# dchristl/macless-haystack

Create your own AirTag with  OpenHaystack, but without the need to own an Apple device

Repository: https://github.com/dchristl/macless-haystack
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/macless-haystack
Language: Dart
License: AGPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: esp32, findmy, openhaystack
Last push: 2026-03-15T15:58:43+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 77/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 72, release rhythm 75, longevity 94
- inputs: {"age_days": 1325, "days_push": 171, "days_rel": 171, "gap_med": 11.0, "n_releases_24m": 7}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2167, forks 256 (observed 2026-08-28T04:06:21.395187+00:00)

## What it is
Macless-Haystack is a self-hosted application that lets you build your own Apple FindMy network tracker using OpenHaystack-compatible hardware (ESP32 or NRF5x) without owning a Mac or installing the original OpenHaystack tooling. It consists of a Dockerized server endpoint that queries Apple's FindMy network and a cross-platform frontend for viewing tracker locations.

## Use cases
- track my own DIY AirTag without owning a Mac
- build a custom FindMy tracker with ESP32
- self-hosted alternative to Apple AirTags
- locate lost items using Apple's FindMy network with open hardware
- flash OpenHaystack firmware and view its location on a map
- run OpenHaystack without a Mac or mail plugin
- track NRF5x beacon devices through the FindMy network

## When to choose
- you want OpenHaystack-style tracking but have no Apple computer
- you want a self-hosted, privacy-friendly DIY tracker setup
- you already own or plan to buy ESP32/NRF5x hardware

## When to avoid
- you need turnkey commercial tracker hardware with no DIY setup
- you cannot provide an Apple ID with SMS-based 2FA
- you want tracking that does not depend on Apple's FindMy infrastructure

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: self-hosted, gui, security, iot, embedded
- domain: self-hosted, iot, privacy, hardware, cross-platform
- platform: self-hosted, cross-platform, iot
- tags: findmy, openhaystack, airtag, esp32, nrf5x, location-tracking, apple-id, anisette, flutter, dart, docker, web-server

## Member repositories
- dchristl/macless-haystack (main) score 77

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:21.395187+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T02:49:31.660452+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/dchristl/macless-haystack (fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:21.395187+00:00, sha a444644dc0e8)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.