How to Generate a Diagnostics Bundle for OpenWork Support

To generate a diagnostics bundle for OpenWork support, export the runtime debug report and developer log from Settings > Debug, then compress both files into a ZIP archive to attach to your GitHub issue.

When troubleshooting issues with the OpenWork desktop application, providing a complete diagnostics bundle allows the maintainers to analyze your environment without lengthy back-and-forth. This guide explains how to generate a diagnostics bundle for OpenWork support using both the graphical interface and command-line tools, based on the source code in the different-ai/openwork repository.

What Is Included in an OpenWork Diagnostics Bundle?

A complete diagnostics bundle consists of two complementary files that the support team expects:

• Runtime debug report – A JSON snapshot of the current Electron process, including version numbers, OS details, loaded plugins, and open tabs. You generate this via Settings > Debug > Export debug report.
• Developer log export – A text file containing the full console log from the OpenWork renderer and main processes, including all console.log output, warnings, and stack traces. You generate this via Settings > Debug > Export developer log.

Together, these files provide the maintainers with the exact context needed to reproduce and diagnose your issue.

Generating the Bundle via the Settings UI

The primary method for creating a diagnostics bundle uses the built-in debug panel. Follow these steps:

1. Open the OpenWork desktop client.
2. Click the gear (⚙️) Settings icon in the top-right corner.
3. Select the Debug tab.
4. Click Export debug report – this saves a file named openwork-debug-<timestamp>.json to your Downloads folder.
5. Click Export developer log – this saves openwork-log-<timestamp>.txt to the same location.
6. Create a ZIP archive containing both files.

On macOS or Linux, use the following terminal command to compress the files:

zip openwork-diagnostics-$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S).zip \
    ~/Downloads/openwork-debug-*.json \
    ~/Downloads/openwork-log-*.txt

On Windows, right-click both files in File Explorer, select Send to, then choose Compressed (zipped) folder.

Automating Diagnostics Collection with the CLI

If you need to generate a diagnostics bundle programmatically or when the UI is unresponsive, OpenWork exposes internal CLI flags that mirror the Settings panel functionality. Run these commands from your terminal with the OpenWork installation directory as the working directory:

# Export the runtime debug report to JSON

npx openwork --debug-report > openwork-debug-$(date +%s).json

# Export the full developer log to text

npx openwork --log-export > openwork-log-$(date +%s).txt

# Bundle both files into a single archive

zip openwork-diagnostics-$(date +%s).zip openwork-debug-*.json openwork-log-*.txt

These CLI invocations trigger the same underlying logic found in apps/desktop/src/main/debug.ts, ensuring the output format matches what the support team expects.

Source Code Implementation

The diagnostics functionality is implemented across several key files in the different-ai/openwork repository:

File	Purpose
apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/Settings/Debug.tsx	Implements the Debug tab UI, including the Export debug report and Export developer log buttons that initiate the download process.
apps/desktop/src/main/debug.ts	Contains the backend helper functions that gather process information, read Electron's internal state, and generate the JSON payload for the runtime report.
SUPPORT.md	Documents the official guidance on what to include in a support request, explicitly listing the diagnostics bundle as a required attachment for bug reports.
TRIAGE.md	Defines the maintainer rubric for labeling and prioritizing issues, referencing the diagnostics bundle as the primary source of truth for environment verification.

According to the source code in apps/desktop/src/main/debug.ts, the runtime debug report captures the Electron process.versions object, the current working directory, and the list of activated plugins, while the developer log aggregates output from both the main and renderer process consoles.

Summary

• OpenWork diagnostics bundles require two files: a JSON runtime debug report and a text-based developer log.
• Access the export functions through Settings > Debug in the desktop application, or use the --debug-report and --log-export CLI flags.
• Compress both files into a single ZIP archive before attaching them to your GitHub issue.
• Reference the source in apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/Settings/Debug.tsx and apps/desktop/src/main/debug.ts to understand exactly what data is collected.
• Include context such as your operating system and OpenWork version when submitting the bundle, even though this data is also contained within the JSON report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find the Debug panel in OpenWork?

Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner of the OpenWork window to open Settings, then select the Debug tab from the sidebar. This UI is rendered by the React component in apps/desktop/src/renderer/components/Settings/Debug.tsx.

What specific information is included in the debug report?

The runtime debug report JSON includes the Electron version, Node.js version, operating system details, current working directory, loaded plugin manifests, and the state of open tabs. This data is assembled by the helper functions in apps/desktop/src/main/debug.ts to give maintainers a complete snapshot of your environment.

Can I generate a diagnostics bundle if OpenWork crashes on startup?

Yes. If the graphical interface is inaccessible, use the CLI method by running npx openwork --debug-report and npx openwork --log-export from your terminal. These commands bypass the renderer process and communicate directly with the main process logic defined in the source code.

How do I submit the bundle to the OpenWork support team?

Attach the ZIP file containing both the JSON report and the text log to a new GitHub issue in the different-ai/openwork repository. Choose the bug report template if applicable, and reference SUPPORT.md for the complete list of required information. The maintainers use the data in TRIAGE.md to prioritize issues that include complete diagnostics bundles.

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