PowerGrid

PowerGrid is a macOS power management project built around a privileged daemon, a menu bar app, and a daemon-backed CLI.

Scope

Use PowerGrid when you need:

• a persistent charge limit enforced by a root daemon when the OS exposes a writable charging control
• force discharge and sleep-assertion controls
• Low Power Mode and optional MagSafe LED control
• a native menu bar app for live battery and adapter status
• a local CLI that talks to the daemon instead of bypassing it

Components

• powergrid-daemon: root daemon that enforces power policy
• PowerGrid.app: SwiftUI menu bar app
• powergridctl: local CLI client for the daemon

Build

make build

Verify

make verify

Common local targets:

• make xcodegen
• make proto
• make swift-test
• make build

make proto will build and cache the pinned gRPC Swift generator automatically on first use.

Docs

Keep the README short. Detailed material lives elsewhere:

• Contract and Architecture
• Release Process
• Agent Instructions

Runtime Notes

• daemon socket: /var/run/powergrid.sock
• per-user preferences: ~/Library/Preferences/com.neutronstar.powergrid.plist
• system daemon preferences: /Library/Preferences/com.neutronstar.powergrid.daemon.plist
• macOS can remove private battery-control surfaces between releases; PowerGrid reports unavailable controls instead of inferring active limiting.

Safety

PowerGrid changes hardware power behavior through a privileged daemon. Treat mutations as system-level operations and prefer daemon-mediated control paths over direct tooling.