Genea

Genea is a client-side web application for visually building and editing family trees. It consumes and produces GEDCOM-format genealogy data and performs all processing in the browser so users control where files are stored.

Key Features

• Visual family tree rendering using Graphviz compiled to WebAssembly for automatic layout of grandparents, parents, partners, siblings and children
• Import and export of GEDCOM files for interoperability with genealogy services and tools
• Purely client-side operation with persistent local storage and offline-first behavior
• Built-in Git integration to load/save GEDCOM files from repositories (supports hosted and self-hosted Git providers via personal access tokens and optional CORS proxy)
• Responsive interface built with Vue.js and Materialize CSS, with a mobile app presence for on-device use
• Direct editing of individual person and family records, plus example/sample trees for exploration

Use Cases

• Genealogists and hobbyists creating or editing family trees and exchanging GEDCOM files
• Individuals who want privacy-preserving, local control of family history data with optional repository backup
• Historical researchers compiling ancestry records into portable GEDCOM files for sharing

Limitations and Considerations

• Relationship modeling is limited to standard GEDCOM constructs (grandparents, parents, partners, siblings, children); non-standard or gender-neutral relationship types are not fully supported
• Collaboration is indirect: there is no built-in real-time multi-user sync beyond storing GEDCOM files in a Git repo or exchanging files manually
• Very large trees may encounter client-side performance or layout limitations due to in-browser Graphviz and memory constraints

Genea is suited for users who need a lightweight, privacy-focused GEDCOM editor and visualizer that runs entirely in the browser. It prioritizes portable data export and simple repository-based synchronization over advanced collaborative features.