Alpha — v0.3.0

SOP documentation that stays
on your machine

A professional-grade, offline-first desktop app for creating, editing, and exporting Standard Operating Procedures. No cloud. No login. No subscriptions.

Download for free View on GitHub
Zero telemetry, no accounts. Core features are fully offline. AI enhancement is optional and only contacts the AI provider you configure with your own API key.
SOP Builder — SOP Library
How it works

Up and running in minutes.

1

Create an SOP

Give it a title, fill in the purpose, scope, safety notes, and list the tools and materials required.

2

Build the procedure

Add numbered steps with written instructions and annotated photos. Draw arrows, circles, and labels directly in the app.

3

Export and share

Generate a print-ready PDF in one click, or export as a portable .sop bundle to share offline with anyone running SOP Builder.

Why SOP Builder

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

Data Sovereignty

All SOPs live in a local SQLite database on your machine. No account required, no data leaves your network.*

* AI text enhancement is opt-in and sends only the field you explicitly enhance to the AI provider you configure with your own API key. Nothing is sent automatically.

Structured Editor

Purpose, scope, safety notes, tools, items, and sequential steps — each field has a home. Auto-saves as you type.

Visual Steps

Attach annotated photos to each step. Draw arrows, circles, and labels directly in the app.

PDF Export

Generate a printable, text-selectable PDF from any SOP in one click. No formatting work required.

Portable Bundles

Export any SOP as a self-contained .sop file. Share it offline, import it anywhere SOP Builder is installed.

Revision History

Log every revision with notes, approver, and date. Full audit trail built in, no plugins needed.

AI Text Enhancement

Rewrite any prose field with one click using your own Anthropic, OpenAI, or Gemini API key. Improves clarity without changing your content.

Multilingual Translation

Translate steps and header fields into Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, or Marathi using your own AI provider. PDFs and the in-app viewer show the translation alongside the original English, with an unreviewed-AI disclaimer — English stays the authoritative version.

Screenshots

See it in action

Free Download

Get SOP Builder

Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. Free to use, forever.

Windows
Windows 10 or later · 64-bit
Linux
64-bit · AppImage: most modern distros · .deb: Ubuntu 20.04+ / Debian 10+
macOS
Apple Silicon (M1 or later) · macOS 12+ · App is unsigned — if you see "damaged and can't be opened", run xattr -cr /Applications/sop-builder.app in Terminal, then launch normally
Changelog

What's new

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FAQ

Common questions

Yes — free for personal use and internal business use, with no time limit. The source code is available on GitHub under an MIT + Commons Clause licence. The Commons Clause means you cannot sell SOP Builder or offer it as a paid hosted service. See the full licence for details.
Yes, fully for core features. Creating, editing, exporting PDFs, and sharing .sop bundles all work with no internet. The only exceptions are the optional AI text enhancement and multilingual translation features, which contact the AI provider you configure — both require you to add your own API key and are never used unless you trigger them explicitly.
All SOPs — including attached images — are stored in a single SQLite database in your operating system's app data directory. On Windows: %APPDATA%\sop-builder. On Linux: ~/.local/share/sop-builder. On macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/sop-builder. Nothing is transmitted or synced anywhere.
Export individual SOPs as .sop bundles from within the app — each bundle is self-contained with all images. You can also copy the entire database file from the app data directory. During the alpha period we recommend regular exports for anything you can't afford to lose.
SOP Builder checks for updates automatically each time you launch the app. If a new version is available, you'll be prompted to install it — no manual download needed. The update is downloaded and applied in the background, and takes effect on the next restart.

Note: an internet connection is required to check for and download updates. This is the only time the app needs network access. Your SOP data is never involved in the update process.
Yes — macOS (Apple Silicon, M1 or later) is supported. Download the .dmg from the releases page. The app is unsigned — if you see "damaged and can't be opened", open Terminal and run: xattr -cr /Applications/sop-builder.app, then launch normally. Subsequent launches and auto-updates are unaffected. Intel Mac (x86_64) is not supported.
SOP Builder is a documentation tool only. It does not validate the accuracy, safety, or regulatory compliance of any procedure you write. For safety-critical or legally regulated work, always have qualified personnel review and approve procedures independently before use. See the licence for the full disclaimer.