Capycal

Calendar sync that knows how to keep a secret

Capycal copies events from one calendar into another and leaves out what the other side doesn't need to know. Your colleagues know when you're free. Your dentist appointment stays between you and your dentist.

Download for Mac Linux and command line

Free and open source. macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon, any Linux.

One sync, three steps

A sync reads one calendar and writes copies into another, every few minutes. You decide what the copies show.

  1. From

    The calendar to copy: your work calendar on any CalDAV server, a calendar in Calendar.app or an iCal feed such as Google's secret address.

  2. Keep

    Times always come along. Title, notes, location and reminders only if you say so. Transforms rename events, add travel time before and after, or skip weekends and all-day events.

  3. Into

    The calendar that gets the copies. Capycal updates them when a meeting moves and removes them when it's cancelled. It never touches events it didn't create.

Capycal Settings on the Mac: the sync work-to-family copies events from work into family every 5 minutes, keeps only the time, sets the title to Busy (work) and adds 15 minutes before and after. A preview shows Design review from 09:00 to 10:00 becoming Busy (work) from 08:45 to 10:15.

Runs where your calendars are

The same sync engine in three forms. Pick the one that fits, or move between them: they all read the same config file.

Mac menu bar app

Lives in the menu bar, shows each sync's status and sets up new syncs in a few clicks, with a live preview of what a copy will look like.

Linux desktop app

The same Settings and tray icon for GNOME, KDE and other desktops, built with GTK 4 and libadwaita.

Command line

A single binary for servers and home labs: systemd and launchd services, Docker, config reload on change, status at a glance.

The new sync assistant asks what the copies should show: Busy blocker (only the time, titled Busy (Work)), Title and time, Everything, or Custom. Each choice shows a preview of the copy.

Works with the calendars you have

  • Any CalDAV serverNextcloud, Radicale or any other server that speaks CalDAV, in any combination with the others.
  • Calendar.app on the MacEvery calendar you added to the Mac's Calendar app, including Exchange, Google and iCloud. No OAuth setup, no Exchange passwords in a config file.
  • Calendar feedsRead-only .ics links as a source, like Google's secret address or a published Outlook.com calendar.
  • Nothing in betweenCapycal runs on your computer and talks only to your calendars. No account, no cloud service, no tracking. Passwords stay in the Keychain or your keyring.

Install

Every download is on the releases page. The installation guide has the details.

Mac

The menu bar app with the command line tool inside. Apple silicon, macOS 14 or later.

Download .dmg

Or with Homebrew:

brew install --cask twiebe/capycal/capycal-app

The app is not notarized yet. Before the first start, run:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Capycal.app

Linux desktop

The tray app capycal-gtk as .deb and .rpm for x86_64 and arm64. Needs GTK 4.14 or later.

Get .deb or .rpm

On a desktop without a tray, it opens as a small window instead.

Command line

Homebrew on macOS and Linux:

brew install twiebe/capycal/capycal

Arch Linux, from the AUR:

yay -S capycal-bin

Debian, Fedora and others: .deb, .rpm or a static binary from the releases page. Then start with the quick start.