Ditto is an extension to the Windows Clipboard. You copy something to the Clipboard and Ditto takes what you copied and stores it in a database to retrieve at a later time.
6.7k
Stars
409
Forks
747
Open issues
30
Contributors
AI Analysis
Ditto is a Windows clipboard manager that extends the standard clipboard by storing all copied items in a database for later retrieval. It serves users who frequently work with multiple snippets of text, images, and formatted content, enabling quick access to clipboard history. The tool is primarily beneficial for knowledge workers, developers, and anyone who regularly switches between different copied content, though it is Windows-only and not suitable for cross-platform workflows.
Inferred from signals mentioned in the README (tests, CI, type safety) — not a review of the actual code.
AI's overall editorial judgment — not an average of the bars above, can weigh other factors too.
Ditto: A mature, privacy-first Windows clipboard manager with 20+ years of active use
Ditto extends the Windows clipboard by storing every copied item—text, images, HTML, custom formats—in a local SQLite database for later retrieval via hotkey or system tray. Built for Windows power users, developers, and anyone who frequently copies and pastes across tasks. It operates entirely locally with no login, no cloud sync, and no telemetry. Distributed via installer, portable zip, Chocolatey, Winget, and the Windows Store, it has broad installation surface. The GitHub repo is a mirror of a much older project; real-world adoption predates this GitHub presence by over a decade.
Ditto originated in the early 2000s on SourceForge, making it one of the oldest Windows clipboard managers still in active development. The GitHub repository was created in November 2020 but the project is substantially older.
Star growth appears slow on GitHub (0 stars in the last 7 days), but this is misleading: the project built its user base on SourceForge and via word-of-mouth before GitHub migration. Its Winget and Chocolatey listings, Windows Store presence, and continued releases suggest organic, steady adoption rather than viral growth. The project grows through utility reputation, not social media momentum.
Available on Winget, Chocolatey, and the Microsoft Windows Store, which implies passing platform review processes. GitHub release download badges are present but counts are not visible in the provided metadata. Long SourceForge history and active package manager listings suggest genuine sustained usage; exact install counts are not publicly available here.
Likely a native Windows C/C++ application using Win32 APIs for clipboard monitoring, with a SQLite backend for clip storage. Appears to use a system tray UI pattern common in Windows utility software. Portable mode support suggests self-contained binary design.
not documented in README
Last push was 2026-07-07, the same as the current analysis date, indicating active ongoing development. The README references a current release (3.25.113.0) and a beta channel, suggesting a structured release process. Commit history since latest release badge implies regular incremental work.
ADOPT IF: you are a Windows user who wants a proven, local-first clipboard manager with deep history, search, and no cloud dependency. AVOID IF: you need cross-platform support, scripting capabilities, or cloud sync across devices. MONITOR IF: you currently rely on Windows built-in clipboard history and want to evaluate whether Ditto's additional features justify adding a third-party dependency.
Independent dimensions
Mainstream potential
3/10
Technical importance
5/10
Adoption evidence
6/10
- Windows built-in clipboard history (Win+V) continues to improve and may satisfy most users without a third-party install.
- Single-maintainer project (sabrogden); bus factor appears low based on contributor count, which could affect long-term sustainability.
- C-based Windows-native codebase may become harder to maintain as Windows API patterns evolve.
- No documented automated test coverage increases risk of regressions in future releases.
- Limited cross-platform support is a structural ceiling on user base growth.
Ditto will likely continue serving its established niche reliably. Slow but steady maintenance is expected to continue. It is unlikely to grow dramatically but also unlikely to be abandoned given its long history.
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Languages
Information
- Website
- https://ditto-cp.sourceforge.io/
- Language
- C
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Last updated
- 3d ago
- Created
- 69mo ago
- Analyzed with
- anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5
Stars over time
Contributors over time
Top 100 contributors only — repos with more will plateau at 100.
Open issues
Ditto scrolling rendering lags severely with large database
Excel flickers when copying cells while Ditto is monitoring the clipboard
Popup Position dropdown shows wrong selection on non-English locales
Ditto in CLOUD
Combine between two Ditto dbs
Open pull requests
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CopyQ is cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux) and supports scripting/plugins; Ditto is Windows-only but lighter and simpler for users who don't need scripting.
1Clipboard offered cloud sync; Ditto explicitly avoids cloud, appealing to users with privacy or offline requirements. 1Clipboard appears less actively maintained.
ClipClip is also Windows-only with a more complex UI and folder organization; Ditto is simpler and has a longer track record.
Windows now ships a native clipboard history feature, which may reduce demand for third-party tools. Ditto offers more history depth, search, network sync, and no Microsoft account dependency.
Not a direct competitor—macOS-only—but illustrates that Ditto occupies a similar niche for Windows that Pasta does on Mac, serving users who want local-first clipboard management.
