AppLens

CSI's local control board for managing workstation apps, agents, evidence, and approvals.

Overview

AppLens is CSI's mobile-OS-inspired local control board. It gives a workstation one place to see apps, agents, evidence, proposed actions, and operator approvals.

The first Store release is now centered on a quick client-session workflow: install AppLens, scan, review a sortable app table, approve supported uninstalls, and verify the result. Its approved launch target is Windows 11 x64; Windows 10 and native ARM64 support are deferred. The scripts/platform work below has a broader scope than this Store client. See Product Vision for the current product direction and proposed client design. The broader platform below describes existing infrastructure and future possibilities, not requirements for the first-release interface.

The platform is organized around apps/modules that publish state into CSI's proprietary blackboard layer:

• Scanner: local workstation inventory and readiness evidence.
• Tune: diagnostics, proposed fixes, approvals, execution records, and verification.
• Blackboard: the local evidence, status, policy, and action ledger.
• Planner: operator planning for multi-step local work.
• Future modules: Fleet, RAG, MCP, and Gov.

The active desktop client runs the core inventory scan and report download. Existing Tune diagnostics and the old window are preserved in future/AppLens-Tune, outside the v1 build.

Safety Model

AppLens is local-first and operator-controlled:

• read-only scans by default
• approval-gated actions
• no automatic remediation without an explicit grant
• no telemetry, accounts, or cloud upload
• user-controlled report export
• default report redaction for user, machine, and profile-path details

AppLens-desktop

AppLens is the WinUI 3 inventory client. It provides storage and device readings, a searchable/sortable app table, confirmed Windows/vendor uninstall routes, verification, local action history, and full JSON/Markdown/HTML downloads. See the uninstall route contract and Store readiness for verification limits.

Tune actions are modeled as proposals, approvals, executions, and verification records. System-changing behavior must remain explicit, reversible where practical, and blackboard-recorded.

Build and test:

dotnet restore AppLensDesktop.sln
dotnet build AppLensDesktop.sln
dotnet test AppLensDesktop.sln

Run locally:

.\tools\Run-AppLensDesktop.ps1

Distribution candidate build (requires explicit authorization):

.\tools\Build-StoreCandidate.ps1

More detail is in docs/AppLensDesktop-Build.md, docs/AppLens-Platform-Scope.md, and docs/Store-Readiness-Checklist.md.

Platform module docs:

• Scanner
• Tune
• Blackboard
• Planner
• Platform Shell

Script Usage

Windows

Double-click:

Run-AppLens.bat
future\AppLens-Tune\Run-AppLens-Tune.bat

PowerShell:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File AppLens.ps1
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File future\AppLens-Tune\AppLens-Tune.ps1

macOS and Linux

chmod +x Run-AppLens.sh future/AppLens-Tune/Run-AppLens-Tune.sh
./Run-AppLens.sh
./future/AppLens-Tune/Run-AppLens-Tune.sh

Or run Python directly:

python3 AppLens.py
python3 future/AppLens-Tune/AppLens-Tune.py

Outputs

Script reports are written to the user's Desktop:

• Windows Scanner: AppLens_Results_<ComputerName>_<Timestamp>.txt
• macOS/Linux Scanner: AppLens_Results_<ComputerName>.txt
• AppLens_Tune_Results_<ComputerName>.txt

The Windows initial scan includes machine/OS/CPU/GPU details, uptime, RAM usage, total/used/free space and utilization for each local fixed disk, low-disk/high-RAM flags, and the categorized app inventory. Unavailable workstation readings are labeled explicitly. It uses lightweight local queries without recursive folder scans or starting the Tune runtime probes.

Windows scans preserve previous reports. An optional -OutputPath selects a new report path; existing files are rejected. Script text reports contain local computer/user identifiers; desktop-app export redaction is a separate feature.

Run the Windows snapshot regression checks:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File tests\Script.Tests\Test-AppLensSnapshot.ps1

The desktop app exports:

• JSON
• Markdown
• local HTML

After a scan, Download report (the download icon beside Scan this PC) saves the selected Markdown, JSON or HTML report through the Windows picker, starting in Downloads. Exports contain the full scan even when table filters hide rows. The person can send that file for review; AppLens does not upload it. Personal identifiers are redacted by default unless explicitly included. Alt+S starts a scan and Alt+D downloads. See client verification and the continuation handoff. The release validation review separates completed checks from final installation, platform and Store work.

Repository Layout

src/AppLens.Backend         Native C# collectors, rules, blackboard, module status, reports
src/AppLens.Desktop         WinUI 3 platform shell
tests/AppLens.Backend.Tests Backend unit and golden report tests
docs/                      Platform, module, roadmap, build, and Store readiness notes
assets/                    Placeholder branding

Project Status

AppLens v1 is a local preview. The core client builds independently of the preserved Tune work. Store release still requires the remaining installed/clean-PC checks, owner-reviewed materials, Partner Center identity, published privacy/support URLs, and certification. Local builds do not establish Store availability.