Ghostdesk
Give any AI agent a full desktop — it sees the screen, clicks, types, and runs apps like a human. Automate anything with a UI: browsers, legacy software, internal tools. No API needed. One Docker command.
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What is Ghostdesk?
GhostDesk is an AI agent platform that gives your AI a full sandboxed Linux desktop (Ubuntu 24.04) with eyes, hands, keyboard, and mouse—allowing it to automate any task a human could do on a desktop. Unlike traditional automation tools that require API wiring, drag-and-drop workflows, and glue code between services, GhostDesk operates through natural language prompts alone. The agent sees the screen, clicks, types, and navigates applications exactly as a human would, making it tolerant to UI changes and requiring no integration layer to maintain.
Key features include an isolated desktop environment that keeps the agent's work completely sandboxed from your host system (protecting files, sessions, and secrets), MCP compatibility with Claude Code, Cursor, VSCode, OpenCode, OpenClaw and any Model Context Protocol client, and model agnosticism supporting Claude, GPT, Gemini, Qwen, Llama, Mistras—both proprietary cloud and open-source local models. The platform is self-hosted on your infrastructure so your data never leaves your perimeter, includes audit & governance with every action tracked and explainable, offers configurable autonomy from 100% autonomous to human approval per action, supports scalable agent fleets with auto-scaling for peak loads, and is fully open source with auditable, deployable code.
GhostDesk is designed for technical teams and enterprises looking to move beyond the limits of traditional low-code and no-code automation tools. It's particularly valuable for automating UI-based workflows involving browsers, legacy software, internal tools, CRMs, email clients, and applications without APIs. Enterprise customers can access custom sandbox architecture, custom skills for in-house ERPs and business tools, hybrid cloud/on-premise deployment, large-scale agent fleet orchestration, critical workflow optimization services, and ongoing maintenance with dedicated SLA and priority security updates.
Ghostdesk pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
GhostDesk is open source and free to self-host. The core MCP server is community-built and free to run with no license fee—you only need Docker to deploy it using the command 'docker run -d --name ghostdesk -p 3000:3000 -p 6080:6080 ghcr.io/yv17labs/ghostdesk:latest'. For enterprises, custom cloud deployment, custom sandbox architecture, custom skills for applications, large-scale agent fleet orchestration, critical workflow optimization, and maintenance with ongoing support are available through paid enterprise services with annual contracts and dedicated SLAs. Contact the YV17labs team via [email protected] for enterprise deployment pricing. You still pay for whichever LLM provider you choose (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.) separately.
Ghostdesk pros
- No APIs or glue code required—just natural language prompts
- Fully sandboxed isolated Linux desktop protects host system
- MCP compatible with Claude Code, Cursor, VSCode, OpenCode, OpenClaw
- Model agnostic—works with Claude, GPT, Gemini, Qwen, Llama, Mistral
- Self-hosted so data never leaves your infrastructure perimeter
- Open source with auditable, transparent code—no black box
- Configurable autonomy from 100% autonomous to human approval per action
- Built-in audit & governance with every action tracked and explainable
- Tolerant to UI changes unlike API-based automation that breaks
- Scales to agent fleets with auto-scaling for peak loads
- Zero risk for your files, sessions, or secrets due to isolation
- Automates anything with a UI including browsers and legacy software
- Real-time or retrospective human supervision possible
- Human intervention available at any point during execution
- Ubuntu 24.04 desktop ready with customizable installed apps
Ghostdesk cons
- Requires self-hosting and Docker infrastructure setup
- No hosted SaaS option mentioned for non-technical users
- Enterprise services require custom sales contact—no transparent pricing
- Only Linux desktop available—no Windows or macOS native support
- Learning curve for prompt engineering and configuration
- Requires MCP-compatible client to connect (not standalone)
- Agent fleet orchestration likely needs DevOps expertise
- Custom skills for enterprise apps require paid engineering services
Frequently asked questions about Ghostdesk
What is GhostDesk?
GhostDesk is an AI agent that runs its own virtual Linux desktop. It gives your AI agent eyes, hands, and a full sandboxed Ubuntu 24.04 desktop isolated from yours, allowing the agent to automate any task a human could do on a desktop by seeing the screen, clicking, and typing—without requiring any APIs or glue code.
How do I install GhostDesk?
Run the Docker command: docker run -d --name ghostdesk -p 3000:3000 -p 6080:6080 ghcr.io/yv17labs/ghostdesk:latest. Then connect your MCP-compatible client (Claude Code, Cursor, VSCode, OpenCode, OpenClaw) to http://localhost:3000/mcp. You can observe the agent at http://localhost:6080/vnc.html.
What models does GhostDesk support?
GhostDesk is model agnostic and supports Claude, GPT, Gemini, Qwen, Llama, Mistral—both proprietary cloud models and open-source local models. You choose the model via the agent configuration with no lock-in to any specific provider.
Is GhostDesk safe for my data?
Yes. The agent works in its own sandboxed Linux desktop fully isolated from your host system. This provides zero risk for your files, sessions, or secrets. You define the installed apps and authorized accesses, and your data never leaves your infrastructure perimeter when self-hosted.
What MCP clients are compatible?
GhostDesk is compatible with Claude Code, Cursor, VSCode, OpenCode, OpenClaw, and any client that respects the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Your agent instantly gains vision, keyboard, and mouse capabilities when connected.
Can I control how autonomous the agent is?
Yes. GhostDesk offers configurable autonomy—you can set it to 100% autonomous or require human approval for specific actions. You define the risk level per action, and real-time or retrospective supervision is possible with human intervention available at any time.
Is GhostDesk open source?
Yes, GhostDesk is fully open source with open, auditable, deployable code. There is no black box on your critical path, and the community can review and contribute to the codebase available on GitHub.
What tools does the agent have access to?
The agent has 11 tools including screenshot() for capturing the screen, mouse_click()/mouse_drag()/mouse_scroll() for complete mouse control, type_text()/press_key() for keyboard input, exec() for shell commands, launch() to open GUI applications, and get_clipboard()/set_clipboard() for clipboard access.
Can GhostDesk scale for enterprise use?
Yes. GhostDesk supports scalable agent fleet orchestration with auto-scaling for peak loads. Enterprise services include custom sandbox architecture, fine-grained permissions, secure secrets, hybrid cloud/on-premise deployment, high availability, and dynamic adaptation to load.
What enterprise services does YV17labs offer?
Enterprise services include custom sandbox architecture with isolation and compliance, custom skills for in-house ERPs and business tools, integration into your stack, large-scale deployment with auto-scaling, critical workflow optimization with prompt design support, and maintenance with annual contracts, dedicated SLA, priority security updates, and continuous team training.