different-ai/openwork

What is it?

Key features

• 01Desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux that runs agents on local files.
• 02Works with 50+ model providers, your own API keys, or local models via Ollama.
• 03Remote MCP server that connects Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, and OpenCode to shared skills.
• 04Team sharing of skills and MCP servers, with admin controls for access.
• 05Compatible with Claude-style skills and plugins from Cowork setups.

Use cases

• Running an AI agent on documents and project folders without uploading files to the cloud.
• Using local models through Ollama for private work.
• Sharing a standard set of agent skills and MCP connections across a team.
• Reusing the same tools inside Codex, Claude Code, or Cursor.

Quick start

1. 1

   Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/different-ai/openwork.git
2. 2

   Enter the project folder

   cd openwork
3. 3

   Enable the pinned pnpm version and install dependencies

   corepack enable && pnpm install
4. 4

   Launch the Electron desktop app with hot reload

   pnpm dev

Things to know

• !Licensing is mixed: the code outside ee/ is MIT, but the ee/ directory uses a source-available license that requires a subscription for production use beyond 5 users.
• !The contributor setup requires Node 24 and pnpm 11, and npm or yarn are not supported.

Topics

FAQ

What is openwork?

Free, open-source desktop app where AI agents work on your local files, built on OpenCode and usable with any model provider or local Ollama models. OpenWork is a desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux that positions itself as an open-source alternative to Claude Cowork and Codex. AI agents run tasks against files on your own machine, and the app is built on OpenCode. You can connect it to 50+ model providers using your own API keys, sign in with ChatGPT, or run local models through Ollama or any OpenAI-compatible server.

Is openwork free to use? What license does it have?

openwork is open source under the Other license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.

Is openwork still maintained?

Actively maintained. The last commit to openwork was on Oct 21, 2026.

What can I use openwork for?

Running an AI agent on documents and project folders without uploading files to the cloud. Using local models through Ollama for private work. Sharing a standard set of agent skills and MCP connections across a team. Reusing the same tools inside Codex, Claude Code, or Cursor.

How do I install openwork?

Clone the repository: git clone https://github.com/different-ai/openwork.git Enter the project folder: cd openwork Enable the pinned pnpm version and install dependencies: corepack enable && pnpm install Launch the Electron desktop app with hot reload: pnpm dev

Where can I get openwork?

The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/different-ai/openwork