[Gemini API Hands-on]

A developer built MemeFinder, a native macOS app that enables semantic search of local meme collections. The app uses OCR and vector embeddings to index memes, and allows users to search and copy memes to clipboard via a menu bar interface with a global hotkey.

Every heavy chat user has a bunch of memes saved on their phone and computer, but when they actually need one—halfway through a conversation, wanting to send a "Thanks, let's keep in touch" or "I'm just bad"—they can never find it. The filename is IMG 4821.jpg , albums are not categorized, and searching is impossible. I first came across a great open-source project ShiQu1218/MemeTalk https://github.com/ShiQu1218/MemeTalk , which uses Python + Streamlit + SQLite to build a local meme semantic search system. It scans your local meme folder, creates an index using OCR and vector embeddings, and then performs multi-way retrieval. It's fully functional but research-oriented and requires running Streamlit in a browser. What I wanted was something closer to an "everyday handy tool": A native Mac App, a search box, where I type what I'm looking for, relevant memes pop up, and a single click copies it directly to the clipboard. Thus MemeFinder was born. This article documents its development process from scratch to "menu bar resident + global hotkey