DeepSeek agent harness — open-source AI agent that runs on DeepSeek
Looking for a harness to run DeepSeek as an agent? OpenWorkBuddy is an open-source, local-first agent with tools, skills, approvals and file checks — paste a DeepSeek API key and it works.
The short version
DeepSeek makes the DeepSeek models and offers them through an OpenAI-compatible API.
A model alone doesn't open files, run commands or check its own work. People look for a harness — the agent loop, tools and safety around the model — that works well with DeepSeek.
OpenWorkBuddy is that harness: DeepSeek is a one-click preset, prompts are laid out so DeepSeek's context cache hits, and every tool call goes through the same approvals and file checks.
What you get with OpenWorkBuddy
Real files on your disk
PPTX, DOCX, XLSX and HTML are written to your own folder. If the agent claims a file it didn't write, the run is stopped and redone.
Bring your own model
DeepSeek, Qwen (DashScope), Doubao (Volcengine Ark), GLM, Kimi, OpenAI, Claude, OpenRouter or a local Ollama model — switch in the settings, per task.
Runs on your machine
Sessions, files and keys stay local. The server listens on 127.0.0.1 by default; put it on your own server when a team needs it.
Uses Claude Code or Codex as an engine
Already have the Claude Code or Codex CLI installed? Pick it as the engine and keep your existing plan.
Skills are Markdown files
36 built-in skills, 43 tools, 52 connectors, MCP. Adding a skill means dropping a skill.md into a folder — no rebuild.
Desktop, web and command line
An Electron app, a browser UI and an openworkbuddy CLI share the same sessions. Scheduled tasks and chat bots (Feishu, QQ, WeChat; DingTalk, Telegram and Slack through a webhook) can drive it too.
When to stay with DeepSeek
You only need chat, or you're building your own agent from scratch on the raw API.
Try it in three minutes
Download the installer, or clone the repo and run npm install && npm start. Add one model key in the setup wizard and ask for your first file.
Other comparisons
- Open-source Claude Cowork alternative — self-hosted, any model
- Codex alternative for office work — open-source AI agent that makes files
- Open-source WorkBuddy alternative — local AI office agent
- Doubao office alternative — open-source, runs Doubao models locally
- Qwen office alternative — open-source agent that runs Qwen models