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zai-org/ZCode

Z.ai's AI coding workspace offering a desktop app, browser UI, and terminal agent, built on a shared TypeScript codebase.

Open-source alternative to:CursorClaude Code

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What is it?

ZCode is an AI coding workspace from Z.ai. It is delivered in three forms: an Electron desktop app, a web client served from a local backend, and a command-line package that starts a terminal UI (TUI), a web interface, or the agent through a single `zcode` command.

The repository is a pnpm monorepo that holds the desktop client, the HTTP and WebSocket server, a shared React UI package, the Agent CLI and runtime, and provider integrations. The command-line package runs entirely on the local machine and needs Node.js but not Electron. The web mode binds to 127.0.0.1 by default and can be exposed on the LAN with an access token.

Developers working on the project set up dependencies with `pnpm bootstrap`, run the desktop app with `pnpm dev:desktop`, or run the web client and backend together with `pnpm dev:web`. Build scripts produce distributable desktop bundles and a tarball-based CLI release with an install script.

Key features

  • 01Terminal UI, browser UI, and desktop app share one agent backend.
  • 02Web mode serves on localhost by default and supports an access token for LAN use.
  • 03Monorepo layout separates desktop, web, server, shared UI, and CLI packages.
  • 04Build scripts produce desktop bundles for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
  • 05Command-line release ships as a tarball with a checksum and install script.

Use cases

  • Running an AI coding agent in a terminal over an SSH session on a remote project.
  • Using a browser-based coding workspace against a local project folder.
  • Extending the agent or building UI plugins on top of the open-source codebase.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install prerequisites: Git, Node.js 24.14.0 and pnpm 10.33.2 (see mise.toml)

  2. 2

    Bootstrap dependencies and local resources from the repo root

    pnpm bootstrap
  3. 3

    Start the desktop app in development mode

    pnpm dev:desktop

Things to know

  • Requires Node.js 24.14.0 and pnpm 10.33.2 installed before setup.
  • Desktop builds from source are unsigned locally, and macOS may block first launch without a manual quarantine removal step.
  • Packaging the CLI release requires configuring a download base URL that you must host yourself.

Topics

#ai-coding#coding-agent#typescript#electron#monorepo#cli#tui#llm

FAQ

What is ZCode?
Z.ai's AI coding workspace offering a desktop app, browser UI, and terminal agent, built on a shared TypeScript codebase. ZCode is an AI coding workspace from Z.ai. It is delivered in three forms: an Electron desktop app, a web client served from a local backend, and a command-line package that starts a terminal UI (TUI), a web interface, or the agent through a single `zcode` command.
Is ZCode free to use? What license does it have?
ZCode is open source under the Apache-2.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is ZCode still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to ZCode was on Oct 19, 2026.
What can I use ZCode for?
Running an AI coding agent in a terminal over an SSH session on a remote project. Using a browser-based coding workspace against a local project folder. Extending the agent or building UI plugins on top of the open-source codebase.
How do I install ZCode?
Install prerequisites: Git, Node.js 24.14.0 and pnpm 10.33.2 (see mise.toml) Bootstrap dependencies and local resources from the repo root: pnpm bootstrap Start the desktop app in development mode: pnpm dev:desktop
Where can I get ZCode?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode

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