Product Introduction
- Numby is a natural language calculator that enables users to perform complex calculations using plain English without memorizing specialized syntax. It operates as a free terminal/command-line interface (CLI/TUI) tool and offers a native macOS app with enhanced features for $5.99.
- The core value of Numby lies in bridging the gap between human-language thinking and technical computation, providing instant results for mathematical operations, unit conversions, and financial calculations while maintaining offline functionality and cross-platform accessibility.
Main Features
- Numby processes natural language inputs like "20% of 100" or "convert 5 miles to km," eliminating the need for formula syntax and enabling intuitive calculations across 40+ unit types, including length, temperature, and speed.
- It integrates real-time exchange rates for 300+ currencies (USD, EUR, BTC, ETH) with daily cached updates, allowing offline currency conversions and financial computations such as "100 USD + 15% VAT in JPY."
- Users can store variables (e.g., "x = 100"), reference historical results using commands like "prev" or "sum," and save calculations to reusable .numby files via terminal commands like ":w" or by loading files directly.
Problems Solved
- Numby addresses the inefficiency of traditional calculators that require syntax memorization by interpreting natural language inputs, such as "200 - 10%" or "average of 50, 75, 100," directly into accurate results.
- It serves developers, financial analysts, and students who need quick access to unit conversions, multi-currency calculations, and persistent variable storage without switching between apps or online tools.
- Typical scenarios include engineering teams converting metric/imperial units offline, traders calculating cryptocurrency values with cached rates, and researchers saving iterative formulas like "pressure = force/area" for repeated use.
Unique Advantages
- Unlike syntax-dependent tools like Wolfram Alpha or command-line calculators, Numby interprets free-form English queries such as "15 feet in meters + 20%" and automatically applies correct unit conversions and mathematical priorities.
- The product innovates with native macOS global keyboard shortcuts, TUI-based .numby file workflows, and multilingual support for 9 languages, including Japanese and Russian, enabling localized calculations like "100 евро в рублях."
- Competitive advantages include offline-first operation with cached currency rates, terminal/desktop app parity, and a freemium model where the CLI version remains fully functional without paywalls.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What platforms does Numby support? Numby runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows via terminal, with a dedicated macOS app on the App Store offering enhanced UI features for $5.99, while the CLI version is free and open-source.
- Does Numby require an internet connection? All calculations except real-time currency conversions work offline; currency rates update automatically once daily when an internet connection is available, using cached data for uninterrupted use.
- How are variables and history managed? Users assign values like "tax_rate = 7.5%" and reference them in later calculations, while built-in keywords like "prev" retrieve the last result and "sum(all)" aggregates all historical values in the session.
