OpenDots vs openworker
CopilotKit template for always-on AI coworkers ('Dots'): each gets a role, tools and its own computer, works in chat, calls and Slack, and saves approved drafts into editable Spaces. — versus — Andrew Ng's local-first desktop AI coworker: give it an outcome and it works across your files, terminal and 25+ apps — Slack, Jira, Notion, Gmail — then hands back the finished deliverable.
Both are AI coworkers that work across files and apps and hand back deliverables. OpenWorker is a single-user local desktop app; OpenDots is a self-hosted web/mobile template with multiple specialist Dots and shared Spaces.
| OpenDots | openworker | |
|---|---|---|
| Stars | 6.4k | 19k |
| Forks | 940 | 2.7k |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Last activity | yesterday | yesterday |
| Topics | agents, orchestration | agents |
| Curated connections | 5 | 7 |
OpenDots — the curator's take
Use it as a starting point for a self-hosted agent workspace where specialist agents share a document library with humans — per-Dot permissions, approve-before-run cards for MCP tools, and an optional persistent browser/terminal per Dot. NOT a hosted product or a plain library: alpha, you run the infrastructure, and conversations need CopilotKit Intelligence (hosted, local Docker eval, or a licensed self-host) — a real dependency to weigh. Want only the governed computer per agent? Take OpenBot.
openworker — the curator's take
Use it when you want an agent that produces artifacts rather than chat: it plans, works across your desktop and connected apps, and stops for approval before sending, writing or running anything. The agent loop, conversations, connector tokens and model keys all stay in the app's local store; bring your own key for 13-plus providers or point it at Ollama. Scheduled automations park their questions in an inbox instead of acting alone. Caveats: it's an open beta desktop app (macOS signed and notarized, Windows builds not yet code-signed), a small cloud service brokers connector OAuth unless you paste credentials by hand, and 'finished work' is only as good as the model you plug in.