Overview
Wandesk is an open-source AI desktop from the Sider AI team that turns a plain-English request into a fully working local application. Instead of chatting with an assistant in one window and stitching the output into another tool, users describe an app — a calorie tracker, an invoice generator, a reading list — and Wandesk generates the React UI, Node backend and SQLite storage on the user's machine in a single pass.
The desktop ships with Chat, Notebook, Ledger, Tasks, Files and Memory built in, and every app shares the same agent core. That means a note written in the Notebook is visible to a custom dashboard the AI just generated, and preferences captured during one conversation carry into the next. Wandesk can surface Claude Code and Codex as desktop apps when the relevant CLI is installed, so coding agents can be used from inside the workspace instead of only through separate terminal windows.
Wandesk is aimed at builders and power users who want a private, extensible AI workspace without subscriptions, accounts or cloud lock-in. It stores apps, files and memory locally, supports provider-neutral model configuration including OpenAI-compatible endpoints, and is released under the permissive ISC license. Prompts and context may still be sent to the configured AI provider unless the user connects a local endpoint.
Key Features
- App Workshop — Describe a tool in natural language and Wandesk scaffolds a complete local app (React frontend, HTTP/WebSocket backend, SQLite database) in one generation, removing the boilerplate that usually blocks one-off internal tools.
- Shared context across apps — Every built-in or generated app reads from the same agent core and memory store, so files, notes and tasks created in one place are immediately usable by another without copy-paste.
- Persistent, inspectable memory — Wandesk learns user preferences, recurring tasks and domain vocabulary, and exposes the memory store as plain data the user can audit, edit or wipe.
- Native Claude Code and Codex panels — Claude Code and Codex can be surfaced as desktop apps when their CLIs are installed, sharing the same local workspace context with the rest of Wandesk, instead of living in isolated CLI windows.
- Bring-your-own-model, provider agnostic — Plug in API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Kimi, Qwen, Gemini or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint; the desktop also includes trial credits on a hosted Wandesk model for users who want to try it before wiring up keys.
- Local-first storage and execution — Files, generated apps and memory live in a folder on the user's disk; Wandesk does not provide automatic cloud sync or remote backup; prompts, context and request payloads may still be sent to whichever AI provider the user configures.
How to Get Started
- Pick a distribution. Download the packaged macOS or Windows desktop app from wandesk.ai, or clone the GitHub repository and run from source if a Linux build or modifications are needed.
- From source (optional). Install Node.js 22.5 or newer (required for the native SQLite module), run
npm installin the cloned repo, thennpm run devand openhttp://localhost:9502. - Add a model. On first launch Wandesk works out of the box with bundled trial credits on the hosted Wandesk model. To use a different provider, paste an API key for OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Kimi, Qwen or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint into Settings → Models.
- Open the App Workshop. Describe an app — for example, "a habit tracker with weekly streaks and a JSON export" — and Wandesk generates the UI, backend and database. Generated apps live in the local Wandesk workspace and can be iterated through Wandesk; verify direct file-level editing workflows in the current build before promising editor-level control.
- Wire up coding agents (optional). Enable the Claude Code or Codex panels to use them against the same project files and shared memory as the rest of the workspace.
Pricing & Plans
Wandesk is distributed for free under the ISC open-source license. There is no paid tier, no subscription and no account creation step on the desktop app itself.
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Wandesk Desktop | Free | Full desktop app, App Workshop, built-in apps, shared memory, and Claude Code / Codex integration when the relevant CLIs are installed; local usage depends on the user's machine and configured model/API provider |
| Hosted Wandesk model trial | Bundled trial credits | A small allotment of credits on the hosted Wandesk model so users can try the workspace before connecting their own keys |
| Bring-your-own-model | Pay your provider directly | Any OpenAI / Anthropic / DeepSeek / Kimi / Qwen / Gemini / OpenAI-compatible key — billing is between the user and that provider |
Because Wandesk does not resell model access, ongoing cost is whatever the chosen provider charges per token. Users who exceed the bundled Wandesk model trial credits need to connect their own model/API provider and pay that provider directly.
Best For
- Solo developers and indie hackers who want a local sandbox for spinning up internal tools without standing up a separate Node/React project each time.
- Privacy-sensitive professionals — consultants, lawyers, researchers — who need an AI workspace that does not upload client files or chat history to a third-party cloud.
- Power users already paying for an AI assistant API (Claude, OpenAI, DeepSeek) who want a single desktop that uses those keys across chat, coding and custom apps.
- Teams evaluating an open-source alternative to closed AI desktops for productivity workflows, complementing tools listed under AI productivity.
- Tinkerers who want hands-on access to a Claude Code or Codex environment with shared memory rather than isolated terminal sessions.
FAQ
Is Wandesk really free?
Yes. The desktop app is released under the ISC open-source license and is free to download and use on macOS and Windows, or to build from source on other platforms. There is no paid Wandesk plan; the only ongoing cost is whatever a user pays their chosen model provider for API usage.
Does Wandesk send my data to the cloud?
The desktop itself is local-first: generated apps, files and memory live in a folder on the user's machine. By default, desktop data is stored in the local workspace and Wandesk does not provide automatic cloud sync or remote backup. When a third-party AI provider is configured, relevant prompts, context and request payloads may be sent to that provider. If users configure a local endpoint only, Wandesk can run without sending data to any external service.
Which AI models does Wandesk support?
Wandesk works with any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. That includes OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), DeepSeek, Kimi (Moonshot), Qwen (Alibaba), Google Gemini, Kimi, Qwen, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint the user configures. New users get bundled trial credits on a hosted Wandesk model to test the workspace before wiring up their own keys.
What kinds of apps can the App Workshop actually build?
Wandesk is best framed for single-user utilities — trackers, ledgers, dashboards, internal CRUD tools, note-taking variants and lightweight automations — with a React UI, Node backend and SQLite database. It is not aimed at producing production SaaS with multi-tenant auth, payment integrations or large-scale data models without further developer work.
How does Wandesk compare to using Claude Code or Codex on their own?
Claude Code and Codex are terminal-first coding agents focused on editing code in an existing project. Wandesk wraps them inside a broader desktop with chat, notebook, tasks, files and a memory store all sharing context, and adds the App Workshop for generating new local apps. Users who only need a coding agent can keep using Claude Code or Codex standalone; users who want one workspace for chat, coding and custom apps will get more from Wandesk.
Can I install Wandesk on Linux?
There is no prebuilt Linux installer yet, but Wandesk is open source and can be run from source with Git and Node.js 22.5+, though Linux is not offered as a packaged installer. Clone the GitHub repository, run npm install and npm run dev, and open the local URL in a browser-like shell.
Is my generated app code editable?
Yes. Apps generated by the App Workshop live in the local Wandesk workspace; direct source-file editing should be described cautiously unless verified in the current release. Users can open them in any editor, modify the React components or backend handlers, and the changes are picked up by the desktop.
How mature is the project?
Wandesk launched publicly on Product Hunt in 2026 with several hundred upvotes and an active GitHub repository under the Sider AI organization. It is usable today for the workflows above, but anyone evaluating it for a team or business-critical workflow should treat it as an early-stage open-source project — expect rapid iteration, occasional rough edges and a growing rather than mature plugin ecosystem.
