Open Computer Use

AI agents that control computers like humans do.

Browser automation · Terminal access · Desktop control · Multi-agent orchestration

Website · Get an API key · Discord · X

What is this?

Open Computer Use is an open-source platform that gives AI agents real computer control. Unlike chatbots that only talk about tasks, agents here actually perform them: browsing the web, running commands, clicking through UIs, and orchestrating multi-step workflows.

Computer-use capabilities similar to Anthropic's Claude Computer Use, but fully open-source and extensible.

Quick Start

Coasty runs in OSS mode with a single API key. The whole setup is four steps and takes a couple of minutes.

1. Get your free API key

1. Go to coasty.ai/developers.
2. Sign in (it's free, no credit card needed).
3. Create an API key. It looks like sk-coasty-test-….
4. Copy it. You'll paste it in step 3.

2. Clone and install

Prerequisites: Node.js ^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0 (the repo's .nvmrc pins 22) and npm. No compiler is needed; a wall of ssh2 node-gyp warnings during install is harmless.

git clone https://github.com/coasty-ai/open-computer-use.git
cd open-computer-use
npm install

3. Add your key

cp .env.oss.example .env.local

On Windows, cp works in PowerShell. In cmd.exe, use copy .env.oss.example .env.local.

Open .env.local and paste the key from step 1:

COASTY_API_KEY=sk-coasty-test-your-key-here

4. Run

npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000. The app boots straight into the chat workspace. CSRF_SECRET and ENCRYPTION_KEY are generated into .env.local automatically on first boot, so there is nothing else to configure.

[!NOTE] What works today. In OSS mode the chat workspace runs locally and your key powers the public /v1 REST API (predict, sessions, machines, runs, workflows, schedules) and the MCP server. Sending an in-app chat message currently returns a clear 501: coasty.ai does not yet expose a public chat endpoint (/v1/chat is in progress). The full agent stack ("production mode") needs services this repo does not include (a Python backend, Supabase, Stripe, AWS) and runs the hosted product at coasty.ai. OSS mode is the path for working on this codebase.

Agents

See it in action

Marketing: Market your product on Reddit autonomously View chat session	Go-to-Market: Find prospects and send personalized emails View chat session
QA Testing: Test every checkout flow and report bugs View chat session	Job Application: Find roles, tailor your resume, and apply View chat session
Form Filling: Fill out the YC S26 application for you View chat session	Social Media: Post on Hacker News and engage with comments View chat session

Desktop App

A lightweight overlay that runs AI agent commands directly on your local machine. Native automation on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with a floating always-on-top pill UI and an expanded chat panel.

cd electron
npm install
npm run dev

This launches the overlay window. Without an electron/.env file the app starts on the auth screen with a visible "Supabase is not configured" state. To sign in and chat you need electron/.env (cp .env.example .env) with Supabase credentials, plus a running backend at COASTY_BACKEND_URL (default http://localhost:8001, not included in this repo).

See electron/README.md for development, testing, packaging, and platform notes.

MCP Server

Use the same API key with Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf via MCP:

npx @coasty/mcp

See mcp/ for details.

Contributing

The default branch is production: branch from it, and open your pull request against it.

1. Fork the repo
2. Create a branch from production: git checkout -b feature/your-feature
3. Commit your changes
4. Open a pull request targeting production

See CONTRIBUTING.md for setup, testing, and review details. Bug reports and feature requests are welcome in Issues.

Roadmap

• Multi-VM parallel orchestration
• Visual workflow builder
• Agent marketplace and templates
• Plugin system for custom tools
• Collaborative sessions
• Voice control and video understanding

Responsible Use

This platform gives AI agents significant autonomy. Use it to automate repetitive tasks, testing, research, and content creation, not to violate terms of service, spam, or scrape without permission. Always use isolated environments, respect robots.txt, and follow data protection laws.

License

Apache License 2.0, Copyright (c) 2025 Open Computer Use Contributors. One exception: the mcp/ subpackage is published to npm under the MIT license and carries its own mcp/LICENSE.