OpenBot is an open source Bot platform with no user interface of its own. You use it through an HTTP API.
You give work to a Bot in plain language. OpenBot runs the work on a server, keeps the history, asks people before risky actions, and gives back results you can check. You bring the client: a script, a service, a chat bot, or your own app.
- API first. Every feature is an HTTP call. One typed contract makes the server, the TypeScript client, and the API reference.
- User tokens. Sign in once in a browser, make a token, and call the API from any program.
- Organization and permissions. Many people can share one OpenBot. Roles and policies decide what each person and each token may do.
- Sessions and Timelines. Work happens in Sessions and Turns. The Timeline keeps versions, so you can go back and try again.
- Bot for Bots. Your default Bot acts for you and gives work to a team of lasting Bots and their Session Bots. Each Bot has its own context and memory.
- Lazy capabilities. Bots have no preset limits. When a Bot tries something new, the decider above it answers, and Grants and Rules keep the answer.
- Plans, todos and triggers. A Bot can plan first and wait for approval, keep a todo list, and wait. A trigger starts its work on a schedule or from a webhook.
- Channels. People talk with a Bot in Slack, Lark, Telegram or their own chat system. Each Turn works for the person who wrote the message.
- Live mode. People talk with a Bot in real time, with sound, over one WebSocket. Each thing they say is a normal Turn.
- Open Apps. Bots find and use Apps that publishers put on the open web with the OpenBot App Protocol.
You need devenv 2.3 or newer and a running Docker service.
devenv shell -- pnpm dev:setup
devenv shell -- pnpm devOpenBot now runs at http://localhost with a test account and test models. Sign
in and make a user token:
curl -c cookies.txt -X POST -H 'Origin: http://localhost' -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{}' http://localhost/auth/development/sign-in
curl -b cookies.txt -H 'Origin: http://localhost' -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"name":"local"}' http://localhost/v1/user/tokensThen call the API with the secret from the answer:
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENBOT_TOKEN" -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"title":"My first Session"}' http://localhost/v1/sessionsRead the docs at docs.openbot.build. The source is
in packages/docs. Run it on your computer:
devenv shell -- pnpm --filter @openbot-build/docs devThen open http://localhost:4321. Start with the Intro and the Quick start.
| Package | What it is |
|---|---|
@openbot-build/openbot |
The server, all its plugins, and its model providers |
@openbot-build/api |
The typed HTTP contract |
@openbot-build/client |
The TypeScript client |
@openbot-build/core |
The Bot core |
@openbot-build/protocol |
The OpenBot App Protocol library |
@openbot-build/protocol-test |
A public test service for the App Protocol |
@openbot-build/cli |
The openbot command |
@openbot-build/computer |
Pairs and connects your own machine as a Computer |
@openbot-build/docs |
The docs site |
devenv shell -- pnpm install
devenv shell -- pnpm build
devenv shell -- pnpm typecheck
devenv shell -- pnpm -r testRead AGENTS.md for the rules of the project.
OpenBot is free software under the
GNU Affero General Public License, version 3 only
(AGPL-3.0-only).
In short: you can use, change, and share OpenBot. If you share a changed copy, or let people use a changed copy over a network, you must give them the source code of your changes under the same license. The LICENSE file has the full, legal text. Only that text decides what you can do.
The client package uses MIT, including the OpenBot code bundled with it. See the client license. Other packages keep AGPL.