Desktop Agent Workflows Without the Terminal Tax

What it does OpenWork is a desktop interface and orchestration layer for OpenCode, pitched as an open-source alternative to Claude Cowork. It runs agentic workflows locally on your machine by default, letting you prompt, review execution plans, and manage permissions through a GUI rather than terminal commands. You can also flip to client mode and connect to a remote OpenCode server when you need to share the load.

The interesting bit The project treats “ejectability” as a feature: because it is powered by OpenCode, anything the CLI can do still works under the hood even if the desktop UI hasn’t caught up yet. That local-first stance is deliberately paired with an explicit opt-in for remote sharing, which keeps the default posture paranoid—host mode binds to 127.0.0.1 and hides model reasoning by default.

Key highlights

• Host mode spawns the OpenCode stack locally; client mode connects to an existing server by URL.
• Built-in skills manager reads and writes opencode.json to install plugins without manual CLI editing.
• Permission requests surface in the UI with granular replies: allow once, always, or deny.
• Templates let you save and rerun common workflows locally.
• SSE event streaming renders OpenCode todos as a live execution timeline.

Caveats

• Windows builds are not available in the open-source release; access is currently gated behind a paid support plan.
• On Linux/Wayland (notably Hyprland), the Tauri shell can crash with WebKitGTK Failed to create GBM buffer errors unless you disable dmabuf or compositing.

Verdict Good fit for teams who want to productize OpenCode workflows without forcing non-developers into a terminal. Skip it if you are looking for a native Windows desktop app or a fully cloud-hosted zero-install experience.