Add reusable native model package manager

.devops/cpu.Dockerfile

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ ARG GCC_VERSION=14
 # Install build toolchain
 RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-        gcc-${GCC_VERSION} g++-${GCC_VERSION} make cmake libgomp1 && \
+        gcc-${GCC_VERSION} g++-${GCC_VERSION} make cmake libgomp1 ca-certificates && \
     apt-get clean && \
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
@@ -43,12 +43,14 @@ RUN cmake -S . -B build \
         -DENGINE_ENABLE_CUDA=OFF \
         -DENGINE_ENABLE_VULKAN=OFF \
         -DENGINE_ENABLE_OPENMP=ON \
+        -DAUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER=ON \
         -DENGINE_BUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF \
         -DENGINE_BUILD_TESTS=OFF \
         -DENGINE_BUILD_WARMBENCH=OFF && \
     cmake --build build --parallel $(nproc) \
         --target audiocpp_cli \
         --target audiocpp_server \
+        --target audiocpp_model_manager \
         --target model_perf \
         --target miocodec_wavlm_parity
 
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p /app/lib && \
 
 # Collect binaries + multiplexer into /app/full
 RUN mkdir -p /app/full && \
-    cp build/bin/audiocpp_cli build/bin/audiocpp_server \
+    cp build/bin/audiocpp_cli build/bin/audiocpp_server build/bin/audiocpp_model_manager \
        build/bin/model_perf build/bin/miocodec_wavlm_parity /app/full/ && \
     cp .devops/entrypoint.sh /app/full/entrypoint.sh && \
     chmod +x /app/full/entrypoint.sh

.devops/cuda.Dockerfile

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ ARG GCC_VERSION=14
 # Install build toolchain
 RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-        gcc-${GCC_VERSION} g++-${GCC_VERSION} cmake && \
+        gcc-${GCC_VERSION} g++-${GCC_VERSION} cmake ca-certificates && \
     apt-get clean && \
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
@@ -39,13 +39,15 @@ RUN cmake -S . -B build \
         -DENGINE_ENABLE_CUDA_GRAPHS=ON \
         -DENGINE_ENABLE_VULKAN=OFF \
         -DENGINE_ENABLE_OPENMP=ON \
+        -DAUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER=ON \
         -DENGINE_BUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF \
         -DENGINE_BUILD_TESTS=OFF \
         -DENGINE_BUILD_WARMBENCH=OFF \
         -DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS=-Wl,--allow-shlib-undefined && \
     cmake --build build --parallel $(nproc) \
         --target audiocpp_cli \
         --target audiocpp_server \
+        --target audiocpp_model_manager \
         --target model_perf \
         --target miocodec_wavlm_parity
 
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p /app/lib && \
 
 # Collect binaries + multiplexer into /app/full
 RUN mkdir -p /app/full && \
-    cp build/bin/audiocpp_cli build/bin/audiocpp_server \
+    cp build/bin/audiocpp_cli build/bin/audiocpp_server build/bin/audiocpp_model_manager \
        build/bin/model_perf build/bin/miocodec_wavlm_parity /app/full/ && \
     cp .devops/entrypoint.sh /app/full/entrypoint.sh && \
     chmod +x /app/full/entrypoint.sh

.devops/entrypoint.sh

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ if [[ "$arg1" == "cli" ]]; then
     exec ./audiocpp_cli "$@"
 elif [[ "$arg1" == "server" ]]; then
     exec ./audiocpp_server "$@"
+elif [[ "$arg1" == "model-manager" ]]; then
+    exec ./audiocpp_model_manager "$@"
 elif [[ "$arg1" == "perf" ]]; then
     exec ./model_perf "$@"
 elif [[ "$arg1" == "parity" ]]; then
@@ -24,8 +26,8 @@ else
     echo "Available commands:"
     echo "  cli     Run audio tasks (TTS, ASR, VAD, VC, diar, etc.)"
     echo "  server  Run the HTTP server"
+    echo "  model-manager  List, install, clean, or remove model packages"
     echo "  perf    Run model performance benchmarks"
     echo "  parity  Run Miocodec WavLM parity tests"
     exit 1
 fi
-

.devops/nix/package.nix

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   cmake,
   ninja,
   pkg-config,
+  openssl,
   rocmPackages,
   cudaPackages,
   vulkan-headers,
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@
   rocmSupport ? config.rocmSupport or false,
   rocmGpuTargets ? (lib.optionals rocmSupport rocmPackages.clr.gpuTargets),
   strixHaloOptimizations ? (rocmSupport && rocmGpuTargets == [ "gfx1151" ]),
+  nativeModelManagerSupport ? true,
   # Model selection: if non-empty, only these model targets are built.
   # See CMakeLists.txt AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SET / AUDIOCPP_MODELS.
   models ? [ ],
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   buildInputs = [
     python-scripts
   ]
+  ++ lib.optional nativeModelManagerSupport openssl
   ++ lib.optionals vulkanSupport [
     vulkan-headers
     vulkan-loader
@@ -66,6 +69,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     "-DENGINE_ENABLE_NATIVE_CPU=ON"
     "-DENGINE_ENABLE_LLAMAFILE=ON"
   ]
+  ++ lib.optionals nativeModelManagerSupport [
+    "-DAUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER=ON"
+    "-DAUDIOCPP_USE_SYSTEM_OPENSSL=ON"
+  ]
   ++ (
     if models != [ ] then
       [
@@ -95,14 +102,17 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
 
     # Copy the built C++ executables directly from the bin directory
     cp bin/audiocpp_cli bin/audiocpp_server bin/audiocpp_gguf $out/bin/
+    ${lib.optionalString nativeModelManagerSupport ''
+      cp bin/audiocpp_model_manager $out/bin/
+    ''}
 
-    # Install the supported spec-backed model manager and the catalog it reads
-    # relative to its installed location.
-    install -Dm755 $src/tools/model_manager_v2.py $out/bin/audiocpp_model_manager
+    # Keep the supported Python v2 manager available during migration without
+    # overwriting the native audiocpp_model_manager executable copied above.
+    install -Dm755 $src/tools/model_manager_v2.py $out/bin/audiocpp_model_manager_v2.py
     cp -R $src/model_specs $out/model_specs
 
     # Patch the shebang to use our python environment with torch/safetensors/pyyaml
-    patchShebangs $out/bin/audiocpp_model_manager
+    patchShebangs $out/bin/audiocpp_model_manager_v2.py
 
     runHook postInstall
   '';

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@ option(AUDIOCPP_DEPLOYMENT_BUILD
 file(GLOB AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FILES CONFIGURE_DEPENDS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/model_specs/*.json")
 set(AUDIOCPP_BUILTIN_MODEL_SPEC_ENTRIES "")
 set(AUDIOCPP_CONVERTER_MODEL_SPEC_ENTRIES "")
+set(AUDIOCPP_NATIVE_PACKAGE_SPEC_ENTRIES "")
 foreach(AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FILE IN LISTS AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FILES)
     get_filename_component(AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FAMILY "${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FILE}" NAME_WE)
     file(READ "${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FILE}" AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_JSON)
     string(APPEND AUDIOCPP_CONVERTER_MODEL_SPEC_ENTRIES
         "    {\"${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FAMILY}\", R\"AUDIOCPP_SPEC(${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_JSON})AUDIOCPP_SPEC\"},\n")
+    string(APPEND AUDIOCPP_NATIVE_PACKAGE_SPEC_ENTRIES
+        "    {\"${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FAMILY}\", R\"AUDIOCPP_SPEC(${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_JSON})AUDIOCPP_SPEC\"},\n")
     if (AUDIOCPP_DEPLOYMENT_BUILD)
         string(APPEND AUDIOCPP_BUILTIN_MODEL_SPEC_ENTRIES
             "    {\"${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_FAMILY}\", R\"AUDIOCPP_SPEC(${AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SPEC_JSON})AUDIOCPP_SPEC\"},\n")
@@ -38,6 +41,9 @@ file(GENERATE
 file(GENERATE
     OUTPUT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/generated/gguf_converter_model_specs.inc"
     CONTENT "${AUDIOCPP_CONVERTER_MODEL_SPEC_ENTRIES}")
+file(GENERATE
+    OUTPUT "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/generated/native_package_specs.inc"
+    CONTENT "${AUDIOCPP_NATIVE_PACKAGE_SPEC_ENTRIES}")
 
 if (NOT CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES AND NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
     set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE RelWithDebInfo CACHE STRING "Build type" FORCE)
@@ -89,6 +95,16 @@ option(ENGINE_HIP_STRIX_HALO_OPTIMIZATIONS
     OFF)
 option(ENGINE_ENABLE_NATIVE_CPU "Build ggml CPU kernels with native host ISA flags" ${ENGINE_DEFAULT_ENABLE_NATIVE_CPU})
 option(ENGINE_ENABLE_OPENMP "Build host code with OpenMP support" ON)
+option(AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER
+    "Build native model-manager tools and server download/install support"
+    OFF)
+option(AUDIOCPP_USE_SYSTEM_OPENSSL
+    "Use system OpenSSL for native model management instead of bundled BoringSSL"
+    OFF)
+if (AUDIOCPP_USE_SYSTEM_OPENSSL AND NOT AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR
+        "AUDIOCPP_USE_SYSTEM_OPENSSL requires AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER=ON")
+endif()
 option(ENGINE_ENABLE_CPU_ALL_VARIANTS
     "Build CPU backends as dynamic libraries with per-ISA variants (for Docker/portable builds)"
     OFF)
@@ -1274,6 +1290,29 @@ target_include_directories(cjson_vendor PUBLIC
     ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external/cJSON
 )
 
+# Native package management is deliberately opt-in. Normal CLI and server
+# builds do not configure an HTTP/TLS dependency. When enabled, package specs
+# remain embedded so the standalone manager and managed WebUI do not require a
+# source checkout or an external model_specs directory.
+if (AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER)
+    add_subdirectory(external/cpp-httplib)
+    add_library(audiocpp_package_manager STATIC
+        src/framework/package_manager/manager.cpp
+        src/framework/io/json.cpp
+        src/framework/io/filesystem.cpp
+    )
+    target_include_directories(audiocpp_package_manager PUBLIC
+        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
+    )
+    target_include_directories(audiocpp_package_manager PRIVATE
+        "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/generated"
+    )
+    target_link_libraries(audiocpp_package_manager PRIVATE
+        cjson_vendor
+        audiocpp_cpp_httplib
+    )
+endif()
+
 add_library(yaml_vendor STATIC
     external/libyaml/src/api.c
     external/libyaml/src/reader.c
@@ -1416,7 +1455,6 @@ add_executable(audiocpp_server
     app/server/base64.cpp
     app/server/config.cpp
     app/server/http.cpp
-    app/server/model_installer.cpp
     app/server/multipart.cpp
     app/server/runtime.cpp
     app/server/ui_assets.cpp
@@ -1427,6 +1465,11 @@ add_executable(audiocpp_server
 )
 
 target_link_libraries(audiocpp_server PRIVATE engine_runtime ggml)
+if (AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER)
+    target_sources(audiocpp_server PRIVATE app/server/model_installer.cpp)
+    target_link_libraries(audiocpp_server PRIVATE audiocpp_package_manager)
+    target_compile_definitions(audiocpp_server PRIVATE AUDIOCPP_HAS_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER=1)
+endif()
 target_include_directories(audiocpp_server PRIVATE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/generated")
 if (WIN32)
     target_link_libraries(audiocpp_server PRIVATE ws2_32)
@@ -1444,6 +1487,13 @@ if (ENGINE_ENABLE_OPENMP)
     target_link_libraries(audiocpp_gguf PRIVATE OpenMP::OpenMP_CXX)
 endif()
 
+if (AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER)
+    add_executable(audiocpp_model_manager
+        app/model_manager/main.cpp
+    )
+    target_link_libraries(audiocpp_model_manager PRIVATE audiocpp_package_manager)
+endif()
+
 add_executable(model_perf
     tests/perf/model_perf.cpp
     app/cli/args.cpp
@@ -2246,17 +2296,24 @@ if (ENGINE_BUILD_TESTS)
         target_link_libraries(parakeet_parity_dump PRIVATE OpenMP::OpenMP_CXX)
     endif()
 
-    add_executable(server_model_installer_test
-        tests/unittests/test_server_model_installer.cpp
-        app/server/model_installer.cpp
-    )
-    target_include_directories(server_model_installer_test PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/app/server)
-    target_link_libraries(server_model_installer_test PRIVATE Threads::Threads)
+    if (AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER)
+        add_executable(server_model_installer_test
+            tests/unittests/test_server_model_installer.cpp
+            app/server/model_installer.cpp
+        )
+        target_include_directories(server_model_installer_test PRIVATE
+            ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/app/server
+            ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/generated)
+        target_link_libraries(server_model_installer_test PRIVATE
+            Threads::Threads engine_runtime audiocpp_package_manager)
+        target_compile_definitions(server_model_installer_test PRIVATE
+            AUDIOCPP_NATIVE_MANAGER_FIXTURE="${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/fixtures/native_model_manager_server.py")
 
-    add_test(
-        NAME server_model_installer_test
-        COMMAND server_model_installer_test
-    )
+        add_test(
+            NAME server_model_installer_test
+            COMMAND server_model_installer_test
+        )
+    endif()
 endif()
 
 if (ENGINE_BUILD_EXAMPLES)

README.md

@@ -140,6 +140,19 @@ Use `tools/model_manager_v2.py` for normal model downloads. It reads
 `model_specs/*.json` and installs the default package for each family, preferring
 ready-to-use GGUF packages when they are available.
 
+Native builds configured with `-DAUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER=ON` also
+provide `audiocpp_model_manager`, a standalone headless
+frontend over the same reusable C++ package-management library used by the
+server and embedded WebUI. It supports list, info, install, clean, and remove
+without starting `audiocpp_server`; this is the preferred native path for CLI,
+Docker, remote provisioning, and other scripted environments. The Python v2
+manager remains available as an alternative during migration.
+
+```bash
+audiocpp_model_manager list
+audiocpp_model_manager install qwen3_asr_0_6b_q8_0 --models-dir models
+```
+
 The old safetensors/converter catalog has been renamed to
 `tools/model_manager_deprecated.py`. Use it only for legacy model layouts that
 have not moved to spec-backed GGUF packages yet.
@@ -160,13 +173,13 @@ generation, conversion, separation, VAD, diarization, and alignment workflows. T
 into the server binary, so using it requires neither Python nor separate frontend files:
 
 ```bash
-audiocpp_server --ui --backend cuda
+audiocpp_server --ui --ui-management --backend cuda
 ```
 
-Open `http://127.0.0.1:8080`. Starting with `--ui` and no server config enables on-demand model
-load/unload and temporary browser uploads. Existing static server configurations also expose the UI by default;
-in that mode the UI only offers models declared by the server config. Add `--ui-management` when that instance
-should permit catalog browsing, downloads, temporary uploads, and dynamic model switching.
+Open `http://127.0.0.1:8080`. The command above requires a build configured with
+`-DAUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER=ON` and enables catalog browsing, downloads, temporary uploads, and
+dynamic model switching. A normal build has no HTTP/TLS model-manager dependency and can still serve the UI with
+`--ui` from an existing server configuration; in that mode the UI only offers models declared by the config.
 
 The native UI also exposes background model download/preparation, long-text split-and-merge synthesis, a
 browser-local saved voice library, microphone recording, and near-live ASR input. Some model preparation jobs invoke
@@ -382,6 +395,8 @@ Run with `--backend hip` (`rocm` is accepted as an alias). For GPU target select
 | `ENGINE_BUILD_EXAMPLES` | Build example binaries. | `OFF` |
 | `ENGINE_BUILD_TESTS` | Build framework unit tests. | `OFF` |
 | `ENGINE_BUILD_WARMBENCH` | Build warmbench helper binaries. | `OFF` |
+| `AUDIOCPP_BUILD_NATIVE_MODEL_MANAGER` | Build the standalone native model manager and enable server-side WebUI downloads/install management. This opt-in feature builds the HTTP/TLS dependency. | `OFF` |
+| `AUDIOCPP_USE_SYSTEM_OPENSSL` | Use system OpenSSL instead of bundled BoringSSL when native model management is enabled. | `OFF` |
 | `AUDIOCPP_DEPLOYMENT_BUILD` | Compile package specs into CLI/server binaries for standalone GGUF and package-spec fallback loading. Script builds expose this as `--deployment-build` on Linux/macOS and `-DeploymentBuild` on Windows. | `OFF` |
 | `AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SET` | Model composite to build: `full`, `core`, or `custom`. Script builds expose this as `--model-set` on Linux/macOS and `-ModelSet` on Windows. | `full` |
 | `AUDIOCPP_MODELS` | Comma or semicolon separated model target names when `AUDIOCPP_MODEL_SET=custom`, such as `qwen3_tts,pocket_tts,qwen3_asr`. Script builds expose this as `--models` on Linux/macOS and `-Models` on Windows. | empty |