RustGPT is a ChatGPT UI clone built with Rust and HTMX, targeting Rust enthusiasts and web developers. It offers a performant and simple web development experience for creating real-time, streaming chat applications without heavy JavaScript frameworks.

How It Works

The project utilizes the Axum framework for its Rust backend, providing a fast and reliable server. Data persistence is handled by SQLite, and real-time interactions are enabled through Server-Sent Events (SSE). HTMX is employed to manage dynamic UI updates directly from the server via HTML attributes, eliminating the need for complex client-side JavaScript.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Install TailwindCSS standalone.
• Install just (e.g., cargo install just).
• Run just init to set up tools and migrate the database.
• Run just dev to start the server and TailwindCSS in watch mode.
• Requires an OpenAI API key for certain functionalities (e.g., tests).
• Project runs on port 3000 by default.

Highlighted Details

• Built with Rust and the Axum web framework.
• Uses SQLite for database operations.
• Implements Server-Sent Events (SSE) for real-time streaming.
• Leverages HTMX for dynamic, server-rendered UI updates.
• Includes type-safe SQL queries and migrations via sqlx.
• Uses tera for HTML templating.

Maintenance & Community

• Created by a Rustacean; contributions are welcome via pull requests or issues.
• Project journey can be followed on Bitswired.

Licensing & Compatibility

• The README does not explicitly state a license.

Limitations & Caveats

• An OpenAI API key is required for certain features, implying potential costs and external dependency.
• The project is described as an "experiment," suggesting it may be in early development or subject to change.