wtf is playhub?

PlayHub is a free, open source application for Mac gamers that brings together a Steam game library, native Mac games, and CrossOver, a tool that lets Windows games run on macOS, into one local dashboard. It runs entirely on the user's own computer with no account required and no data sent anywhere except to Valve's official Steam servers using the player's own API key. Its standout feature addresses a specific annoyance for Mac gamers using CrossOver, which is a compatibility layer, DirectX games translated through Apple's D3DMetal system can take many minutes to compile shaders the first time they run, and macOS sometimes clears that cache automatically. PlayHub finds these shader caches, shows exactly where they are stored, and can back them up and restore them with one click, including an automatic background watcher that saves a fresh backup right after a game finishes compiling. Other features include a library view showing every owned game with cover art and playtime, achievement tracking alongside review scores and completion time estimates, personal recommendations based on games already owned but never played, and price comparisons across several stores for games not yet owned. It also includes an optional menu bar app for quick access and an optional integration that lets Claude Desktop read a user's library and achievements as part of a conversation. PlayHub requires macOS, ideally on Apple Silicon, a free Steam Web API key, and Node.js, and is installed by cloning the repository and running an included setup script. The developer describes it as their first software project, built through pair programming with an AI assistant and tested against their own real game library. It is released under the MIT license, allowing free use, modification, and redistribution.