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SideShelf

System-wide Android side tray overlay for clipboard productivity

A lightweight productivity layer that provides instant access to clipboard history for text and images, accessible from anywhere on your Android device.

KotlinAndroid SDKWindowManagerClipboardManager

Overview

SideShelf is a system-wide Android side tray overlay that provides fast clipboard access for text and images — accessible from anywhere on the device.

It is designed as a lightweight productivity layer that sits above apps and improves copy–paste workflows.

Features (Mobile v1)

Clipboard history for copied text
Image clipboard support
Delete individual entries
Clear all clipboard items
System-wide side tray overlay
Instant access from any screen

Architecture Overview

SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW
ClipboardManager
WindowManager
Background Service
Local persistent storage

The overlay service runs as a background process with SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission, allowing it to display above all other applications. It monitors clipboard changes via ClipboardManager and maintains a persistent local database for history storage.

Tech Stack

KotlinAndroid SDKWindowManager APIClipboardManagerXML LayoutsBackground Service Architecture

Design Goals

  • System-level utility
  • Fast & minimal UI
  • Lightweight
  • Offline-first

Status

Mobile version complete (Personal Use)Desktop companion planned