About Cowork Os
Cowork Os is an MCP server published by CoWork-OS in the AI category: rent the model. Own everything else. Free, open-source AI app for real work.
The repository has 489 stars and 89 forks, with the last commit 8 hours ago. Recent commit activity is the strongest signal that reported issues will get attention.
Install
git clone https://github.com/CoWork-OS/CoWork-OSThis server has no ConduID identity, so agent calls to it are not receipted. Pin the version you install and review the source before granting it credentials.
Ask AI
Ask AI about Cowork Os
Powered by Claude · Grounded in docs
Security checks
Static checks derived from the repository 8 hours ago. Heuristics on the source, not an audit.
- ✓README presentThe repository ships documentation.
- ✓License declaredUsable under a stated license.
- ✓Tests presentA test suite exists in the repository.
- ✓Dependencies pinnedA lockfile pins dependency versions.
- !Scoped permissionsDoesn't declare a permission scope. Assume it can do anything its process can.
1 check has not been run yet.
Releases
README
CoWork OS is a free, open-source desktop app for macOS and Windows that does real work for you: code, browser tasks, documents, inbox and automations. You watch each step as it happens. With the default Ask for approval access profile the agent works freely inside your workspace and stops to ask before anything that crosses it: sending, network access, credentials, exports, or files outside the workspace. Connect the model route you choose; your workspace, memory, skills and history stay on your machine. Model providers may charge for usage and receive the data needed for the tasks you run. What you own
| Visible actions and approvals | Every tool call shows in the task timeline. Access profiles (Ask for approval, Approve for me, Full access, Custom) decide what pauses for you, and hard limits hold even with approval. Access profiles |
| Everything Workbench | Documents, spreadsheets, decks, web pages and PDFs open beside the agent, editable, with follow-up in place. Everything Workbench |
| Inbox agent | Local-first mail triage, evidence search, drafts and replies, with sending behind approval. Inbox Agent |
| In-app browser | A visible browser the agent drives while you watch, for research, forms and testing your own sites. Browser Workbench |
| Bots and channels | Reusable bots with their own memory and scheduled responsibilities, and a gateway that reaches you on Telegram, Slack, Discord, WhatsApp and more. Bots · Channels |
| Memory you can read | What CoWork knows lives as markdown in a local git folder you can edit, sync or delete. Memory |
| Your choice of model | ChatGPT sign-in, local Ollama, or API keys for Claude, OpenAI, Gemini, OpenRouter, Groq and more, switchable per conversation. Models & Access |
Install
macOS (Apple Silicon, macOS 13 or later). No Gatekeeper dialog:
curl -fsSL https://coworkosapp.com/install.sh | bash
Windows (64-bit), in PowerShell. No SmartScreen prompt:
irm https://coworkosapp.com/install.ps1 | iex
Any platform with Node.js 24, including Intel Macs. Installs the desktop app and the cowork CLI:
npm install -g cowork-os
Linux servers: use the packaged headless server. Re-run the same command to update.
Download the installer from GitHub Releases. Releases are not notarized by Apple or code signed for Windows, so a browser download needs one extra step the first time:
- macOS DMG: drag CoWork OS into Applications and open it. When macOS says it was not opened, click Done, then go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway. Step-by-step screenshots: macOS Installation.
- Windows EXE: when SmartScreen says Windows protected your PC, click More info > Run anyway. Checksums and antivirus notes: Windows Installation.
- macOS 12 Monterey:
0.5.51is the last compatible release:npm install -g cowork-os@0.5.51.
Getting started
- Open CoWork OS. On macOS the first start may ask for the
cowork-os Safe Storagekeychain item; click Always Allow. - Pick a model. Sign in with ChatGPT, use a detected local Ollama model, or paste an API key. Free options are marked.
- Describe a task, for example "make a spreadsheet of my last ten invoices from ~/Downloads", or pick one from the use-case gallery.
- Watch and approve. The timeline shows each step. Work inside the workspace runs on its own; anything that sends, reaches the network, uses credentials or leaves the workspace waits for your answer.
From the terminal: cowork opens the terminal UI and cowork run "who are you?" runs a one-shot task against the same local profile. Getting Started · CoWork CLI
Documentation
| Getting Started | Install, first model, first task |
| Feature Tour | Why CoWork OS, how a task runs, and the full feature inventory |
| Features | Categorized feature reference |
| Models & Access | Provider routes, sign-ins, local models, fallbacks |
| Access Profiles | Approvals, sandbox, network and filesystem policy |
| Security Guide | Threat model, guardrails, sandboxing, credential storage |
| Self-Hosting | Linux server, Docker and remote access |
| Development | Build from source and run the tests |
| All docs · Changelog · Release Notes 0.5.60 |
Community
- Questions and ideas: GitHub Discussions
- Bugs and requests: Issues. We reply within a day.
- Contribute: start with a good first issue and read CONTRIBUTING.md.
- Security reports: SECURITY.md
Adoption
| Signal | Current | All time |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 488 | n/a |
| GitHub forks | 86 | n/a |
| Installer/server downloads | 1,777 | 1,777 |
| Download delta | +15 | n/a |
| npm downloads | 243 (last week) | 9,583 |
| GitHub views, last 14-ish days | 899 total / 403 unique | n/a |
| GitHub clones, last 14-ish days | 16,134 total / 1,191 unique | n/a |
Generated 2026-10-17T07:44:52.096Z. These are public GitHub/npm adoption signals, not active-user or in-app telemetry numbers. All-time values are shown only where the source API provides lifetime coverage. Full report.
License
MIT License. See LICENSE.
"Cowork" is an Anthropic product name. CoWork OS is an independent open-source project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Anthropic. If requested by the rights holder, we will update naming/branding. osai-verify: b359fb38a6b6ca5e28d0
README fetched from the repository 8 hours ago. The original is authoritative.