LabelDesk

LabelDesk is a desktop-first, browser-based label designer for NIIMBOT thermal printers. Design labels on a Fabric.js canvas, connect directly over Web Bluetooth, preview the exact one-bit output, and print without installing a native application.

Use it now

https://keralots.github.io/LabelDesk/ - nothing to install.

Open the link in a current Chromium-based browser (Chrome or Edge on Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android), click Connect printer, pick your NIIMBOT printer, and print.

LabelDesk is free and open source. There is no backend server: no accounts, no uploads, and no data collection. Everything you design stays in your browser unless you export it to a file yourself.

Important

LabelDesk is an independent, unofficial project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NIIMBOT, MultiMote, or niimblue. Printer communication uses @mmote/niimbluelib, and portions of the editor are derived from MIT-licensed niimblue code. See Third-party notices.

All product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Status and compatibility

LabelDesk is under active development. The NIIMBOT D110 at 203 dpi (8 dots/mm) is the primary test device and has been physically verified for normal label printing and multi-row CSV batch printing.

The printer protocol is unofficial and reverse engineered. Printer firmware or future library changes may affect compatibility. Keep @mmote/niimbluelib pinned to an exact version and physically verify printer-related updates.

Web Bluetooth requires a compatible Chromium-based browser such as current Chrome or Edge. A deployed copy must use HTTPS; localhost is allowed during development.

Features

• Fabric.js editor with text, images, barcodes, QR codes, shapes, and ArUco markers
• Exact print preview with threshold, dithering, rotation, and density controls
• CSV batch printing with {column} variables, $times, ranges, and copies
• Local template library, autosave, crash recovery, JSON import/export, and PNG export
• Multi-selection, alignment, distribution, grouping, layers, guides, and keyboard shortcuts
• Local custom font import with optional portable template embedding

Privacy

LabelDesk has no analytics, accounts, telemetry, or application server. Labels, CSV data, autosave state, templates, and imported custom fonts stay in the browser's local storage unless the user explicitly exports a file.

The application bundles its UI fonts and does not contact Google Fonts. A hosted provider such as GitHub Pages may still log normal web-server request metadata. Bluetooth communication takes place directly between the browser and the selected printer.

For safety and privacy, imported templates accept only supported Fabric.js objects and embedded raster-image data. Remote image URLs are rejected.

Development

Requirements: Node.js 20.19 or newer and npm.

npm ci
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:5180 in Chrome or Edge.

npm test        # unit tests
npm run check   # Svelte and TypeScript checks
npm run build   # production build in dist/
npm run preview # serve the production build locally

The production build uses relative asset paths, so the same dist directory can be hosted at a domain root or a project path such as /LabelDesk/.

CSV batch printing

Open Data in the top bar to import or edit comma-separated data. The first row defines placeholder names:

name,sku,$times
Widget A,ABC-001,2
Widget B,ABC-002,1

Use {name} or {sku} in text, QR code, and barcode values. $times sets the quantity for that row and is multiplied by Copies in the print dialog. The preview can navigate source rows and print all rows or an inclusive range.

Saved and exported labels omit CSV data by default. Enable Include batch data only when the data should travel with the template.

Recovery, editing, and exports

LabelDesk automatically saves the active canvas, label settings, document name, and enabled batch data in the browser. Reloading restores that working session. The title displays an asterisk when the document differs from the last library save, JSON export, or loaded template.

Use Export PNG to save the current label as a one-pixel-per-printer-dot image. Multi-selection supports edge and center alignment, equal-gap distribution, grouping, stacking order, and shared text properties. Fit text to 90% finds the largest font size that fits inside a safe label margin.

Keyboard shortcuts

• Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X, and Ctrl+V - copy, cut, and paste selected objects
• Ctrl+D - duplicate the selection
• Ctrl+A - select all label objects
• Ctrl+G and Ctrl+Shift+G - group and ungroup
• Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Shift+Z, and Ctrl+Y - undo and redo
• Arrow keys - move by one dot; hold Shift to move by ten dots
• Delete or Backspace - delete the selection
• Escape - clear the selection

Canvas shortcuts are inactive while editing text, typing in a form field, or using a dialog.

Custom fonts

Open Fonts to import a local TTF, OTF, WOFF, or WOFF2 file. Custom fonts stay in the current browser and become available in text selectors. Saved and exported labels omit font files by default. Enable Include custom fonts to embed only the custom families used by the current canvas.

Only import font and template files from sources you trust. Imported files are size-limited and validated, but complex font parsing is ultimately performed by the browser.

Security

Please do not open a public issue for a suspected vulnerability. Follow the private reporting instructions in SECURITY.md.

Support the project

LabelDesk is a free hobby project. If it saves you time, you can support development at ko-fi.com/keralots.

License

LabelDesk is released under the MIT License. Third-party components retain their original licenses and copyright notices; see THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.

The software is provided without warranty. Use it with printers and label media at your own risk.