Architecture

opendesk separates what a computer can do (the capability surface) from where that computer lives (local vs. remote) and how agents talk to it (via tools, MCP, etc.). Each layer is independently importable.

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Integrations   MCP  ·  Claude Code  ·  OpenAI  ·  LangChain │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Tools          screenshot · mouse · keyboard · ui ·         │
│                 clipboard · ocr · app · learn · schedule     │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Computer       Computer ABC                                 │
│                   ├─ LocalComputer  (the machine we're on)   │
│                   └─ RemoteComputer (via the wire protocol)  │
│                 ComputerDispatcher (server-side router)      │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Remote         opendesk serve · pair · discover · connect   │
│                 mDNS advertisement & browsing                │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Protocol       frames · msgpack codec · peer (call-id mux)  │
│                 transports: WebSocket (TCP) — future: QUIC   │
│                 auth: X25519 + ChaCha20-Poly1305, pairing PSK│
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Three load-bearing properties:

1. Tools never know whether a Computer is local or remote. The same tool code runs against LocalComputer or RemoteComputer.

2. Bytes are bytes. msgpack bin carries pixmaps, file contents, and process output natively — no base64 anywhere on the wire.

3. Trust is keys, not certs. No CA-signed certificates required. Both peers hold long-lived X25519 keypairs that authenticate each connection.

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Layer guide

Layer	Guide
Computer & Tools	Computer & Tools
Protocol	Protocol Layer
Remote & Integrations	Remote & Integrations
Data Flow	Data Flow
Custom Tools	Adding a Custom Tool