Last updated: November 5, 2026
Open Duet 0.8 is an Apache-2.0, self-hosted workspace for named AI coworkers with memory, routines and approval gates. Version 0.8.2 (November 5, 2026) adds phone-side agent and room management, local Whisper dictation, desktop notifications, mid-turn messaging and a full-screen team workspace. You bring your own engine and pay that provider for model use.
Contents
- What changed in 0.8.0–0.8.2
- Engines, approvals and capabilities
- How to run Open Duet 0.8
- Phone app, pairing scopes and Whisper
- Hosted plans vs self-host costs
- Open Duet vs Claude Duet
- Limitations and power-user tips
- FAQ
What changed in 0.8.0–0.8.2
Open Duet (formerly branded Open Dots in some install paths) is an open-source alternative to waitlist-only agent products such as Claude Duet. The project README describes named agents with instructions, memory, routines, optional isolated computers and human approval before actions. It does not ship a model subscription; you connect an engine you already pay for.
According to the project changelog, 0.8.0 and 0.8.1 landed on November 3, 2026 with settings search (Cmd/Ctrl+K), 13 interface languages, a redesigned Agents editor, Uninterrupted access for routines, and phone access to conversation workspace files. 0.8.2, published November 5, 2026 as a pre-release on GitHub, adds:
- Phone pairing with a Chat, files and agents (
manage) scope so a phone can create, edit, duplicate, pin and archive agents and rooms (workspace folder, Accept edits, connected apps and the lead role stay locked to full-access devices). - Local-network
http://phone connections to private addresses; other hosts still need HTTPS. - Local Whisper voice dictation, desktop OS notifications and version update alerts.
- Per-agent default reasoning effort, bulk Select all / Clear all for routine connected-app permissions, and desktop import of prompt JSON or v1 profile ZIPs as Ask-first agents.
- Mid-turn messaging (steer on engines that support it; queue otherwise), disabled hard active-time answer limit by default, and a full-screen Team coordination workspace.
GitHub listed about 6,800 stars when checked on November 5, 2026. X recent post counts for “Open Duet” variants totaled about 1,463 over roughly seven days. Google Suggest returns “open duet” and “open duet ai”; no search-volume figures are available.
Engines, approvals and capabilities
Open Duet drives turns through an engine adapter. The engines documentation lists:
| Engine | Kind | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Claude (claude) |
CLI | Tools, approvals, images, computers, team MCP |
Codex (codex) |
CLI | Tools, approvals, Docker computers; mid-turn steer |
| Gemini CLI / Antigravity / Cursor | ACP | Presets; Antigravity installs Google’s ACP runtime |
| OpenCode | ACP (opt-in) | Experimental; off unless enabled |
| Custom ACP / OpenAI-compatible / OpenRouter | ACP or API | API engines are chat-only (no tools) |
Approval modes include Ask first, Accept edits, Approve for me (native reviewer on Claude, Codex and Cursor) and Plan only. Routines never approve actions by themselves. Team leads that delegate need Claude or Codex. For Antigravity CLI details on FreeAnswers, see the Antigravity CLI 1.5 guide and the Gemini CLI 0.67 guide.
How to run Open Duet 0.8
- Install Node.js 22+, uv, and at least one engine (for a CLI engine, install and sign in before launching).
- Clone the repo and start the desktop app from source:
git clone https://github.com/Anil-matcha/open-duet.git, thencd open-duet/desktopandnpm run app. - Or download the experimental unsigned macOS arm64 DMG / Windows x64 installer from the v0.8.2 release and verify the published SHA-256 before opening it.
- Open Settings → Engines, use Check again, and confirm an engine is ready.
- Create a named agent with a clear job, workspace folder and approval mode (start with Ask first).
- Start a chat, answer approval cards, then add teammates or a routine when the flow is stable.
- Optional: enable Docker only if you want isolated agent computers; self-host with HTTPS if you need always-on routines and phone pairing.
Related open agent stacks on FreeAnswers include OpenClaw 2026.10.10 and OpenCode 2.2.
Phone app, pairing scopes and Whisper
The Expo/React Native phone app pairs to your server by QR or code. Earlier 0.8 releases added Chat-and-files access. In 0.8.2, choose Chat, files and agents for manage scope. Pairing and Settings warn when a local-network HTTP link is not encrypted. 0.8.2 also ships local Whisper dictation and desktop OS notifications so long turns can finish without watching the window.
Hosted plans vs self-host costs
Self-hosting and the desktop app are free software (Apache 2.0); you still pay for model usage and any infrastructure. The separate hosted product on Suparagent publishes these monthly compute plans (AI usage always billed by your provider):
| Plan | Monthly price | Included running compute | Machine disk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free preview | $0 | Billed to your Boat account | Small profile |
| Starter | $15 | 100 hours / billing period | 51 GB |
| Standard | $49 | 300 hours | 51 GB |
| Pro | $99 | 720 hours | 111 GB |
Paid compute hours count while the sandbox is running, including idle time. At the limit the workspace stops until renewal or a plan change; overages are not charged. Export important files before a paid plan ends—disk retention after stop is limited.
Open Duet vs Claude Duet
Claude Duet is Anthropic’s hosted proactive agent app (waitlist, Pro/Max/Ultra in the United States at launch). Open Duet is self-hosted or separately hosted, multi-engine, and approval-first by design. Use Claude Duet when you want Anthropic’s managed product; use Open Duet when you need your own data path, Claude/Codex/Gemini/Cursor/local models under one UI, or phone control of a personal server. You can keep both: run Open Duet with the Claude CLI while you wait for Duet access.
Limitations and power-user tips
The README marks desktop installers, self-hosting, agent computers and newer team features as experimental. Self-hosting is single-owner, not multi-user org hosting. Phone has been exercised on Android, not iOS, with no push notifications or store release. Connected apps go through your Composio key and are qualified mainly against a fake Composio. Prefer Ask first until saved rules are tight; keep Uninterrupted routine access off until you trust the exact action grants; pin a fallback engine for usage limits; and treat mid-turn steer as best-effort outside Codex.
FAQ
Is Open Duet free?
The open-source desktop and self-hosted core are Apache 2.0. Model usage and any hosted Suparagent compute are separate bills. Open Duet does not include an AI model.
Which engines work in Open Duet 0.8?
Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Google Gemini through Antigravity, Cursor, custom ACP agents, OpenRouter and OpenAI-compatible endpoints such as Ollama or LM Studio. OpenCode is experimental and opt-in. Tooling differs by engine.
Can the phone create agents?
Yes in 0.8.2 with the Chat, files and agents pairing scope. Full-access restrictions still block workspace folder changes, Accept edits, connected apps and the lead role from limited devices.
Does a routine approve tool calls by itself?
No. The project states a routine never approves an action by itself. Uninterrupted access only applies when you explicitly enable it for that routine’s granted tools.
Where do I get installers?
From the GitHub Releases page. v0.8.2 publishes Open-Duet-0.8.2-arm64.dmg and Open-Duet-Setup-0.8.2.exe as unsigned experimental builds—verify SHA-256 before installing.
How is this different from OpenClaw or OpenCode?
Open Duet focuses on named multi-agent coworkers, approvals, routines and optional phones/computers. OpenClaw centers on advisor/MCP relay automations; OpenCode is primarily a coding agent CLI that Open Duet can also call as an experimental ACP engine.
Sources: