Dictation Tool

Overview

• I use Claude Code for pretty much everything now. Speaking beats typing
• Built-in STT is unreliable, especially with technical vocabulary
• So I built my own dictation tool for Ubuntu
• Plug in any STT provider, switch between them instantly
• Boost technical terms with a configurable keyterm list

Why I built it

• Built-in STT quality was inconsistent, especially with technical terms
• Wanted to pick the best provider for the job, not be locked into one
• Wanted keyterm boosting for words that generic STT models get wrong

Key features

• Multi-provider switching - swap between STT providers (Soniox, NVIDIA, Groq) instantly. Each provider implements a shared interface, so adding a new one is just a new file plus one registry entry, no changes to existing code
• Secure API keys - keys are stored in the OS keyring (GNOME Keyring), never written to disk in plaintext. Config only stores which provider and model are selected
• Keyterms - a configurable vocabulary boost list, applied to whichever provider is active. Useful for technical terms that generic STT gets wrong
• Configurable per provider - model and language settings per provider, all through a settings window
• One-click copy - transcribed text lands in an editable window, copy it out with one button
• CLI-first - start and stop from the terminal:

dictation start
dictation stop

Update (2026-08-17) — global keyboard shortcuts

• Problem: starting a dictation meant opening a terminal and typing dictation start, every time
• Problem: stopping meant clicking back into the app window to hit Stop
• Problem: the window kept getting buried behind whatever else was open, so I had to keep hunting for it just to bring it back
• Fix: a shortcut combo, always available, no matter what’s on screen
• Super+Shift+D - start dictating. Launches the app if it’s not running yet, or brings it to the front if it’s already open
• Super+Shift+S - stop recording, app stays running in the background
• Super+Shift+Q - quit. Finishes saving the transcript first, doesn’t kill it mid-sentence

Update (2026-08-18) — auto-copy to clipboard

• Problem: every transcript needed a manual “Copy” click before you could paste it
• Fix: text now syncs to the clipboard automatically as you speak
• Result: speak, then paste — no clicks, no mouse, nothing in between

Screenshots

Tray menu - switching providers on the fly

Transcript window - live dictation, technical terms transcribed correctly

Settings window - keyterms and per-provider configuration

Contributing

Pull requests and issues are welcome.