# opensteno/plover

Open source stenotype engine

Repository: https://github.com/opensteno/plover
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/plover
Homepage: https://opensteno.org/plover
Language: Python
License: GPL-2.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: stenography, python, plover, hacktoberfest
Last push: 2026-08-11T21:33:18+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 92/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 97, release rhythm 80, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 5194, "days_push": 22, "days_rel": 54, "gap_med": 40.5, "n_releases_24m": 13}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2579, forks 308 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:02.352814+00:00)

## What it is
Plover is a free, open-source stenography engine that translates input from a steno machine or standard keyboard into keystrokes, letting users write in any application at speeds over 200 words per minute. It is a Python desktop application running in the background on Windows, Linux, and Mac as part of the Open Steno Project.

## Use cases
- write at 200+ wpm using stenography on a computer
- use a steno machine as a keyboard replacement
- learn machine shorthand for free
- do realtime captioning or transcription
- type faster in any application using steno strokes

## When to choose
- you want free, open-source stenography software instead of proprietary CAT software
- you want steno input to work system-wide in any application
- you are learning stenography and need an engine plus community resources
- you want to use a cheap hobbyist steno keyboard or an NKRO keyboard for steno

## When to avoid
- you need professional court-deposition features like audio sync and transcript formatting (CAT software)
- you are not willing to learn steno theory, which has a significant learning curve
- you need a stenography engine for platforms other than Windows, Linux, or Mac

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: accessibility
- domain: developer-tools, accessibility, desktop-applications
- platform: windows, python, cross-platform
- tags: stenography, steno-engine, machine-shorthand, keyboard-input, open-steno-project, input-method, keyboard, linux, macos, desktop

## Member repositories
- opensteno/plover (main) score 92

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:02.352814+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 2026-08-30T02:22:39.959258+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/opensteno/plover (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:02.352814+00:00, sha 31b88d7c9643)
  - homepage: https://opensteno.org/plover (fetched 2026-08-29T10:05:16.160322+00:00, sha ab3cf270ba9d)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.