Profiles
The toolbar dropdown supports New, Duplicate (Copy of…), Rename, and Delete. Autosave, snapshots, and undo history are per profile. That is the core application workflow for applying to different roles without drowning in Desktop copies.
Templates
Classic, Modern, and Resumatic appear in a live-thumbnail gallery. Pick for readability and ATS friendliness rather than decoration. Export plain text if a portal rejects the designed PDF.
Snapshots
Named snapshots let you restore an earlier resume draft. Combine with JSON Save As for portable backups across machines.
Practical naming
Master, SWE-general, Ops-acme beat final and final2. Delete stale duplicates after a hiring cycle ends.
Related: /resume-export-pdf-docx-txt, /resume-ats-plain-text, /switch-from-canva-resume.
Why a local desktop client helps
A local desktop builder keeps drafts on disk you control. You are not waiting on a design login to fix a typo before a midnight deadline. OpenResume Builder adds profiles, snapshots, and PDF plus plain-text export so the same content can feed both human readers and ATS portals.
Desk checklist after install
Write the download URL, the filename, and the JSON backup folder on a sticky note or inventory card. Prove one PDF PDF export before you invite classmates or coworkers to use the same machine image. Keep Canva or Word only as reference surfaces once the local profile works.
What this guide will not invent
No Homebrew cask, snap, or Flatpak id was found for this project on the review date. Commands we could not run on real hardware stay marked UNVERIFIED in research. Prefer GitHub Releases filenames you can see with your own eyes.
Related reading
- Home overview
- Releases file map
- GitHub project map
- Download safely
- For this computer
- Installed checklist
- Switch from Canva
- vs Word
Hiring-season rhythm
During busy application weeks, duplicate a known-good document profile instead of editing the master for every employer. Export PDF for humans and plain text for portals that strip design. Take a snapshot before risky rewrites so you can restore yesterday’s version without digging through email drafts.
Integrity habits
Refuse Setup files delivered over chat without a Releases URL. Refuse “update helpers” that are not winget or the official Releases list. Refuse brew commands copied from unrelated apps. Integrity is mostly boredom: same door, same proof export, same backup folder.
Extended practice block
Treat every PDF export like a release: date it, store it, and keep the JSON source beside it. When a recruiter asks for a small wording change, duplicate the profile first so the master profile stays clean. When a portal eats your PDF, submit the plain-text twin from the same day instead of redesigning under panic.
Career centers should keep a laminated card with the Releases URL, the winget id, and the note that brew was not found. Students then stop inventing package commands during workshops. Helpdesk volunteers should ask for the filename before they ask for screenshots of error dialogs.
If you maintain lab images, re-check the live Releases list whenever you refresh the semester image. Asset names can gain portable builds or drop architectures. Update the printed handout the same day you update the image. Paths marked UNVERIFIED in research should be tested on staff hardware before you promise them to a full classroom.
Travel weeks benefit from Portable Windows exe plus a cloud folder that only syncs JSON backups, not random Setup downloads from search. Home desktops benefit from Setup plus winget for cleaner uninstalls. Linux desks benefit from a single AppImage path with chmod documented in the home README.
Finally, remember the category word: you came here for a application workflow you can install and trust. OpenResume Builder is the MIT client mapped by this guide. Canva, Word, Docs, and LinkedIn remain useful neighbors, not alternate download portals for this binary.
Frequently asked questions
How many profiles should I keep?
Start with one master profile, then Duplicate per role family after the first export works. Rename copies with employer or role labels instead of vague final names. Delete stale duplicates after a hiring cycle so the dropdown stays readable.
Do templates delete my text?
Templates restyle the same section content rather than wiping your text, but you should still take a snapshot before experimental switches. If a layout looks wrong, restore the snapshot and try another template instead of rebuilding bullets from scratch.
Can I invent new templates?
This guide covers the three shipped templates: Classic, Modern, and Resumatic. Custom template authoring is out of scope here. Prefer template choice plus plain-text export when a portal rejects decorative PDFs instead of inventing unofficial template packs from chat.