Vlinder AI
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Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 1, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Vlinder AI. This Privacy Policy explains our approach to data collection and privacy for our completely offline VSCode programming assistant extension. Vlinder operates entirely on your local machine and has no built-in network capabilities.

2. Offline-First Architecture

Vlinder is a fully offline programming assistant. The extension itself:

  • Does NOT collect, transmit, or store your code on any external servers
  • Does NOT have any built-in network access or telemetry
  • Does NOT track your usage patterns or behavior
  • Does NOT require account registration or authentication
  • Processes all code locally on your machine

3. AI Provider API Keys

Vlinder requires you to provide your own API keys from AI service providers (such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc.). When you use these services:

  • Network access is controlled by YOU: Only occurs when you explicitly use AI features with your API key
  • Data is sent to YOUR chosen provider: Code snippets are sent directly to the AI provider you configure
  • Provider's privacy policy applies: Please review the privacy policy of your chosen AI provider:
  • Your API keys are stored locally: Securely stored in VSCode's secure storage on your machine

4. What Data Vlinder Does NOT Collect

Vlinder does not collect, transmit, or have access to:

  • Your source code or project files
  • Your personal information or identity
  • Your usage patterns or statistics
  • Your API keys or credentials
  • Your system information or configuration
  • Any telemetry or analytics data

5. User Feedback and Bug Reports

The ONLY data collection occurs when YOU voluntarily choose to:

  • Submit feedback: Through GitHub Issues or Discord community
  • Report bugs: By manually sharing error logs or screenshots
  • Contribute to the project: Through pull requests or discussions

Important: All feedback and bug reports are voluntary and user-initiated. Vlinder does not automatically collect or transmit any information.

6. Local Data Storage

Vlinder stores data locally on your machine:

  • Configuration settings: Stored in VSCode's settings
  • API keys: Stored in VSCode's secure credential storage
  • Conversation history: Stored locally in your workspace (optional)
  • Extension state: Cached locally for performance

All local data remains on your machine and is never transmitted to external servers by Vlinder.

7. Open Source Transparency

Vlinder is open source under the MIT license:

  • Full transparency: All source code is publicly available on GitHub
  • Community audited: Anyone can review the code to verify privacy claims
  • No hidden behavior: What you see in the code is what you get
  • Community supported: Maintained by contributors worldwide

8. Third-Party AI Services

When you configure Vlinder to use AI services:

  • You are directly connecting to the AI provider using YOUR API key
  • Vlinder acts only as a client interface to facilitate communication
  • Data handling is governed by the AI provider's privacy policy
  • You have full control over which providers to use and when
  • You can use Vlinder completely offline without any AI provider

9. Your Control and Rights

You have complete control over Vlinder:

  • No account required: Use Vlinder without any registration
  • Full data ownership: All data stays on your machine
  • Easy uninstallation: Remove Vlinder and all local data anytime
  • Modify the code: Fork and customize under MIT license
  • Audit the behavior: Review source code to verify privacy claims

10. No Warranty and Liability

Vlinder is provided "AS IS" by the community:

  • Thoroughly tested before release by community contributors
  • No warranties or guarantees of any kind
  • No liability for any damages or data loss
  • Use at your own risk and discretion
  • Community support available through GitHub and Discord

11. Changes to This Policy

Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be:

  • Published on our GitHub repository
  • Announced in release notes
  • Discussed in the community
  • Subject to open source review

12. Contact and Community

For questions, feedback, or concerns:

Summary

In simple terms: Vlinder is a completely offline tool that respects your privacy. It doesn't collect, transmit, or store any of your data. When you use AI features, you're connecting directly to your chosen AI provider using your own API key. All data stays on your machine unless you explicitly choose to share feedback with the community.