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Desktop workspace

Use the desktop-first NextOS workspace for agent work.

The NextOS desktop app is the primary product surface. It wraps the local runtime in a workspace where you can see what agents are doing, respond to permission requests, and keep multiple sessions organized.

What the workspace shows

  • Active sessions for the current project.
  • Message history and generated summaries.
  • Task and subtask state: pending, running, completed, failed, or stale.
  • Tool activity, touched files, and handoff summaries.
  • Pending permission requests grouped by risk and action.
  • Provider, MCP, memory, plugin, theme, and shortcut settings.

When to use desktop instead of TUI

Use desktop when the work may run for a while, fan out into subtasks, require multiple approvals, or involve a document or review workflow. The visual trace is easier to scan than terminal output.

Use TUI when you are already in the terminal and want a compact single-session flow.

Local runtime

The desktop app does not turn NextOS into a hosted IDE. The runtime still operates against your local project, local git state, configured providers, and permission rules.

Common workflow

  1. Open the project in desktop.
  2. Start a session or resume a previous one.
  3. Ask for a plan, then implementation.
  4. Watch task progress and permission requests.
  5. Review changed files and ask for a summary.