How to Install OpenWork: Complete Setup Guide for Desktop, CLI, and Development

You can install OpenWork using pre-built binaries for your OS, via the agent-first bootstrap CLI for scriptable deployments, or by cloning the different-ai/openwork repository and running pnpm install followed by pnpm dev for development builds.

OpenWork is a modular, open-source platform developed by different-ai that provides a desktop application, headless server, and agent-first bootstrap CLI. Depending on your workflow—whether you prefer a graphical installer, command-line automation, or contributing to the source code—there are three distinct installation paths available. This guide covers each method with specific commands and file references from the repository.

Understanding the OpenWork Architecture

Before you install OpenWork, it helps to understand the components defined in dev/README.md and packages/openwork-bootstrap/README.md:

• OpenWork Desktop App: An Electron-based UI that runs locally and communicates with the OpenWork MCP (or a remote Den)
• OpenWork Server (CLI): An optional headless server located in packages/openwork-server/ that hosts the MCP without the desktop UI
• OpenWork Bootstrap CLI: A lightweight Node script that installs itself and downloads pre-built desktop binaries from a manifest
• MCP / Den: The remote control plane that brokers skills, plugins, and model access for agents

Method 1: Install OpenWork via Pre-Built Binaries (Recommended)

For most users, downloading the official installer is the fastest way to install OpenWork.

1. Download the appropriate artifact for your operating system:

   • macOS: .dmg or .zip file
   • Linux: .AppImage or package manager scripts
   • Windows: .exe or .msi installer

2. Run the installer and follow the OS-specific wizard.

3. Launch OpenWork from your applications menu.

This method requires no command-line configuration and is documented in dev/README.md.

Method 2: Install OpenWork Using the Bootstrap CLI

The agent-first bootstrap method is ideal when you want an AI agent to drive the installation or when you need a fully scriptable setup. This approach uses the openwork-bootstrap CLI.

Installing the Bootstrap CLI

First, download and execute the installation script:

curl -fsSLo /tmp/openwork-install.sh https://openworklabs.com/install.sh
sh /tmp/openwork-install.sh

Then install the CLI into a user-writable directory:

openwork-bootstrap install \
  --bin-dir ~/.local/bin \
  --install-dir ~/.openwork/bootstrap

Installing the Desktop App via Bootstrap

Once the CLI is available, pull the latest desktop artifact using the manifest-driven delivery system documented in packages/docs/start-here/installer-delivery.mdx:

openwork-bootstrap install app \
  --manifest https://openworklabs.com/install-manifest.json

This command downloads the binary, verifies its SHA-256 digest, and places it in ~/.openwork/app/OpenWork.

Verification and Health Checks

Confirm a successful installation by running the diagnostic command:

openwork-bootstrap doctor --app --json

The bootstrap CLI also supports cloud onboarding (creating a Den organization and inviting teammates) via the cloud onboard sub-command.

Method 3: Development Install from Source

For contributors or those requiring custom builds, install OpenWork from the GitHub repository. This method requires Node.js (>=18) and pnpm (>=8).

1. Clone the repository:

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

2. Install the package manager:

npm i -g pnpm

3. Install workspace dependencies (defined in pnpm-workspace.yaml):

pnpm install

4. Start the development server:

pnpm dev

The pnpm dev command (defined in dev/package.json) starts the Electron main process and a Vite dev server, printing a banner like:

[openwork] dev profile=... cdp=http://127.0.0.1:9223

Use the printed CDP URL for debugging or driving the UI from an AI agent.

For isolated worktrees to avoid port collisions, use:

pnpm dev:worktree

This automatically sets OPENWORK_DEV_PROFILE=auto and creates an isolated profile.

Quick-Start One-Line Install

For macOS and Linux users who want the fastest path to install OpenWork, run the all-in-one script:

curl -fsSL https://openworklabs.com/install.sh | bash

This script performs five operations:

1. Installs the openwork-bootstrap CLI
2. Downloads the latest desktop artifact for your OS
3. Verifies the download integrity
4. Places the binary in a user-local directory
5. Optionally runs openwork-bootstrap doctor to confirm a healthy install

Post-Installation: Connecting the MCP

After you install OpenWork, you can add the MCP to other AI agents like Claude Code:

claude mcp add --transport http openwork https://api.openworklabs.com/mcp/agent

Generic MCP clients can connect to:

https://api.openworklabs.com/mcp/agent

Summary

• Pre-built binaries offer the simplest way to install OpenWork for end users via .dmg, .AppImage, or .exe files
• Bootstrap CLI provides a scriptable, agent-friendly installation method using openwork-bootstrap commands and manifest-driven delivery
• Development builds require Node.js >=18 and pnpm >=8, using pnpm install and pnpm dev from the dev/ directory
• Key configuration files include pnpm-workspace.yaml for monorepo resolution and dev/package.json for build scripts
• Verification is available via openwork-bootstrap doctor --app --json

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the system requirements to install OpenWork?

OpenWork requires Node.js version 18 or higher and pnpm version 8 or higher for development builds. For binary installations, supported platforms include macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), Linux, and Windows. The bootstrap CLI requires a Unix-like shell or WSL on Windows.

Can I install OpenWork without the desktop UI?

Yes. The OpenWork Server (CLI) component located in packages/openwork-server/ provides a headless server that hosts the MCP without requiring the Electron desktop application. You can also use the bootstrap CLI to manage server-only deployments.

How do I verify my OpenWork installation is working correctly?

Run the openwork-bootstrap doctor --app --json command to perform a health check. This validates that the binary is correctly installed, the manifest signatures match, and the application can reach the required remote endpoints. For development builds, ensure the CDP URL prints correctly when running pnpm dev.

Where is the OpenWork binary installed when using the bootstrap method?

By default, the bootstrap CLI installs the desktop binary to ~/.openwork/app/OpenWork on Unix-like systems. You can customize this location using the --install-dir flag when running openwork-bootstrap install app.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}