Devtoolwatch BoardOpen Dots review
Open Dots, published as Open Duet, is an open-source, self-hosted workspace for named AI agents with memory, routines, and approval controls.
TL;DR
Open Duet is an open-source workspace for creating named AI agents, giving each a job and workspace, and chatting with them over time. It is for developers who want agents on their own computer or server, using an engine they already have. It adds lead-and-specialist delegation, scheduled routines, and approval modes. It ships no model.
- 6.4kGitHub stars
- +300new stars, week of Oct 25
- #22in Coding agents this week
Open Dots at a glance
- Category
- Coding agents
- Maintained by
- Anil Chandra Naidu Matcha (individual, @Anil-matcha on GitHub)
- License
- Apache 2.0
- Language
- Python, TypeScript, JavaScript
- Repository
- github.com/Anil-matcha/open-duet
- Website
- suparagent.ai
- Latest release
- v0.7.0 on GitHub, Oct 30, 2026
- First published
- May 25, 2023
What Open Dots does
- Open Duet lets you create a roster of agents, each with a name, instructions, model, workspace, memory, and approval settings.
- Open Duet lets a lead agent delegate tasks to specialists. Team leads must use Claude or Codex.
- Open Duet agents keep notes, recall earlier conversations, and search their own history. You can review and edit what they remember.
- Open Duet routines run prompts on a schedule, by webhook, or on demand, and never approve actions by themselves.
- Open Duet offers Ask first, Accept edits, and Plan only modes, and shows tool activity and approval decisions in the app.
- Open Duet connects apps such as GitHub, Gmail, and Google Calendar through your own Composio key. Changes wait for your approval.
- Open Duet includes an MCP Marketplace, a catalog of remote MCP servers where you grant agents exact tools.
How it works
Open Duet runs as a desktop app from a source checkout or on a Linux server you control. It sends prompts to an engine you connect: Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, Cursor, an ACP agent, OpenRouter, or an OpenAI-compatible API such as Ollama or LM Studio. Conversations, notes, and settings stay in the local data folder or server database.
How to install and start using Open Dots
Requirements
- Node.js 22 or newer and uv for the desktop app.
- At least one engine: a signed-in CLI agent or an API key for an API-based engine.
- Self-hosting needs a Linux server, a domain with HTTPS, Docker or Node.js and uv, and an engine on the server.
- Docker is needed only for the optional isolated agent computers.
First steps
- Open Settings → Engines and confirm that an engine is ready.
- Create an agent with a name, a clear job, and the workspace it should use.
- Start a chat. Choose Ask first if you want the agent to pause for approval before actions.
- Add teammates or a routine when you want to split up work or repeat it later.
Who Open Dots is for
- Developers who want self-hosted AI agents using engines and accounts they already have.
- Teams of agents splitting work, such as a lead with researcher and editor specialists.
- Recurring agent work, such as a weekly project briefing run as a routine.
- Users who want to review and approve agent actions before they happen.
Limitations to know
- Open Duet desktop installers are unsigned, pre-release, and have limited platform verification.
- Open Duet does not provide model access. You handle the provider account, terms, and usage costs.
- Open Duet's connected apps were tested against a fake Composio, and the phone app is source-only and early.
Is Open Dots growing? Usage data
In the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, Open Dots ranked #38 on the Devtoolwatch Board and #22 in Coding agents, with a momentum score of 79 out of 100.
Show the weekly numbers
| Week of | New stars |
|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | 55 |
| Aug 16, 2026 | 59 |
| Aug 23, 2026 | 64 |
| Aug 30, 2026 | 42 |
| Sep 6, 2026 | 46 |
| Sep 13, 2026 | 37 |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 24 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 1k |
| Oct 4, 2026 | 341 |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 178 |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 300 |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 300 |
The Board ranks tools by four signals each week: new stars, new stars for the repo's size, added downloads and download growth beyond the market. How the ranking works.
Open Dots alternatives
Other AI coding agents on the Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum:
| Rank | Tool | Stars | Downloads/wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | CindyCindy is an open-source AI agent app for desktop and mobile that combines Claude Code, Codex and Pi across your connected devices. | 8.8k | – |
| #2 | OpenMausBotOpenMausBot is an open-source desktop chat app where each contact is a local Claude, Codex, or Grok CLI agent with its own computer. | 9.6k | – |
| #3 | OrcaOrca is a desktop agent development environment for running Claude Code, Codex, and other CLI coding agents in parallel, each in its own… | 111.7k | – |
| #4 | OpenBotOpenBot is an open-source, self-hosted template for AI coworkers that each get their own browser, files and granted tools, with every… | 9.1k | – |
| #5 | Agent ReachAgent Reach is a Python CLI that lets AI agents search and read platforms such as Twitter, Reddit, YouTube, GitHub, Bilibili and… | 107.2k | – |
| #6 | Skill RecorderSkill Recorder is a desktop app that records your on-screen work session and turns it into a reusable agent Skill or Automation. | 5.6k | – |
Recent Open Dots releases
- v0.7.0 (pre-release), Oct 30, 2026
- v0.6.0 (pre-release), Oct 29, 2026
- mobile-v0.1.0 (pre-release), Oct 28, 2026
- v0.5.1 (pre-release), Oct 28, 2026
- v0.5.0 (pre-release), Oct 28, 2026
Open Dots FAQ
Is Open Dots free and open source?
Yes. Open Dots's source code is on GitHub (Anil-matcha/open-duet) under the Apache 2.0 license, so you can use it for free.
Is Open Dots still maintained?
Yes. The Anil-matcha/open-duet repository was last updated on Oct 31, 2026, and the latest release, v0.7.0 on GitHub, came out on Oct 30, 2026.
How popular is Open Dots?
Open Dots has 6.4k GitHub stars as of Nov 1, 2026. It gained 300 new stars in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, against a 12-week average of 205 a week. That made it #22 among AI coding agents on the Devtoolwatch Board.
What are the best alternatives to Open Dots?
Other AI coding agents on the Devtoolwatch Board in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, by momentum: Cindy (#1), OpenMausBot (#2), Orca (#3), OpenBot (#4), Agent Reach (#5). The alternatives table above has their numbers.
Does Open Duet include an AI model?
No. Open Duet does not include a model or a model subscription. You connect an engine such as Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, OpenRouter, or an OpenAI-compatible API like Ollama, and model usage may cost money.
Where does Open Duet store my data?
Open Duet stores conversations, notes, routines, and settings in the local data folder or server database of your instance. Saved API keys are encrypted. The selected engine receives the prompt and the context needed for each turn.
Do Open Duet routines need my computer running?
Yes, routines run in the backend, so the backend must stay running. A self-hosted server keeps agents and routines available while your computer is off.
Can Open Duet agents control a computer or browser?
Yes, optionally. Agents can get an isolated Docker computer, a Boat cloud computer in the desktop app, or a local browser. These features are experimental and off until you enable them.
Is there an Open Duet phone app?
Yes, an early Android app pairs with your own server as a chat-only device. It can stop answers and allow or deny tool calls. It is source-only, with no store release and no push notifications.
Sources
Open Dots README badge
Maintainers can show the tool's weekly Board rank in their README:
[](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/anil-matcha-open-dots/)How this page is made: Devtoolwatch writes each review from the project's README, releases, package metadata and website, with an AI model, then checks every claim against the source it cites and drops what the sources don't support. The numbers come from Devtoolwatch's daily GitHub snapshots, GitHub's stargazer history, and the npm and PyPI download APIs. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].