Where to Find OpenWork Documentation: Official Docs, README, and Source Guides

You can find OpenWork documentation in three main locations: the official website at openworklabs.com/docs for user guides, the repository README for quick start instructions, and the /docs folder in the GitHub repo for architectural deep-dives.

If you're building with or contributing to the openwork framework by different-ai, knowing where to look saves hours of digging. This guide maps every documentation source with direct links to source files, code examples, and architectural specifications.

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Official OpenWork Documentation Website

The primary OpenWork documentation lives at openworklabs.com/docs. This is the most up-to-date source, tracking the dev branch.

What you'll find:

• Getting started guides — installation, UI walkthroughs, and feature overviews
• OpenWork Den documentation — control-plane setup for multi-user deployments
• API reference — endpoints and authentication flows
• Tutorials — step-by-step workflows for common tasks

The website sources its content from the repository and rebuilds automatically, so it reflects the latest commits to the dev branch.

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Repository README: Quick Start and MCP Setup

For developers installing locally or connecting an AI agent, start with [README.md](https://github.com/different-ai/openwork/blob/dev/README.md) in the GitHub repository.

Key sections include:

• Project description with download badges
• AI agent installation instructions (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, OpenCode)
• Local development command: pnpm dev

Registering the OpenWork MCP in OpenCode

From the README, here's the exact JSON configuration for adding OpenWork as an MCP provider:

{
  "mcp": {
    "openwork": {
      "type": "remote",
      "enabled": true,
      "url": "https://api.openworklabs.com/mcp/agent",
      "oauth": {}
    }
  }
}

Save this to your agent's configuration file to enable OpenWork capabilities.

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The /docs Folder: Architecture and Internal Specifications

The deepest OpenWork documentation resides in /docs on the dev branch. These markdown files cover internal design, deployment, and extension development.

Document	Purpose	File Path
Memory Bank Architecture	Persistent storage model and data flow	docs/memory-bank-architecture.md
Marketplace Capabilities Architecture	Skill/plugin publishing pipeline and runtime	docs/marketplace-capabilities-architecture.md
Extensions Manifest Foundation	JSON schema for extension manifests	docs/extensions-manifest-foundation.md
MCP UI Control Profile	Profile isolation and keychain mocking	docs/mcp-ui-control-profile.md

Running OpenWork Locally with Profile Isolation

The MCP UI Control Profile document explains how OPENWORK_DEV_PROFILE creates isolated worktrees. Example from the source:

# Reuse the shared dev profile

pnpm dev

# Or create an isolated profile for testing

OPENWORK_DEV_PROFILE=my-feature \
OPENWORK_ELECTRON_REMOTE_DEBUG_PORT=0 \
PORT=0 pnpm dev

Each profile gets its own mock keychain, enabling credential-free local testing.

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Key Source Files for Reference

Beyond markdown documentation, these implementation files anchor the architecture:

File	Description	Location
main.ts	Electron desktop app entry point	packages/app/src/main.ts
AGENTS.md	Agent integration and MCP workflow specs	Repository root
/.warden/skills	Skill definition files	Repository root directory

The desktop application in packages/app/src/main.ts initializes the Electron client that manages local workspace storage and MCP communication with the OpenWork Den.

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Summary

• User guides and tutorials: openworklabs.com/docs
• Quick start and MCP setup: [README.md](https://github.com/different-ai/openwork/blob/dev/README.md)
• Architecture and deployment: /docs folder with files like memory-bank-architecture.md and mcp-ui-control-profile.md
• Implementation reference: packages/app/src/main.ts and AGENTS.md

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official OpenWork documentation URL?

The official documentation is hosted at openworklabs.com/docs. It includes installation guides, API references, and tutorials synchronized with the dev branch.

Does OpenWork have documentation for self-hosting the Den?

Yes. Deployment and architectural specifications are in docs/memory-bank-architecture.md and docs/marketplace-capabilities-architecture.md. These cover the control-plane setup for organization-wide deployments.

How do I connect Claude Code or Codex to OpenWork?

Add the MCP endpoint to your agent configuration. The exact JSON and CLI commands are documented in [README.md](https://github.com/different-ai/openwork/blob/dev/README.md), with this pattern: codex mcp add openwork --url https://api.openworklabs.com/mcp/agent.

What is OPENWORK_DEV_PROFILE used for?

It isolates development environments. Each profile gets separate storage and a mock keychain, allowing safe local testing without real credentials. See docs/mcp-ui-control-profile.md for the full specification.

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