QuixiAI/QuixiDesk

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QuixiDesk is a native Rust (tao + wry) desktop workspace with pluggable LLM providers, built-in MCP tools, and a unified task/chat workspace. Its native host runs without an Electron or Node.js application runtime.

Screenshots

Original Workspace

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Appreciation & Credit: REA (morluto/rea)

Special appreciation goes to REA — Reverse Engineer Anything (github.com/morluto/rea).

The native runtime development and analysis benefited from REA. If you are analyzing native binaries, Electron/JavaScript bundles, mobile packages, or complex runtime protocols, check out and star https://github.com/morluto/rea.

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Key Features

• Native Rust Runtime (Zero Electron / Node.js Overhead): Built on tao + wry with a custom app://localhost protocol router (quixi-app, quixi-ipc, quixi-engine, quixi-workspace, quixi-platform, quixi-mcp, quixi-netstack).
• Unified Workspace: Attach local folders, choose file modification permissions, and run multi-turn streaming sessions in one view.
• Built-In In-App Browser Use & Computer Use (Out of the Box):
• In-App Browser: Opens a docked browser pane inside QuixiDesk with multi-tab navigation, isolated page snapshots, and interactive [ref_N] accessibility element inspection.
• Computer Use: Native macOS CoreGraphics screen capture, cursor control, keyboard/mouse synthesis, and window inspection (44 tools active out of the box).
• Pre-Bundled Workspace & Productivity MCPs: Includes quixi-workspace (file index, git pool, shell host), applescript, pdf, memory, fetch, github, office365, Framebuffer, visualize, and scheduled-tasks pre-configured with zero manual setup.
• Original Interface: System typography, light and dark themes, keyboard navigation, and responsive layouts. The replacement interface currently uses English.

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Supported LLM Providers

QuixiDesk includes a built-in Provider Manager (open Settings → Providers) supporting cloud, OAuth, and local inference providers:

Priority Providers

| # | Provider | Auth Modes | Default / Example Models | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | OpenRouter (Recommended) | API Key (OPENROUTER_API_KEY) | openai/gpt-5.4, google/gemini-3.1-pro, deepseek/deepseek-v4.1-flash, x-ai/grok-4 | | 2 | Custom OpenAI-Compatible | API Key / Optional (CUSTOM_LLM_API_KEY) | Any OpenAI /v1/chat/completions endpoint (vLLM, LiteLLM, TabbyAPI, proxies) | | 3 | OpenAI (ChatGPT Plus / Pro & API) | PKCE / Device OAuth or API Key (OPENAI_API_KEY) | gpt-5.4, gpt-5.4-mini, o3, o4-mini, gpt-4.1 | | 4 | xAI Grok (SuperGrok / X & API) | RFC 8628 Device OAuth or API Key (XAI_API_KEY) | grok-4, grok-3, grok-3-mini, grok-code-fast-1 | | 5 | Anthropic (Claude Direct) | API Key (ANTHROPIC_API_KEY) | claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-opus-4-6, claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 |

Cloud Providers

| Provider | Environment Variable | Base Endpoint | Example Models | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Google Gemini | GEMINI_API_KEY | https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/openai | gemini-2.5-pro, gemini-2.5-flash | | DeepSeek | DEEPSEEK_API_KEY | https://api.deepseek.com/v1 | deepseek-flash (V4.1 Flash, 1M ctx, vision), deepseek-v4-pro | | Groq | GROQ_API_KEY | https://api.groq.com/openai/v1 | llama-3.3-70b-versatile, deepseek-r1-distill-llama-70b, qwen-qwq-32b | | Mistral AI | MISTRAL_API_KEY | https://api.mistral.ai/v1 | mistral-large-latest, codestral-latest | | Together AI | TOGETHER_API_KEY | https://api.together.xyz/v1 | meta-llama/Llama-3.3-70B-Instruct-Turbo, deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-R1 | | Fireworks AI | FIREWORKS_API_KEY | https://api.fireworks.ai/inference/v1 | accounts/fireworks/models/deepseek-v3, llama-v3p3-70b-instruct | | Perplexity | PERPLEXITY_API_KEY | https://api.perplexity.ai | sonar-pro, sonar-reasoning-pro, sonar | | Cohere | COHERE_API_KEY | https://api.cohere.com/compatibility/v1 | command-a-03-2025, command-r-plus-08-2024 | | Cerebras | CEREBRAS_API_KEY | https://api.cerebras.ai/v1 | llama-3.3-70b, qwen-3-32b |

Local Zero-Key Providers (Auto-Detected)

| Provider | Default Local Endpoint | Example Models | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Ollama (Local) | http://127.0.0.1:11434/v1 | qwen3:32b, llama3.3:latest, deepseek-r1:32b, gemma3:27b | | LM Studio (Local) | http://127.0.0.1:1234/v1 | Any GGUF / MLX model loaded in LM Studio | | llama.cpp / LocalAI | http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1 | Any model served by llama-server or LocalAI |

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Installation & Build Instructions

QuixiDesk uses the system webview: WKWebView on macOS, WebKitGTK on Linux, and WebView2 on Windows. Build on the target OS with the current stable Rust toolchain from rustup and Git. The lockfile is checked in; use --locked for reproducible dependency selection. Node.js and Electron are not required to build or run the checked-in application.

The original interface, bootstrap defaults, icons, and task instructions are checked in under resources/. Keep that directory with the application. Build directly from the repository; no extracted application bundle or external renderer is required. Regenerate the skill archives with python3 scripts/package-bundled-skills.py after editing their sources.

Clone using HTTPS (or your configured Git SSH credentials):

git clone https://github.com/QuixiAI/QuixiDesk.git
cd QuixiDesk

macOS

Use macOS 14 or later for the documented build/test setup (Apple Silicon or Intel). Install Apple's command line tools and Rust:

xcode-select --install
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
Open a new terminal after installation, then enter the checkout.
rustup update stable
cargo build --locked --release --workspace
./target/release/QuixiDesk

To create a relocatable, ad-hoc signed app bundle:

./scripts/package-macos-app.sh
open dist/QuixiDesk.app
Optional installation; quit any existing QuixiDesk instance first.
cp -R dist/QuixiDesk.app /Applications/

make app and make install are shortcuts for packaging and installation. QUIXI_APP_SYMLINK_RESOURCES=1 make app links resources for local iteration; use the default copied resources when distributing a bundle. Screen recording, Accessibility, and Automation access for native computer-use tools are granted through macOS System Settings when needed.

Linux (Debian / Ubuntu)

Install the GTK 3 and WebKitGTK 4.1 development packages described by Wry's platform notes:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential pkg-config libgtk-3-dev libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev curl git
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
Open a new terminal after installation, then enter the checkout.
rustup update stable
cargo build --locked --release --workspace
./target/release/QuixiDesk

Run from an active graphical login with a working session D-Bus and Wayland or X11 display. A plain SSH session without a display is insufficient for normal desktop use. For a dedicated X11 test display, set GDK_BACKEND=x11; GTK container construction supports both X11 and Wayland. Native build and isolated app tests have been exercised on Ubuntu 26.04 x86_64.

For a portable install, copy the executable, helpers, and resources together:

mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/opt/QuixiDesk"
cp target/release/QuixiDesk target/release/quixi-* "$HOME/.local/opt/QuixiDesk/"
cp -R resources "$HOME/.local/opt/QuixiDesk/resources"
QUIXI_RESOURCES_DIR="$HOME/.local/opt/QuixiDesk/resources" "$HOME/.local/opt/QuixiDesk/QuixiDesk"

The destination machine needs GTK 3 and WebKitGTK 4.1 runtime libraries. Build on a compatible Linux distribution; this is not a universal static binary or an AppImage.

Windows 10 / 11 (native, PowerShell)

Install Git, Rust for Windows, and Visual Studio C++ Build Tools with the Desktop development with C++ workload and a Windows SDK. Use the MSVC Rust toolchain, not the GNU or WSL toolchain. Install the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Evergreen Runtime if it is not already present. Reopen PowerShell after installation so Cargo and Git are on PATH.

From the checkout:

rustup update stable-msvc
rustup default stable-msvc
cargo build --locked --release --workspace
.\target\release\QuixiDesk.exe

Use a Windows desktop session for normal app interaction. SSH can build and run automated storage tests, but does not provide an interactive desktop. Native shell tools use cmd.exe with AutoRun disabled; browser fetching uses Windows' System32\curl.exe (included in the tested Windows 10 22H2 installation).

For a portable install, copy the binaries and resources into a user-owned folder:

$install = Join-Path $env:LOCALAPPDATA 'Programs\QuixiDesk'
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force $install | Out-Null
Copy-Item .\target\release\*.exe $install
Copy-Item .\resources (Join-Path $install 'resources') -Recurse -Force
$env:QUIXI_RESOURCES_DIR = Join-Path $install 'resources'
& (Join-Path $install 'QuixiDesk.exe')

There is no MSI or Windows signing/installer workflow yet. Keep the resources directory available; QUIXI_RESOURCES_DIR explicitly selects it when launching outside the source checkout.

Platform scope and configuration

Native CoreGraphics/AppleScript computer-use integration is macOS-specific. Linux and Windows builds do not currently provide the same native computer-use and folder-picker capabilities. Building the cross-platform shell does not imply full native-feature parity.

The engine opens the source checkout as its default workspace in development. Set QUIXI_WORKSPACE to an explicit folder to override it. QUIXI_RESOURCES_DIR overrides resource discovery. Normal app data is stored under the OS user's .quixi directory; test profiles below use a separate location. Configure a provider in the app after launch; no API credential is required to compile or run the tests.

Tests and disposable account profiles

Run the workspace tests with a disposable app profile. On macOS/Linux:

QUIXI_TEST_PROFILE="$(mktemp -d)" cargo test --locked --workspace
./target/release/QuixiDesk --test-profile /tmp/quixi-qa-profile
Optional complete account bootstrap fixture:
./target/release/QuixiDesk --test-profile /tmp/quixi-qa-profile --mock-account /absolute/path/mock-account.json

On Windows, preserve any existing test-profile setting while running tests:

$previousProfile = $env:QUIXI_TEST_PROFILE
$env:QUIXI_TEST_PROFILE = Join-Path $env:TEMP ('quixi-unit-' + [guid]::NewGuid())
try { cargo test --locked --workspace } finally { $env:QUIXI_TEST_PROFILE = $previousProfile }
$profile = Join-Path $env:TEMP 'quixi-qa-profile'
.\target\release\QuixiDesk.exe --test-profile $profile
Optional: append --mock-account C:\absolute\path\mock-account.json

The first profile launch creates mock-account.json with a synthetic account. Its account object requires a UUID and memberships array; current_user_access and featureFlagsOrgUuid can also be supplied. Providers start unconfigured and are saved separately. The profile contains data/, home/, workspace/, and independent web storage. QUIXI_TEST_PROFILE is the equivalent environment option for launching a separate test bundle. QUIXI_AUTOMATION_PORT selects its automation port (test default: 19456; normal default: 19455); use distinct ports for concurrent profiles. macOS test web-store isolation requires macOS 14+. This isolates app/account state, not OS permissions or tool filesystem/network access. No OS HOME override or real account credential copy is needed.

Conversation records are saved atomically. If the usual session folder is unavailable, QuixiDesk keeps a recovery snapshot under the app data directory's recovery/ folder and restores it on restart. A persistent notice offers Retry saving and Copy recovery data for affected conversations. If both save locations fail, keep the app open: normal Quit and window close are blocked until a durable save succeeds. A force kill or power loss can still lose data held only in memory.

After building on Windows, run the targeted storage integration test:

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File .\scripts\test-windows-storage.ps1

It launches the native WebView2 app with a fresh profile, obstructs only fixture save paths, verifies recovery and restart, exercises Retry saving, and checks allowed/blocked native close events. It leaves its JSON results and logs in a newly created temporary directory and restores the caller's environment. This is an automated app-bridge test; manual desktop checks remain separate.

The original interface has a separate development-only Node.js test suite. Node.js is not needed by the production app:

npm ci --prefix tests/ui
npm test --prefix tests/ui
python3 scripts/audit-product-assets.py

The asset audit rejects imported branding and private font bundles and checks the integrity of redistributable artifact libraries and their licenses. The UI tests cover drafts, streaming, tool failures, project context, sandbox attributes, and concurrent updates; they do not replace native desktop or browser security testing.

Schedules can be saved and run manually; automatic dispatch is not currently implemented. The replacement interface currently uses English. Native desktop validation and the full E2E catalog remain separate from the automated regression checks.

On Linux, after a release build, run real WebKit frame isolation and navigation checks with python3 scripts/test-linux-ui.py (requires xvfb-run, dbus-run-session, and Python 3). It starts only a local fixture server and disposable profile and records its JSON results in a temporary directory. --output and --port select an evidence directory and unused automation port.

The E2E test suite design defines the proposed full packaged-app suite, fixtures, isolation requirements, and CI rollout; its full runner is not implemented yet.

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Workspace Architecture

QuixiDesk/
├── crates/
│   ├── quixi-app/        # Native tao + wry WKWebView shell, custom app:// protocol & original UI
│   ├── quixi-ipc/        # Desktop service and event router
│   ├── quixi-engine/     # Session orchestrator, multi-provider LLM router & streaming engine
│   ├── quixi-mcp/        # Built-in MCP host (Computer Use, Browser Use, Workspace, AppleScript, PDF, Memory)
│   ├── quixi-platform/   # macOS CoreGraphics Computer Use, In-App Browser Use & SafeFS sandbox
│   ├── quixi-workspace/  # Native file indexer, git pool engine, transcript search & PTY shell host
│   ├── quixi-netstack/   # Egress policy & credential management
│   ├── quixi-proto/      # Shared EIPC protocol types and channel parser
│   └── quixi-guest-daemon/ # VM guest vsock/virtio daemon
├── bins/
│   ├── quixi-mcp-builtin/        # Standalone stdio MCP server (--computer-use / --browser-use)
│   ├── quixi-chrome-native-host/ # Native messaging host for browser extension bridge
│   ├── quixi-disclaimer/         # TCC permission disclaimer helper
│   └── quixi-ssh-askpass/        # Native SSH askpass helper
└── resources/            # Bundled UI assets, original interface, bootstrap defaults, icons & skills

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License

Released under the MIT License.