# Goose review

> Goose is an open source, general-purpose AI agent with a desktop app, CLI, and API that works with any LLM provider.

Devtoolwatch Board, the week of Oct 25–31, 2026. Canonical page: https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/goose/

## TL;DR

Goose is an open source AI agent that runs on your machine as a desktop app, CLI, or embeddable API. Goose suits developers who want an agent that installs, executes, edits, and tests code. It also handles research, writing, and automation. Goose works with 15+ LLM providers and connects to 70+ extensions through the Model Context Protocol.

## Goose at a glance

- **Category:** [Coding agents](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/categories/coding-agents/)
- **Maintained by:** goose (organization, [@aaif-goose](https://github.com/aaif-goose) on GitHub)
- **License:** Apache 2.0
- **Language:** Rust, TypeScript, Python
- **Repository:** [github.com/aaif-goose/goose](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose)
- **Website:** [goose-docs.ai](https://goose-docs.ai/)
- **Latest release:** [v1.56.0](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose/releases/tag/v1.56.0) on GitHub, Oct 23, 2026
- **First published:** Aug 23, 2024

## What Goose does

- Goose goes beyond code suggestions: it can install, execute, edit, and test with any LLM.
- Goose connects to 70+ extensions via the Model Context Protocol, including databases, APIs, browsers, GitHub, and Google Drive.
- Goose recipes capture workflows as portable YAML configs that you can share with a team or run in CI.
- Goose can spawn independent subagents to handle tasks like code review and research in parallel.
- Goose works as an ACP server, so you can connect to it from Zed, JetBrains, or VS Code.
- Goose includes prompt injection detection, tool permission controls, sandbox mode, and an adversary reviewer for unsafe actions.
- Goose MCP Apps let extensions render interactive UIs such as buttons, forms, and visualizations inside goose Desktop.

### How it works

Goose runs locally as a native desktop app, a CLI, or an API. Goose is built in Rust. Goose connects to LLM providers such as Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Ollama, OpenRouter, Azure, and Bedrock, using API keys or existing Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini subscriptions via ACP. Goose uses MCP extensions to reach tools and data. Goose can also use ACP agents like Claude Code and Codex as providers.

## How to install Goose

**Install the CLI**

```
curl -fsSL https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose/releases/download/stable/download_cli.sh | bash
```

### Requirements

- Goose runs on macOS, Linux, or Windows.
- Goose requires an LLM provider API key or an existing Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini subscription via ACP.

### First steps

1. Download the Goose desktop app for macOS, Linux, or Windows, or install the CLI with the install script.
2. Run first-time configure, where Goose prompts you to choose a goose mode.
3. Connect Goose to an LLM provider using an API key or an existing Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini subscription.
4. Add MCP extensions to give Goose access to tools like databases, browsers, and GitHub.

## Who Goose is for

- Developers who want an agent that executes, edits, and tests code with their choice of LLM.
- Teams that want to share repeatable agent workflows as YAML recipes and run them in CI.
- Developers using Zed, JetBrains, or VS Code who want an agent over ACP.
- Users who want local models through Ollama or several cloud providers in one agent.

### Limitations

- Goose recipe parameters are capped at 32 params, 200 select options, and 128 KiB.
- Goose is a general-purpose agent, so it is not focused only on coding.

## Usage data (the week of Oct 25–31, 2026)

- Board rank: #110 overall, #46 in Coding agents, momentum score 61
- New GitHub stars per week (last 12 weeks): Aug 9: 308; Aug 16: 451; Aug 23: 428; Aug 30: 306; Sep 6: 270; Sep 13: 337; Sep 20: 251; Sep 27: 266; Oct 4: 278; Oct 11: 292; Oct 18: 330; Oct 25: 433

## Goose alternatives

| Rank | Tool | Stars | Downloads/wk |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | [Cindy](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/makecindy-cindy/) | 8.8k | – |
| #2 | [OpenMausBot](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/milind-soni-openmausbot/) | 9.6k | – |
| #3 | [Orca](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/stablyai-orca/) | 111.7k | – |
| #4 | [OpenBot](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/copilotkit-openbot/) | 9.1k | – |
| #5 | [Agent Reach](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/panniantong-agent-reach/) | 107.2k | – |
| #6 | [Skill Recorder](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/microsoft-skill-recorder/) | 5.6k | – |

## Goose FAQ

### Is Goose free and open source?

Yes. Goose's source code is on GitHub (aaif-goose/goose) under the Apache 2.0 license, so you can use it for free.

### How do I install Goose?

Run `curl -fsSL https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose/releases/download/stable/download_cli.sh | bash`. The install section above has the other options from the project's README.

### Is Goose still maintained?

Yes. The aaif-goose/goose repository was last updated on Oct 25, 2026, and the latest release, v1.56.0 on GitHub, came out on Oct 23, 2026.

### How popular is Goose?

Goose has 56.1k GitHub stars as of Nov 1, 2026. It gained 433 new stars in the week of Oct 25–31, 2026, against a 12-week average of 329 a week. That made it #46 among AI coding agents on the Devtoolwatch Board.

### Goose vs OpenCode: how do they compare?

Goose and OpenCode are both tracked by Devtoolwatch as AI coding agents. Goose has 56.1k GitHub stars and OpenCode has 223.6k. OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent that helps you write and run code in a terminal, desktop app, or IDE extension. [OpenCode review](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/tools/opencode/)

### What are the best alternatives to Goose?

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.

### How do you use the Goose AI agent?

Goose is available as a desktop app, a CLI, or an API. You connect Goose to an LLM provider, then give it tasks. Goose can install, execute, edit, and test code. You can add MCP extensions and use recipes to capture workflows.

### Which LLMs does Goose support?

Goose works with 15+ providers, including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Ollama, OpenRouter, Azure, and Bedrock. Goose also accepts existing Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini subscriptions via ACP. Goose can use ACP agents like Claude Code and Codex as providers.

### Can Goose be used from an IDE?

Yes. Goose works as an Agent Client Protocol server. You can connect to Goose from Zed, JetBrains, or VS Code.

### Is Goose only for coding?

No. Goose is a general-purpose agent. You can use Goose for research, writing, automation, data analysis, and code.

### How does Goose handle safety?

Goose offers prompt injection detection, tool permission controls, and a sandbox mode. Goose also has an adversary reviewer that watches for unsafe actions.

### Can Goose run multiple tasks at once?

Yes. Goose can spawn independent subagents to run tasks in parallel. You can limit concurrent subagents with GOOSE_MAX_CONCURRENT_SUBAGENTS, and failed or cancelled delegate subagents can be resumed.

## Sources

1. [aaif-goose/goose on GitHub](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose)
2. [Goose README](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose/blob/main/README.md)
3. [Goose website](https://goose-docs.ai/)
4. [Release v1.56.0 (Oct 23, 2026)](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose/releases/tag/v1.56.0)
5. [Release v1.55.0 (Oct 16, 2026)](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose/releases/tag/v1.55.0)
6. [Release v1.54.0 (Oct 8, 2026)](https://github.com/aaif-goose/goose/releases/tag/v1.54.0)
7. [Devtoolwatch Board, the week of Oct 25–31, 2026](https://index.devtoolwatch.com/)