Claude Cowork is a fascinating idea for non-devs, but I wanted a version that was open-source, lightweight, and strictly model-agnostic.
So I spent the last 24 hours with Claude Code and here it comes:
Native Rust, Zero-Wrappers: This isn't just another agent wrapper. It's a ground-up implementation in Rust. No heavy dependencies, no Python bloat, and no reliance on OpenCode/AgentSDK. Just raw performance and a tiny binary.
Docker Sandboxing: Since agents execute code, security is paramount. Open Cowork runs commands inside a transient Docker container.
BYOK (Bring Your Own Key): Use OpenAI, Anthropic, or run entirely offline with Ollama/Local LLMs. You own the keys and the privacy.
Skills, and MCPs: It can already handle complex document tasks (PDF, Excel, etc.) out of the box.
The Development Story: The most interesting part is that I had zero Rust experience before this weekend. It was a surreal experience: an AI agent (Claude Code) helping me build a faster, secure, and open-source version of "itself."
The project is live on GitHub: Open-source Alternative for Claude Code Desktop App
It's still very early, and there's a long roadmap ahead.
Any feedback is welcome!
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