# Ricardo Dantas

> Software developer. Guitar player. Music maker. Writing about tech, life, music and whatever else I am thinking about.

Ricardo Dantas is a software developer based in Lavis, Trento, Italy. He builds apps for the web, Android and Apple platforms and open-source terminal tools, mentors developers and companies, takes on consulting work, writes about technology and music, and plays guitar under the @darkfrets alias.

For AI agents:

- In browsers with WebMCP (`document.modelContext`), every page on ricardodantas.me registers read-only tools: `search_content`, `list_posts`, `get_post` (a post as Markdown), `list_projects`, `get_services`, `get_music_links` and `get_author_profile`. `open_post` opens a post in the current tab.
- [agent-index.json](https://ricardodantas.me/agent-index.json) has the same data in one JSON file: every post with its metadata and a link to its Markdown, every project, the author profile, the mentoring and consulting offers, the music links and the RSS feeds.
- [llms-full.txt](https://ricardodantas.me/llms-full.txt) has the full text of every post, plus the projects and services, in one Markdown file.
- Every page is also available as Markdown: add `index.md` to its URL or replace the final `/` with `.md`, e.g. https://ricardodantas.me/about/index.md or https://ricardodantas.me/about.md, and https://ricardodantas.me/posts/launching-skills/index.md
- Last updated 2026-08-07. Posts are listed newest first.

## Services

- [Mentoring](https://ricardodantas.me/mentoring/): One-to-one remote sessions in English or Portuguese. Career mentoring for developers, and AI guidance for companies (finding use cases, choosing tools, running a first pilot). For developers: Career call (45 min, €90, book: https://calendar.app.google/uXjNHFR6aa3RS2Qj6); Deep dive (90 min, €160, book: https://calendar.app.google/2UX2XaERXuAbC1pu6); 4-session package (4 × 60 min, €400, book by email). For companies: AI strategy session (60 min, €250, book: https://calendar.app.google/NsZVa6s9Y3BiJrh39); Team workshop (Half day, 3–4 h, €1,200, book by email); 4-session advisory package (4 × 60 min, €850, book by email). Sessions with a booking link are booked and paid with Stripe on Google; for the others, email me@ricardodantas.me and the price is confirmed by email. Markdown: https://ricardodantas.me/mentoring/index.md
- [Consulting](https://ricardodantas.me/consulting/): Software engineering for hire: apps for Apple platforms and Android, web apps and backends, command-line tools, App Store launches and technical audits. Models: Fixed-scope project (Rate on request); Day rate (Rate on request); Monthly retainer (Rate on request); Technical audit (Rate on request). Calls in English or Portuguese. Contact by email only: me@ricardodantas.me. Markdown: https://ricardodantas.me/consulting/index.md

## Projects

- [Loam](https://loamnotes.app): macOS · Linux · Web · iOS · Android. Collaborative Markdown notes app with nested tags, note links and backlinks, real-time co-editing, and an MCP server that lets AI agents read and edit notes.
- [Roadquiz](https://roadquiz.app): iOS · Android. Driving theory exam prep for Italy and Sweden, with practice questions, spaced-repetition review and timed mock exams that follow each country's official rules.
- [SyncToHealth](https://synctohealth.com): iPhone. Imports FIT files from Garmin devices into Apple Health on iPhone, writing each activity as a HealthKit workout and showing a receipt of what was saved.
- [Foxmark](https://foxmark.app): iOS · iPadOS · macOS. AI-powered bookmark manager for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Save any link in a tap and let AI categorize, tag, summarize, and resurface it. Syncs through iCloud.
- [QuoteCast](https://getquotecast.app): iPhone Pro · iPad Pro. LiDAR takeoff and quoting app for finishing contractors. Scan a room, review editable measurements, and generate branded, itemized PDF and CSV quotes for paint, flooring, drywall, or trim.
- [Calometric](https://calometric.app): iOS · watchOS. AI calorie and macro tracker. Snap a photo of your meal and get an instant nutrition estimate, on iPhone and Apple Watch.
- [Recordus](https://recordus.app): iOS · iPadOS · macOS · watchOS. AI voice recorder with transcription, iCloud sync, smart summaries, and action items. Built on Apple's SpeechAnalyzer and Foundation Models.
- [BragLog](https://braglog.app): iOS · iPadOS · macOS. Daily work log that turns your wins into AI-generated brag documents for performance reviews. Log accomplishments in seconds and let AI draft the narrative.
- [LowfiTimer](https://lowfitimer.app): iOS · macOS · watchOS · tvOS. Focus timer with ambient sound mixing. Combine up to 5 layers from 25 lo-fi sounds to create your perfect concentration atmosphere. Pomodoro sessions with HealthKit mindful minutes tracking.
- [Pikr](https://getpikr.app): macOS App. A color picker with built-in WCAG contrast checking. Grab any color on screen and see right away whether your palette is accessible.
- [Perch](https://perch.ricardodantas.me): Terminal Tools (Built with Rust). Terminal client for Mastodon and Bluesky. Cross-post, schedule, and browse feeds from a TUI with 15 themes. Install: `brew install ricardodantas/tap/perch`
- [Tickit](https://tickit.ricardodantas.me): Terminal Tools (Built with Rust). A fast terminal task manager. Lists, tags, priorities, and due dates, with export in several formats. Install: `brew install ricardodantas/tap/tickit`
- [Feedo](https://feedo.ricardodantas.me): Terminal Tools (Built with Rust). A TUI RSS/Atom feed reader. Keep up with your feeds without leaving the terminal. Install: `brew install ricardodantas/tap/feedo`
- [Hazelnut](https://hazelnut.ricardodantas.me): Terminal Tools (Built with Rust). Terminal-based automated file organizer inspired by Hazel. Keep your files tidy with customizable rules running as a daemon. Install: `brew install ricardodantas/tap/hazelnut`
- [Typefully CLI](https://github.com/ricardodantas/typefully-cli): Terminal Tools (Built with Rust). A full-featured CLI client for the Typefully API. Create, schedule, and manage social media content across X, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon from the terminal. Install: `brew install ricardodantas/tap/typefully`
- [Sealcord](https://sealcord.com): Developer Tools. Licensing service for software makers that issues Ed25519-signed licence keys apps verify offline, with machine activations and seat limits.
- [Namecheap Domains for Raycast](https://github.com/ricardodantas/raycast-extension-namecheap-domains): Developer Tools. Raycast extension that checks domain availability with live Namecheap pricing, starts a registration, and lists the domains in your account.
- [ratatui-themes](https://github.com/ricardodantas/ratatui-themes): Rust Library · crates.io. 15 color themes for Ratatui TUI apps. Dracula, Nord, Tokyo Night, Catppuccin, Gruvbox, and more.
- [skills](https://github.com/ricardodantas/skills): Open Source · Agent Skills. Open-source AI agent skills for real engineering work. The main one, learn-codebase, checks which skills you already have installed and uses the relevant ones to map a repo's architecture. The rest handle reproducible terminal recordings and headless web scraping.
- [Dark Frets](https://ricardodantas.me/darkfrets/): Side Project. Guitar covers, original compositions, and the occasional experiment.

## Blog posts

- [skills: Composable AI Agent Skills for Real Engineering Work](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/launching-skills/): 2026-08-07 (Dev, AI). I kept teaching my coding agent the same things over and over. So I packaged the lessons into small, composable skills, starting with one that learns an unfamiliar codebase for you. Here's the collection.
- [Building LowfiTimer: A Focus App That Runs Everywhere](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/building-lowfitimer/): 2026-03-26 (Dev, Swift). I built a Pomodoro timer with ambient sound mixing for every Apple platform. Here's how it went from a simple idea to a universal app.
- [Building BragLog: Turning Daily Wins Into Brag Documents](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/building-braglog/): 2026-03-16 (Dev, Swift). I built an app that turns quick daily work logs into polished brag documents using on-device AI. Here's the story behind BragLog.
- [Launching Calometric: A Nutrition Tracker That Respects Your Privacy](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/launching-calometric/): 2026-03-05 (Dev, Swift). I built a calorie tracker that runs entirely on your device. No accounts, no cloud AI, no subscriptions. Just snap a photo and get your macros.
- [ratatui-themes: Building a Theme Library and Finding a Community](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/ratatui-themes-building-a-theme-library/): 2026-03-02 (Dev, Rust). I built a reusable theme library for ratatui. Then the issues and pull requests started coming in, and reminded me why open source is worth it.
- [Perch: Social Media from the Terminal](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/perch-a-terminal-social-client/): 2026-02-27 (Dev). After building RSS readers and file organizers in Rust, I turned my attention to social media. Perch is a terminal client for Mastodon and Bluesky that lets you read, post, and engage without ever opening a browser.
- [Launching Pikr: A Color Picker for Accessibility-Minded Developers](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/launching-pikr/): 2026-02-17 (Dev, Rust). After building several Rust projects, I'm launching Pikr, a color picker that makes checking WCAG contrast ratios effortless. Here's the story behind it.
- [Building TUI Apps with Rust: Feedo and Hazelnut](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/building-tui-apps-with-rust/): 2026-02-04 (Dev, Rust). With some unexpected free time, I dove into Rust development and built two terminal-based applications. Here's the story behind Feedo and Hazelnut.
- [Leveling up my dotfiles](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/leveling-up-my-dotfiles/): 2026-01-23 (Dev). Two tools, Mise and Fnox, changed how I manage my dotfiles. Setup is faster now, and my secrets are no longer sitting in plain text.
- [New Release: Edge Protocol](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/new-release-edge-protocol/): 2025-10-15 (Music Production). The first album "Edge Protocol," a cinematic cyberpunk EP exploring a dystopian world of rogue AIs and conflict, is now available on all streaming platforms.
- [OUT NOW: Killware](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/out-now-killware/): 2025-09-17 (Music Production). "Killware" has evolved from a late-night idea into a techno-inspired track, leading to the creation of my first EP, set to release on October 15, 2025, with the entire process managed by myself.
- [My first EP: Mix and Master are done!](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/my-first-ep-mix-and/): 2025-09-04 (Music Production). The mixing and mastering of the single and EP are complete, with the release set for the coming weeks after an intense and educational process.
- [12 Albums That Shaped My Music Taste](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/albums-that-shaped-my-music/): 2025-08-16 (Life). These were the albums that shaped my musical taste during my teenage and early adult years.
- [Music: Producing my first EP](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/music-producing-my-first-ep/): 2025-08-15 (Music Production). After a break from social media, I am working independently on my first EP, featuring instrumental songs that tell stories, which has been a challenging but rewarding process.
- [I was too optimistic about using Safari as my default browser](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/i-was-too-optimistic-about/): 2025-08-15 (Tech). Safari was initially promising but became unreliable with frequent crashes, prompting a switch back to Arc for better performance.
- [My top 10 movies of all time](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/my-top-movies-of-all/): 2025-08-10 (Life). Some movies that stand out in my journey.
- [Thank you Mr. Ozzy Osbourne](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/thank-you-mr-ozzy-osbourne/): 2025-07-22 (Life). Ozzy Osbourne has died. A short thank you to the man who shaped heavy metal and influenced generations of musicians, me included.
- [Leaning Into the Apple Ecosystem](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/leaning-into-the-apple-ecosystem/): 2025-07-15 (Tech). A journey from discovering Linux to embracing the Apple ecosystem highlights a focus on convenience, integration, and reducing reliance on Google services while optimizing workflows.
- [My first Micro.blog contribution: Instagram plugin](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/my-first-microblog-contribution-instagram/): 2025-07-14 (Dev). A new plugin for Micro.blog allows users to easily embed Instagram posts and reels in their posts.
- [Starting without a plan](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/starting-without-a-plan/): 2025-07-14 (Life). I've been thinking about starting a blog. It's not about having an audience or building a personal brand. Just a place to slow down and share what's on my mind.

## About

- [About Ricardo Dantas](https://ricardodantas.me/about/): Ricardo Dantas is a software developer and guitarist based in Italy, building software for the web, Android, Apple platforms and the terminal. He writes about technology, music and life at ricardodantas.me and makes music as @darkfrets.
- [Subscribe](https://ricardodantas.me/subscribe/): RSS feeds for all posts or by topic: AI, dev, tech, music production and life.
- [@darkfrets](https://ricardodantas.me/darkfrets/): Home for my music. Original compositions, plus a look at the gear, songwriting, and production behind them.

## Optional

- [Blog](https://ricardodantas.me/posts/): Every post, newest first.
- [GitHub](https://github.com/ricardodantas): Ricardo Dantas on GitHub.
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdantas): Ricardo Dantas on LinkedIn.
- [Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@ricardodantas): Ricardo Dantas on Mastodon.
- [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/ricardodantas.me): Ricardo Dantas on Bluesky.
- [X](https://x.com/ricardodantas): Ricardo Dantas on X.
- [Buy Me a Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/ricardodantas)
- [RSS feed: All Posts](https://ricardodantas.me/feed.xml): Everything I write, all in one feed.
- [RSS feed: AI](https://ricardodantas.me/categories/ai/feed.xml): AI tools, experiments, and thoughts.
- [RSS feed: Tech](https://ricardodantas.me/categories/tech/feed.xml): Technology thoughts and discoveries.
- [RSS feed: Dev](https://ricardodantas.me/categories/dev/feed.xml): Development, coding, and tools.
- [RSS feed: Life](https://ricardodantas.me/categories/life/feed.xml): Personal reflections and stories.
- [RSS feed: Music Production](https://ricardodantas.me/categories/music-production/feed.xml): Gear, production, and creative process.
- [Sitemap](https://ricardodantas.me/sitemap.xml): Every page on the site.