swadhin / opengrammar public

swadhinbiswas

[email protected]
2026-03-14 19:16:26 +0600 committed NaN years ago
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+# ❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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+
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+Common questions about OpenGrammar answered.
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 📖 Table of Contents
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+
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+1. [General Questions](#general-questions)
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+2. [Installation & Setup](#installation--setup)
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+3. [Features & Usage](#features--usage)
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+4. [Privacy & Security](#privacy--security)
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+5. [AI Providers](#ai-providers)
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+6. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
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+7. [Contributing](#contributing)
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 🎯 General Questions
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+
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+### What is OpenGrammar?
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+
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+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.
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+
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+### Is OpenGrammar really free?
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+
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+**Yes!** OpenGrammar is 100% free and open-source. You can:
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+- Use the rule-based grammar checker for free (offline)
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+- Bring your own API key for AI features (pay only what you use)
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+- Self-host the backend for free
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+- Modify and distribute the code
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+
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+### How is OpenGrammar different from Grammarly?
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+
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+| Feature | Grammarly | OpenGrammar |
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+|---------|-----------|-------------|
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+| **Cost** | $12/month for premium | Free |
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+| **Privacy** | Sends data to servers | Your data stays local |
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+| **Open Source** | No | Yes |
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+| **Offline Mode** | Limited | Full offline support |
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+| **AI Providers** | Only Grammarly's AI | Choose from 6+ providers |
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+| **Self-Hosting** | No | Yes |
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+
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+### What browsers are supported?
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+
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+OpenGrammar works on all Chromium-based browsers:
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+- ✅ Google Chrome (88+)
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+- ✅ Brave (1.20+)
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+- ✅ Microsoft Edge (88+)
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+- ✅ Opera (74+)
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+- ✅ Vivaldi (3.6+)
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+
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+Firefox support is available but temporary (must reload each session).
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+
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+### Is OpenGrammar open-source?
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+
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+**Yes!** The entire codebase is open-source under the Apache 2.0 license. You can:
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+- View the source code on GitHub
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+- Contribute improvements
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+- Fork and modify
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+- Self-host your own version
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 📥 Installation & Setup
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+
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+### How do I install OpenGrammar?
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+
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+1. Clone the repository or download the release
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+2. Build the extension: `bun run build`
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+3. Load unpacked in your browser
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+4. Configure settings
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+
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+See [Browser Extension Setup](04-browser-extension-setup.md) for detailed instructions.
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+
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+### Do I need to deploy a backend?
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+
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+**No, but it's recommended.** You have options:
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+
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+**Option 1: Local Backend (Recommended for testing)**
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+- Run backend on your computer
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+- Free, full control
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+- Requires Node.js
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+
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+**Option 2: Cloud Backend (Recommended for production)**
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+- Deploy to Cloudflare Workers, Vercel, etc.
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+- Free tiers available
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+- Access from anywhere
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+
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+**Option 3: Rule-Based Only**
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+- No backend needed
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+- Works offline
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+- Basic grammar checking only
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+
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+### Is technical knowledge required?
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+
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+**Basic setup:** Minimal technical knowledge needed
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+- Follow step-by-step guides
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+- Copy-paste commands
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+- Configure in UI
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+
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+**Advanced setup:** Some technical knowledge helpful
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+- Deploying to cloud platforms
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+- Running local servers
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+- Configuring API keys
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+
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+### How long does setup take?
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+
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+- **Quick setup:** 5-10 minutes
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+- **With cloud deployment:** 15-20 minutes
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+- **With local LLM:** 30 minutes
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 🎨 Features & Usage
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+
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+### What features are included?
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+
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+**Grammar Checking:**
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+- 40+ grammar rules
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+- Spelling correction
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+- Punctuation checks
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+- Style suggestions
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+
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+**AI Features:**
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+- Advanced grammar checking
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+- Tone rewriting (8 tones)
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+- Context understanding
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+- Writing statistics
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+
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+**Privacy Features:**
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+- Local rule-based checking
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+- Self-hostable backend
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+- No data retention
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+- Bring your own API key
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+
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+### Does it work offline?
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+
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+**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.
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+
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+### What websites does it work on?
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+
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+OpenGrammar works on most websites with text inputs:
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+- ✅ Gmail
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+- ✅ Google Docs
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+- ✅ Notion
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+- ✅ Twitter/X
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+- ✅ Facebook
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+- ✅ LinkedIn
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+- ✅ Reddit
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+- ✅ Any custom text box
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+
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+Some sites may need to be manually enabled in settings.
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+
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+### Can I use it on mobile?
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+
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+Currently, OpenGrammar is designed for **desktop browsers only**. Mobile browser extensions have limited support. We're working on mobile support in future releases.
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+
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+### How do I disable it on certain sites?
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+
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+1. Click extension icon
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+2. Toggle "Enable on this site" OFF
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+3. Or go to Options → Site-Specific Settings
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+4. Add domains to disable list
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+
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+### Can I add custom words?
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+
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+**Yes!** Use the Custom Dictionary:
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+1. Right-click extension → Options
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+2. Go to Custom Dictionary
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+3. Add your words
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+4. Words won't be flagged as errors
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 🔒 Privacy & Security
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+
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+### Is my data safe?
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+
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+**Yes!** OpenGrammar is designed with privacy in mind:
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+
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+**Rule-Based Checking:**
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+- 100% local in your browser
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+- No data leaves your computer
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+- Works offline
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+
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+**AI Checking:**
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+- Text sent directly to your chosen provider
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+- Backend is stateless (doesn't store data)
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+- No databases or user accounts
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+- API keys stored locally in browser
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+
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+### Do you store my API keys?
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+
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+**No.** API keys are:
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+- Stored in your browser's local storage (encrypted by Chrome)
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+- Never sent to OpenGrammar servers
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+- Only used to authenticate with AI providers
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+- Under your complete control
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+
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+### What data is sent to AI providers?
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+
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+When using AI features:
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+- Your text is sent to the provider (OpenAI, Groq, etc.)
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+- Provider processes the text
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+- Returns suggestions
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+- Text is **not stored** by the provider (check their policies)
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+
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+### Can I run everything locally?
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+
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+**Yes!** Complete local setup:
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+1. Run backend locally (Docker or Node.js)
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+2. Use Ollama for local LLM
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+3. Everything stays on your computer
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+4. 100% offline, 100% private
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+
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+### Is the code auditable?
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+
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+**Yes!** Being open-source means:
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+- Anyone can review the code
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+- Security researchers can audit
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+- Community can verify privacy claims
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+- Transparent development
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 🤖 AI Providers
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+
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+### Which AI provider should I use?
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+
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+**For free usage:** Groq
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+- 100 requests/day free
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+- Fast inference
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+- Good quality (Llama 3.1 70B)
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+
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+**For best quality:** OpenAI
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+- GPT-4o-mini model
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+- Highest accuracy
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+- Low cost (~$0.15/1K requests)
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+
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+**For privacy:** Ollama
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+- Run models locally
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+- No API calls
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+- Complete privacy
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+
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+**For variety:** OpenRouter
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+- Access to 100+ models
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+- Claude, Llama, Mistral, etc.
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+- Pay-per-use
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+
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+### Do I need an API key?
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+
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+**For rule-based checking:** No API key needed
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+
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+**For AI features:** Yes, but you have options:
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+- Get free Groq key (100/day free)
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+- Use your existing OpenAI key
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+- Run Ollama locally (no key needed)
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+
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+### How much does it cost?
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+
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+**Free options:**
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+- Groq: 100 requests/day free
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+- Ollama: Free (your hardware)
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+- Rule-based: Completely free
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+
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+**Paid options:**
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+- OpenAI GPT-4o-mini: ~$0.15 per 1K requests
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+- Typical user: $0.50-2/month
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+- Heavy user: $5-10/month
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+
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+### Can I switch providers?
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+
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+**Yes!** You can switch providers anytime:
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+1. Click extension → Settings
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+2. Change provider dropdown
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+3. Enter new API key (if needed)
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+4. Save settings
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+
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+### What if I hit rate limits?
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+
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+**Groq free tier:** 100 requests/day
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+- Wait 24 hours for reset
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+- Or upgrade to paid plan
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+
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+**Other providers:** Check their limits
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+- Most have free tiers
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+- Upgrade if needed
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+- Use rule-based as fallback
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 🔧 Troubleshooting
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+
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+### Why isn't it working?
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+
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+**Most common issues:**
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+
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+1. **Extension not enabled**
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+ - Check chrome://extensions/
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+ - Enable OpenGrammar
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+
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+2. **Backend not running**
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+ - Start backend: `bun run dev`
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+ - Check health: `curl localhost:8787/health`
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+
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+3. **Site disabled**
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+ - Check Options → Site-Specific Settings
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+ - Enable current site
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+
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+4. **No API key**
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+ - Add API key in Settings
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+ - Or use rule-based only
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+
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+See [Troubleshooting Guide](18-troubleshooting.md) for detailed help.
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+
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+### Why is it slow?
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+
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+**Possible causes:**
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+- AI provider latency (try Groq for speed)
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+- Long text (check in chunks)
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+- Slow internet connection
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+- Backend on free tier (upgrade or self-host)
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+
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+### Why are there false positives?
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+
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+**Reasons:**
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+- Technical terms not in dictionary
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+- Proper nouns (names, places)
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+- Industry jargon
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+- Made-up words
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+
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+**Solution:** Add words to Custom Dictionary
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+
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+### How do I report a bug?
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+
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+1. Go to [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/swadhinbiswas/opengrammar/issues)
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+2. Search for similar issues
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+3. Create new issue with:
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+ - Description
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+ - Steps to reproduce
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+ - Expected behavior
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+ - Screenshots (if helpful)
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+ - Debug information
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 🤝 Contributing
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+
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+### How can I contribute?
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+
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+**Non-developers:**
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+- Report bugs
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+- Suggest features
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+- Improve documentation
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+- Share with others
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+
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+**Developers:**
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+- Fix bugs
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+- Add features
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+- Improve performance
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+- Add grammar rules
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+- Write tests
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+
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+### Do I need to be an expert?
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+
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+**No!** All skill levels welcome:
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+- Beginners: Fix typos, improve docs
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+- Intermediate: Add grammar rules
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+- Advanced: New features, optimizations
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+
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+### How do I add grammar rules?
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+
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+See [Grammar Rules Guide](16-grammar-rules.md):
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+1. Open `backend/src/analyzer-simple.ts`
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+2. Add regex pattern
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+3. Add suggestion and reason
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+4. Test and submit PR
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+
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+### Is there a reward for contributing?
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+
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+**Intrinsic rewards:**
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+- Help thousands of users
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+- Improve your coding skills
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+- Build your portfolio
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+- Join open-source community
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+
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+**No monetary rewards** - this is a community project
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 📊 Technical Questions
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+
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+### What technology stack is used?
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+
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+**Extension:**
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+- React + TypeScript
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+- Vite (bundler)
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+- Manifest V3
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+- Tailwind CSS
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+
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+**Backend:**
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+- Hono (web framework)
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+- TypeScript
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+- Cloudflare Workers / Node.js
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+- OpenAI SDK
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+
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+**Infrastructure:**
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+- Docker for self-hosting
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+- GitHub Actions for CI/CD
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+- GitHub Pages for docs
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+
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+### Can I use it programmatically?
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+
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+**Yes!** The backend provides a REST API:
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+```bash
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+curl -X POST http://localhost:8787/analyze \
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+ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
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+ -d '{"text": "your text"}'
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+```
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+
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+See [API Reference](15-api-reference.md) for details.
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+
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+### Can I integrate with other tools?
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+
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+**Yes!** Options include:
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+- VS Code extension (future)
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+- Desktop app (Electron)
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+- Mobile app (React Native)
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+- API integration in your apps
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+
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+### What's the roadmap?
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+
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+See [ROADMAP.md](../ROADMAP.md):
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+- ✅ v2.1: Tone rewriting, statistics
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+- 🚧 v3.0: Firefox support, autocomplete
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+- 📋 v4.0: Desktop apps, Developer API
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 💰 Cost Questions
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+
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+### Is there a premium version?
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+
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+**No!** OpenGrammar is completely free. No premium tier, no subscriptions, no hidden costs.
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+
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+### How do you make money?
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+
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+**We don't.** This is a community open-source project:
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+- Built by volunteers
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+- Funded by users (API costs)
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+- Free to use forever
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+
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+### Will it stay free?
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+
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+**Yes!** The project is committed to staying free:
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+- Apache 2.0 license
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+- Community-driven
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+- No monetization plans
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+
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+---
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+
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+## 📚 More Questions?
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+
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+### Where can I find more information?
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+
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+**Documentation:**
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+- [Quick Start](01-quick-start.md)
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+- [User Guide](09-using-opengrammar.md)
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+- [API Reference](15-api-reference.md)
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+- [Troubleshooting](18-troubleshooting.md)
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+
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+**Community:**
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+- [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/swadhinbiswas/opengrammar/discussions)
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+- [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/swadhinbiswas/opengrammar/issues)
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+- [Discord Server](link-to-discord)
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+
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+### Still have questions?
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+
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+**Ask in GitHub Discussions!**
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+- Community is friendly
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+- Developers respond quickly
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+- Others may have same questions
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+
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+---
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+
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+**Last Updated:** March 2026
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+**Version:** 2.1.0
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