applications.
Open the DMG and move Kudzu over. It’s signed and notarized, so it opens normally.
- 2
Say yes to access.
A guided helper sits beside System Settings and walks you through the permission.
- 3
Type your first shortcut.
Practice in the preview, then use it anywhere. Espanso users can import on the way.