Dō · the way — an independent studio

We build quiet, sharp tools for the people who build software.

Sensei HQ is a small workshop of developer tools — three products you open, four libraries you build on. Restraint over noise, craft over scale, and a deep respect for the person on the other side of the screen.

Independent studioEst. 2024Three products · four libraries
The portfolio

Three products. Four libraries.

The products are things you open. The libraries are things you build on. Both carry the same temperament and the same refusal to get in your way.

Iku · to nurture — in incubation

Still taking shape.

Experiments we are nurturing in the workshop. Rougher edges, same temperament — these may grow into the next tools we ship.

Incubating
Magpie Shū · to gather
Local-first · Library

Your whole library, in one nest.

Books, comics, manga and webtoons — collected, organized and read in one place. No accounts, no clouds, just your shelf.

Incubating
Kata Kata · form
Local-first · Fitness

Training that meets you where you are.

AI programs your workouts and adapts to your real progress. No cloud subscription, no rented streaks — your training stays yours.

Incubating
Burn-E Nen · to burn
Desktop · Fabrication

A visual G-code editor for laser work.

Design, preview and tune toolpaths for laser cutting and engraving — see the burn before you commit the material.

The approach

The master observes for a long time before teaching.

The kanji on each tool name a phase of practice — observe, build, hasten, guard. They are what we ask of the people who use our tools, and what we ask of ourselves while making them.

One thing, done well Ichi · one

Each tool has a single job and a clear edge. We would rather ship one sharp instrument than ten blunt features.

Yours to keep Zō · to keep

Local-first wherever it makes sense. Your data lives on your machine, in formats you can read, export and delete.

Quiet by default Sei · stillness

No nags, no dark patterns, no telemetry you did not ask for. Our tools stay out of the way until you reach for them.

Kō · in the open

All four libraries are built in the open.

Gateway, DBD, Rokkit and Kavach are MIT-licensed and developed in public. Read the source, file an issue, or send a pull request — the workshop door is open.

Browse the repositories

Building something quiet and sharp?

We like talking to people who care about the craft. Tell us what you are working on, or follow along as the workshop grows.

hi@sensei-hq.com