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swadhinbiswas docs: add FAQ for common questions · 3/14/2026
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Common questions about OpenGrammar answered.

📖 Table of Contents

  1. General Questions
  2. Installation & Setup
  3. Features & Usage
  4. Privacy & Security
  5. AI Providers
  6. Troubleshooting
  7. Contributing

🎯 General Questions

What is OpenGrammar?

OpenGrammar is a free, open-source browser extension that helps you write clearly and confidently. It's a privacy-first alternative to Grammarly that runs in your browser and can work completely offline.

Is OpenGrammar really free?

Yes! OpenGrammar is 100% free and open-source. You can:

  • Use the rule-based grammar checker for free (offline)
  • Bring your own API key for AI features (pay only what you use)
  • Self-host the backend for free
  • Modify and distribute the code

How is OpenGrammar different from Grammarly?

Feature Grammarly OpenGrammar
Cost $12/month for premium Free
Privacy Sends data to servers Your data stays local
Open Source No Yes
Offline Mode Limited Full offline support
AI Providers Only Grammarly's AI Choose from 6+ providers
Self-Hosting No Yes

What browsers are supported?

OpenGrammar works on all Chromium-based browsers:

  • ✅ Google Chrome (88+)
  • ✅ Brave (1.20+)
  • ✅ Microsoft Edge (88+)
  • ✅ Opera (74+)
  • ✅ Vivaldi (3.6+)

Firefox support is available but temporary (must reload each session).

Is OpenGrammar open-source?

Yes! The entire codebase is open-source under the Apache 2.0 license. You can:

  • View the source code on GitHub
  • Contribute improvements
  • Fork and modify
  • Self-host your own version

📥 Installation & Setup

How do I install OpenGrammar?

  1. Clone the repository or download the release
  2. Build the extension: bun run build
  3. Load unpacked in your browser
  4. Configure settings

See Browser Extension Setup for detailed instructions.

Do I need to deploy a backend?

No, but it's recommended. You have options:

Option 1: Local Backend (Recommended for testing)

  • Run backend on your computer
  • Free, full control
  • Requires Node.js

Option 2: Cloud Backend (Recommended for production)

  • Deploy to Cloudflare Workers, Vercel, etc.
  • Free tiers available
  • Access from anywhere

Option 3: Rule-Based Only

  • No backend needed
  • Works offline
  • Basic grammar checking only

Is technical knowledge required?

Basic setup: Minimal technical knowledge needed

  • Follow step-by-step guides
  • Copy-paste commands
  • Configure in UI

Advanced setup: Some technical knowledge helpful

  • Deploying to cloud platforms
  • Running local servers
  • Configuring API keys

How long does setup take?

  • Quick setup: 5-10 minutes
  • With cloud deployment: 15-20 minutes
  • With local LLM: 30 minutes

🎨 Features & Usage

What features are included?

Grammar Checking:

  • 40+ grammar rules
  • Spelling correction
  • Punctuation checks
  • Style suggestions

AI Features:

  • Advanced grammar checking
  • Tone rewriting (8 tones)
  • Context understanding
  • Writing statistics

Privacy Features:

  • Local rule-based checking
  • Self-hostable backend
  • No data retention
  • Bring your own API key

Does it work offline?

Yes! The rule-based grammar checker works completely offline without any internet connection. AI features require internet for cloud providers, but you can use local LLMs (Ollama) for offline AI.

What websites does it work on?

OpenGrammar works on most websites with text inputs:

  • ✅ Gmail
  • ✅ Google Docs
  • ✅ Notion
  • ✅ Twitter/X
  • ✅ Facebook
  • ✅ LinkedIn
  • ✅ Reddit
  • ✅ Any custom text box

Some sites may need to be manually enabled in settings.

Can I use it on mobile?

Currently, OpenGrammar is designed for desktop browsers only. Mobile browser extensions have limited support. We're working on mobile support in future releases.

How do I disable it on certain sites?

  1. Click extension icon
  2. Toggle "Enable on this site" OFF
  3. Or go to Options → Site-Specific Settings
  4. Add domains to disable list

Can I add custom words?

Yes! Use the Custom Dictionary:

  1. Right-click extension → Options
  2. Go to Custom Dictionary
  3. Add your words
  4. Words won't be flagged as errors

🔒 Privacy & Security

Is my data safe?

Yes! OpenGrammar is designed with privacy in mind:

Rule-Based Checking:

  • 100% local in your browser
  • No data leaves your computer
  • Works offline

AI Checking:

  • Text sent directly to your chosen provider
  • Backend is stateless (doesn't store data)
  • No databases or user accounts
  • API keys stored locally in browser

Do you store my API keys?

No. API keys are:

  • Stored in your browser's local storage (encrypted by Chrome)
  • Never sent to OpenGrammar servers
  • Only used to authenticate with AI providers
  • Under your complete control

What data is sent to AI providers?

When using AI features:

  • Your text is sent to the provider (OpenAI, Groq, etc.)
  • Provider processes the text
  • Returns suggestions
  • Text is not stored by the provider (check their policies)

Can I run everything locally?

Yes! Complete local setup:

  1. Run backend locally (Docker or Node.js)
  2. Use Ollama for local LLM
  3. Everything stays on your computer
  4. 100% offline, 100% private

Is the code auditable?

Yes! Being open-source means:

  • Anyone can review the code
  • Security researchers can audit
  • Community can verify privacy claims
  • Transparent development

🤖 AI Providers

Which AI provider should I use?

For free usage: Groq

  • 100 requests/day free
  • Fast inference
  • Good quality (Llama 3.1 70B)

For best quality: OpenAI

  • GPT-4o-mini model
  • Highest accuracy
  • Low cost (~$0.15/1K requests)

For privacy: Ollama

  • Run models locally
  • No API calls
  • Complete privacy

For variety: OpenRouter

  • Access to 100+ models
  • Claude, Llama, Mistral, etc.
  • Pay-per-use

Do I need an API key?

For rule-based checking: No API key needed

For AI features: Yes, but you have options:

  • Get free Groq key (100/day free)
  • Use your existing OpenAI key
  • Run Ollama locally (no key needed)

How much does it cost?

Free options:

  • Groq: 100 requests/day free
  • Ollama: Free (your hardware)
  • Rule-based: Completely free

Paid options:

  • OpenAI GPT-4o-mini: ~$0.15 per 1K requests
  • Typical user: $0.50-2/month
  • Heavy user: $5-10/month

Can I switch providers?

Yes! You can switch providers anytime:

  1. Click extension → Settings
  2. Change provider dropdown
  3. Enter new API key (if needed)
  4. Save settings

What if I hit rate limits?

Groq free tier: 100 requests/day

  • Wait 24 hours for reset
  • Or upgrade to paid plan

Other providers: Check their limits

  • Most have free tiers
  • Upgrade if needed
  • Use rule-based as fallback

🔧 Troubleshooting

Why isn't it working?

Most common issues:

  1. Extension not enabled

    • Check chrome://extensions/
    • Enable OpenGrammar

  2. Backend not running

    • Start backend: bun run dev
    • Check health: curl localhost:8787/health

  3. Site disabled

    • Check Options → Site-Specific Settings
    • Enable current site

  4. No API key

    • Add API key in Settings
    • Or use rule-based only

See Troubleshooting Guide for detailed help.

Why is it slow?

Possible causes:

  • AI provider latency (try Groq for speed)
  • Long text (check in chunks)
  • Slow internet connection
  • Backend on free tier (upgrade or self-host)

Why are there false positives?

Reasons:

  • Technical terms not in dictionary
  • Proper nouns (names, places)
  • Industry jargon
  • Made-up words

Solution: Add words to Custom Dictionary

How do I report a bug?

  1. Go to GitHub Issues
  2. Search for similar issues
  3. Create new issue with:
    • Description
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Expected behavior
    • Screenshots (if helpful)
    • Debug information

🤝 Contributing

How can I contribute?

Non-developers:

  • Report bugs
  • Suggest features
  • Improve documentation
  • Share with others

Developers:

  • Fix bugs
  • Add features
  • Improve performance
  • Add grammar rules
  • Write tests

Do I need to be an expert?

No! All skill levels welcome:

  • Beginners: Fix typos, improve docs
  • Intermediate: Add grammar rules
  • Advanced: New features, optimizations

How do I add grammar rules?

See Grammar Rules Guide:

  1. Open backend/src/analyzer-simple.ts
  2. Add regex pattern
  3. Add suggestion and reason
  4. Test and submit PR

Is there a reward for contributing?

Intrinsic rewards:

  • Help thousands of users
  • Improve your coding skills
  • Build your portfolio
  • Join open-source community

No monetary rewards - this is a community project

📊 Technical Questions

What technology stack is used?

Extension:

  • React + TypeScript
  • Vite (bundler)
  • Manifest V3
  • Tailwind CSS

Backend:

  • Hono (web framework)
  • TypeScript
  • Cloudflare Workers / Node.js
  • OpenAI SDK

Infrastructure:

  • Docker for self-hosting
  • GitHub Actions for CI/CD
  • GitHub Pages for docs

Can I use it programmatically?

Yes! The backend provides a REST API:

curl -X POST http://localhost:8787/analyze \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "your text"}'

See API Reference for details.

Can I integrate with other tools?

Yes! Options include:

  • VS Code extension (future)
  • Desktop app (Electron)
  • Mobile app (React Native)
  • API integration in your apps

What's the roadmap?

See ROADMAP.md:

  • ✅ v2.1: Tone rewriting, statistics
  • 🚧 v3.0: Firefox support, autocomplete
  • 📋 v4.0: Desktop apps, Developer API

💰 Cost Questions

Is there a premium version?

No! OpenGrammar is completely free. No premium tier, no subscriptions, no hidden costs.

How do you make money?

We don't. This is a community open-source project:

  • Built by volunteers
  • Funded by users (API costs)
  • Free to use forever

Will it stay free?

Yes! The project is committed to staying free:

  • Apache 2.0 license
  • Community-driven
  • No monetization plans

📚 More Questions?

Where can I find more information?

Documentation:

Community:

Still have questions?

Ask in GitHub Discussions!

  • Community is friendly
  • Developers respond quickly
  • Others may have same questions

Last Updated: March 2026
Version: 2.1.0