OpenAra
Health Pass
- License — License: MIT
- Description — Repository has a description
- Active repo — Last push 0 days ago
- Community trust — 46 GitHub stars
Code Fail
- rm -rf — Recursive force deletion command in scripts/build-cursor-motion-dmg.sh
- rm -rf — Recursive force deletion command in scripts/build-openara-app.sh
Permissions Pass
- Permissions — No dangerous permissions requested
OpenAra provides "Computer Use" capabilities (simulating mouse and keyboard input) to AI agents via a local MCP server. It integrates with clients like Claude, Cursor, and Gemini.
Security Assessment
Risk: Medium. This tool inherently requires access to sensitive data because it is designed to control your local machine. It can simulate user inputs, capture screens, and execute actions. Additionally, the rule-based scan flagged `rm -rf` (recursive force deletion) commands inside two build scripts (`scripts/build-cursor-motion-dmg.sh` and `scripts/build-openara-app.sh`). While common in build scripts to clean directories, any destructive shell command warrants a manual code review before running. The project does not request overtly dangerous OS permissions, and no hardcoded secrets were detected.
Quality Assessment
The project appears healthy and actively maintained. It received a push very recently (0 days ago), showing active development. It benefits from a clear MIT license, which is excellent for open-source adoption and trust. The repository has garnered 46 GitHub stars, indicating a small but growing community interest and basic peer validation.
Verdict
Use with caution—ensure you review the build scripts and trust the source, as granting an AI agent control over your local computer carries inherent risks.
Open-source Computer Use in any agent.
Install
npm i -g @openara/cli && openara
Add to Claude Code / Claude Desktop
openara install-claude-mcp
Writes mcpServers.openara into both ~/.claude.json (Claude Code) and ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (Claude Desktop).
Add to Cursor
openara install-cursor-mcp
Writes mcpServers.openara into ~/.cursor/mcp.json.
Add to Codex CLI
openara install-codex-mcp
Writes [mcp_servers.openara] into ~/.codex/config.toml.
Add to Codex App
openara install-codex-plugin
Installs OpenAra as a Codex plugin (manifest under plugins/openara/).
Add to Gemini CLI
openara install-gemini-mcp # current project (./.gemini/settings.json)
openara install-gemini-mcp --scope user # global (~/.gemini/settings.json)
Add to OpenCode
openara install-opencode-mcp
Writes mcpServers.openara into ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json.
What it gives you
- A local Computer Use MCP server. Nine well-tested desktop-control tools (
list_apps,get_app_state,click,type_text,press_key,set_value,scroll,drag,perform_secondary_action) callable from any MCP-aware client. - Native macOS Swift runtime — built on Accessibility + AppKit, no Electron, no Python.
- Accessibility-first execution. Tries to drive UI through semantic AX paths before falling back to coordinate-level HID input — you keep using your computer while the agent works.
- One-line installers for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex CLI, Codex App (plugin), Gemini CLI, and OpenCode.
- Visible cursor overlay when the agent does need to move a pointer, so you can see what it's about to do.
Manual MCP config
If your agent doesn't have an installer above, or you want to see exactly what's being written, here are the raw configs.
Claude Code
Add to your project's .claude.json (or ~/.claude.json for global):
{
"mcpServers": {
"openara": {
"command": "openara",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}
Claude Desktop
Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"openara": {
"command": "openara",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}
Cursor
Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (or <project>/.cursor/mcp.json for project-scoped):
{
"mcpServers": {
"openara": {
"command": "openara",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}
Codex CLI
Add to ~/.codex/config.toml:
[mcp_servers.openara]
command = "openara"
args = ["mcp"]
Codex App (plugin)
OpenAra ships as a Codex plugin under plugins/openara/. From a packaged release run openara install-codex-plugin. From source, point Codex App's local plugin marketplace at this repo's .agents/plugins/marketplace.json.
Gemini CLI
Add to ./.gemini/settings.json for the current project, or ~/.gemini/settings.json for global use:
{
"mcpServers": {
"openara": {
"command": "openara",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}
OpenCode
Add to ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"openara": {
"command": "openara",
"args": ["mcp"]
}
}
}
macOS permissions
OpenAra needs Accessibility and Screen Recording to read window state and drive UI. The first run launches an onboarding window that takes you through granting both. To re-check at any time:
openara doctor
CLI reference
openara # first-run onboarding / no-op once granted
openara mcp # stdio MCP server
openara call list_apps # one tool, prints MCP-style JSON
openara call get_app_state --args '{"app":"TextEdit"}'
openara call --calls '[{"tool":"get_app_state","args":{"app":"TextEdit"}}]'
openara call --calls-file examples/textedit-overlay-seq.json --sleep 0.5
openara doctor # permissions check
openara install-claude-mcp # write Claude Code + Claude Desktop config
openara install-cursor-mcp # write Cursor config
openara install-codex-mcp # write Codex CLI config
openara install-codex-plugin # install as Codex plugin
openara install-gemini-mcp [--scope user] # write Gemini CLI config
openara install-opencode-mcp # write OpenCode config
openara -h
Build from source
For contributors, or while the npm package is still being prepared:
git clone https://github.com/Aradotso/OpenAra.git
cd OpenAra
# Build everything (kit + apps + smoke suite)
swift build -c release
# Run the binary directly
.build/release/OpenAra -h
You can also run through Swift Package Manager during development. Anywhere this README says openara <command>, substitute swift run OpenAra <command> from inside the repo:
swift run OpenAra -h
swift run OpenAra mcp # start the stdio MCP server
swift run OpenAra call list_apps # call a single tool
swift run OpenAra doctor # check macOS permissions
swift run OpenAra install-claude-mcp # write Claude Code config
License
MIT — forked from iFurySt/open-codex-computer-use.
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