The open-source managed agent platform
The open-source, self-hostable alternative to Claude Managed Agents and OpenAI's Agents API.
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Omnara is an open-source managed agent platform. Use the API to run AI agents
on any model and any machine, with tools, secrets, permissions, and streaming
built in. Self-host it for free under Apache 2.0, or use
[Omnara Cloud](https://app.omnara.com).
## Quickstart
### Omnara Cloud
Sign in at [app.omnara.com](https://app.omnara.com). Your first project comes
with a model provider (`omnara-openrouter`) and a pool of managed sandboxes
(`default-pool`), so this config runs as is. Save it as `agent.yaml`:
```yaml
version: v1
instruction: |
You are an engineering assistant. Use your machine to run commands.
model:
provider_config: omnara-openrouter
name: anthropic/claude-fable-5.1
machine_sources:
- machine_pool_name: default-pool
```
Launch it with the CLI (Node.js 22 or newer). If you're not logged in, the
first command opens your browser to sign in.
```sh
npx omnara agents launch --file agent.yaml \
--name "Machine assistant" \
--message "Report this machine's operating system and free disk space."
```
Chat with the agent in your terminal with `npx omnara agents chat `,
or open it in the dashboard to watch its tool calls and reply.
Launch it from your code with the TypeScript SDK
Create an API key in the dashboard and export it as `OMNARA_TOKEN`, install the
SDK with `npm install @omnara/sdk`, and use the org and project IDs that
`npx omnara config` prints:
```ts
import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
import { bearerToken, createOmnaraClient, openAgentEventStream, sdk } from '@omnara/sdk'
const client = createOmnaraClient({ auth: bearerToken(process.env.OMNARA_TOKEN!) })
const path = { orgID: 'org_...', projectID: 'proj_...' }
const config = await sdk.createAgentConfig({
client,
path,
body: { source: await readFile('agent.yaml', 'utf8'), source_format: 'yaml' },
})
const launched = await sdk.createAgent({
client,
path,
body: { config: config.data.id, message: "Report this machine's free disk space." },
})
const agentID = launched.data.agent.id
for await (const event of openAgentEventStream({ client, path: { ...path, agentID } })) {
console.log(event)
}
```
The [quickstart](https://docs.omnara.com/quickstart) shows the same flow with
the REST API.
To have your coding agent do the setup, give it this prompt:
```text
Help me set up Omnara by following https://www.omnara.com/SKILL.md
```
### Self-host
Requires Docker with Compose.
```sh
git clone https://github.com/omnara-ai/omnara.git
cd omnara
docker compose -f compose.yaml --profile app up -d
```
Open [http://localhost:8000](http://localhost:8000) and sign up. Local
development prints the verification link in `docker compose logs api`, so no
email provider is needed. To build from source instead of using published
images, run `docker compose --profile app up -d --build`.
A new instance has no models or machines yet. In the console, add a model
provider and a model, connect this computer under **Machines**, and share both
with your project. Sandboxes also work once your instance has a
[public URL](https://docs.omnara.com/self-hosting/deployment#exposing-the-deployment-publicly).
Point the CLI at your instance and log in:
```sh
npx omnara config --api-url http://localhost:8000/api/v1 --issuer-url http://localhost:8000
npx omnara login
```
In `agent.yaml`, use your provider and model names, and replace the
`machine_pool_name` entry with `machine_name: `. Then launch it
with the same command as above.
This Compose setup uses local development defaults, such as built-in
encryption keys and email links printed to the logs. For production, set your
own keys and follow the
[self-hosting guide](https://docs.omnara.com/self-hosting/deployment) and the
[configuration reference](https://docs.omnara.com/self-hosting/configuration).
## How it works
Your product talks to Omnara, and Omnara runs each agent with the model,
tools, and machines in its config.
```mermaid
flowchart TB
subgraph yours["Your side"]
users(["Your users"]) --> app["Your app
REST API · TypeScript SDK"]
team["Your team
CLI · dashboard
Slack · Discord · GitHub"]
end
subgraph omnara["Omnara"]
api["API
launch · input
event stream · approvals"] <--> pg[("Postgres
each agent's event log")] <--> worker["Workers
run the agent loop"]
end
subgraph plug[" "]
models["Models
OpenAI · Anthropic
OpenRouter · self-hosted"]
tools["Tools
built-in · skills
MCP · custom"]
machines["Machines
sandboxes or your own
laptop, VM, container"]
end
app --> api
team --> api
worker --> models
worker --> tools
worker --> machines
classDef side fill:none,stroke:#8b949e,stroke-width:1px
classDef core fill:#506FCF,stroke:#3D5BB5,stroke-width:1px,color:#ffffff
classDef store fill:#3D5BB5,stroke:#2E4794,stroke-width:1px,color:#ffffff
classDef plugin fill:none,stroke:#85A0E6,stroke-width:1.5px
class users,app,team side
class api,worker core
class pg store
class models,tools,machines plugin
style yours fill:none,stroke:#8b949e,stroke-dasharray:4 3
style omnara fill:#506FCF14,stroke:#506FCF,stroke-width:1.5px
style plug fill:none,stroke:#85A0E6,stroke-dasharray:4 3
linkStyle default stroke:#8b949e,stroke-width:1.5px
```
- **API.** Your app, the CLI, and the dashboard all use the same REST API to
launch agents, send messages, and answer approvals. Events stream back as
they happen.
- **Postgres.** Every step of every agent is saved here. That record is the
agent's state, so any worker can pick an agent back up after a crash or
restart.
- **Workers.** Stateless processes that build the model context, call the
model, and run tools. An agent only uses a worker while it's taking a turn,
so one worker can serve many agents. Add workers to handle more turns at
once.
- **Machines.** Each machine runs the `omnarad` daemon, which connects out to
Omnara, so agents can run commands there without any inbound ports.
Omnara also uses Redis, blob storage for attachments and tool outputs, and a
memory filesystem. The
[architecture docs](https://docs.omnara.com/self-hosting/architecture) cover the details.
## Features
### Build agents
- **[Any model](https://docs.omnara.com/organization/model-providers).** Bring
your own keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, Amazon Bedrock, LiteLLM,
Ollama, or any compatible endpoint, including models you host yourself.
- **[Tools](https://docs.omnara.com/tools/built-in).** Built-in tools for shell
commands, files, web search and fetch, and asking a person a question, plus
[MCP servers](https://docs.omnara.com/tools/mcp) and
[custom tools](https://docs.omnara.com/tools/custom) that run in your own
systems.
- **[Skills](https://docs.omnara.com/tools/skills).** Package instructions and
files once, attach them to any agent, and the agent loads them when it needs
them.
- **[Memory](https://docs.omnara.com/agents/configuration#memory-stores).**
Memory stores give agents files that persist between conversations and can
be shared with other agents, with read or read-write access per agent.
- **[Subagents](https://docs.omnara.com/agents/configuration#subagents).** An agent
can start subagents with a fresh context, check their progress, and send them
new instructions. Each subagent is a full agent you can inspect.
### Run them anywhere
- **[Machines](https://docs.omnara.com/machines/overview).** Machines are tools
the agent uses. Install the Omnara daemon on any macOS or Linux laptop, VM, or
container and your agents can run commands and edit files there, with no inbound ports or
SSH keys. Or use sandboxes from twelve providers (Agent37, Arker, Blaxel, boxd, CreateOS,
Daytona, E2B, Freestyle, Modal, Superserve, Tenki, Unikraft). An agent can use several machines
at once (for example, a set of GPU servers) and move between them. If your
laptop goes offline, the agent can continue in a sandbox and sync its work
back with git.
- **[Durable state](https://docs.omnara.com/agents/failure-handling).** Every step is
saved, so agents pick up where they left off after crashes, restarts, and
machine disconnects, and crash recovery doesn't rerun tools.
- **[Live config changes](https://docs.omnara.com/events/sending-input#change-the-config-mid-conversation).**
Change a running agent's model, tools, permissions, or instructions through
the API. The change applies at its next model call, without restarting the
conversation or redeploying.
- **[Schedules](https://docs.omnara.com/api-reference/endpoints/configs-and-profiles/create-cron-trigger).**
Cron triggers with time zones can message an existing agent, launch a new one
from a profile, or
[start a new Slack or Discord thread](https://docs.omnara.com/integrations/overview#start-a-new-thread-on-a-schedule).
### Connect them
- **[Slack, Discord, and GitHub](https://docs.omnara.com/integrations/overview).**
Mention the bot in Slack or Discord to start an agent in a thread, where it
replies, asks questions, and requests approvals. On GitHub, an agent can start
when a pull request opens or someone mentions it, then read the diff,
comment, and submit reviews. To connect another service, build a
[custom integration](https://docs.omnara.com/integrations/custom-integrations)
on the same public API.
- **[Streaming](https://docs.omnara.com/events/streaming) and
[webhooks](https://docs.omnara.com/events/webhooks).** Stream every event as
it happens or receive it as a webhook, and send new messages while the agent
works.
- **[Permissions](https://docs.omnara.com/tools/permissions).** Each tool can
run immediately, ask a person first, or be blocked. The platform enforces the
setting, and the agent waits until someone approves or denies the call.
- **[API, SDK, and CLI](https://docs.omnara.com/api/overview).** A REST API
defined in [`api/openapi/openapi.yaml`](api/openapi/openapi.yaml), a
TypeScript SDK ([`@omnara/sdk`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@omnara/sdk)),
a CLI ([`omnara`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/omnara)), and an MCP server.
### Control them
- **[Role-based access control](https://docs.omnara.com/organization/members)
and [secrets](https://docs.omnara.com/organization/secrets).** Organization
and project roles for users and API keys. Credentials for
models, machines, and MCP servers are stored once and shared with each
project explicitly.
- **[Multi-tenant](https://docs.omnara.com/concepts).** One deployment serves
many organizations, each with its own members, projects, secrets, model
providers, and machines. Self-hosted operators can give every new
organization default models and sandboxes, as Omnara Cloud does.
- **Your data.** Self-hosted deployments keep every agent's history in your own
Postgres, where you can query it for analytics, evals, and training datasets.
## Omnara vs Claude Managed Agents and OpenAI's Agents API
[Claude Managed Agents](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/managed-agents/overview)
and OpenAI's [Agents API](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/agents-api/overview)
are proprietary hosted services that run one company's models on that
company's cloud, with your agent history stored by the vendor. Omnara does the
same job as an open-source platform you can run anywhere, with any model, and
keep every agent's history in your own Postgres.
| | Omnara | Claude Managed Agents | OpenAI's Agents API |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Source | Open source (Apache 2.0) | Closed | Open-source harness (Codex). The hosted service is OpenAI's. |
| Models | Any compatible model | Claude | OpenAI |
| Agent loop | Omnara's, works with any model | Anthropic's, built for Claude | Codex, run and updated by OpenAI |
| Where the platform runs | Omnara Cloud, or your own cloud account or data center | Anthropic's cloud | OpenAI's cloud |
| Where agents run | Sandboxes from many providers, or your own machines | Anthropic sandboxes, or your own sandboxes | OpenAI sandboxes, partner sandboxes, or your own machines |
| Operations | Your choice: we run it on Omnara Cloud, we deploy and manage it in your own cloud (BYOC) or on premises, or you self-host it. | Managed by Anthropic. You run the sandbox side if you self-host sandboxes. | Managed by OpenAI. You run the environment if you bring your own. |
| Agent history | Stored by Omnara on Omnara Cloud and queryable through the API. In your own Postgres when self-hosted. | Stored by Anthropic, readable and deletable through the API. Not currently eligible for Zero Data Retention or HIPAA BAA coverage. | Stored by OpenAI. No Zero Data Retention support. US data residency only. |
| Pricing | Free to self-host. On Omnara Cloud, free with your own keys and machines, or pay as you go for our models and sandboxes. | Claude token rates plus $0.08 per active session-hour | OpenAI model rates, plus standard rates for OpenAI tools and hosted sandboxes |
For production agents, choose Omnara. Of the three, it's the only one that's
fully open source, runs any model, and can be self-hosted in full, and Omnara
Cloud has no platform fee. A lab's service makes sense if you'll stay on that
company's models and are fine with it holding your agents' history.
## Where Omnara fits
| If you use | It's good for | Omnara adds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Workflow builders, such as n8n or Zapier | Predictable, step-by-step automations | Open-ended agents that run code on machines and keep state for days |
| Agent frameworks, such as Mastra, LangChain, or the OpenAI Agents SDK | Agent logic in your app's code | Hosting, state, machines, permissions, and integrations, with agents created and changed through an API instead of a redeploy |
| Agent harnesses, such as Claude Code, the Claude Agent SDK, Codex, OpenCode, or Pi | One agent loop in a terminal or on one machine | Cloud agents that run as a service, across machines and users, started from your app, Slack, GitHub, or a schedule |
| Managed agent platforms, such as Claude Managed Agents or the Agents API | Hosted agents on one company's models | The same model of hosted agents, open source, on any model, and self-hostable |
## Examples
Each of these is an `agent.yaml` plus a `SKILL.md` in [`examples/`](examples),
and you can deploy any of them with one prompt to your coding agent.
- [Slack coding agent](examples/slack-coding-agent) fixes issues you mention in
Slack, Discord, or a GitHub pull request and opens a PR.
- [PR review agent](examples/pr-review-agent) reviews your GitHub pull requests
against a checkout of the repository and leaves inline findings.
- [SRE agent](examples/sre-agent) investigates production problems such as a
5xx spike.
- [Browser agent](examples/browser-agent) works in a real browser on
long-running tasks.
- [PostHog analytics agent](examples/posthog-analytics-agent) compares
yesterday's product usage with the 7-day average and reports what changed.
- [Reddit](examples/reddit-signal-agent), [X](examples/x-signal-agent), and
[LinkedIn](examples/linkedin-signal-agent) signal agents summarize the last
24 hours of posts about a topic you pick.
- [Video generation agent](examples/video-generation-agent) makes short videos
from a brief.
There are also code samples for a [CLI chat app](examples/cli-agent) built on
the TypeScript SDK, [custom tools over webhooks](examples/custom-tool-webhook),
and a [SharePoint filesystem mount](examples/sharepoint-mount).
## Use Omnara from your coding agent
**MCP server.** Connect Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, or any MCP client that
supports OAuth to `https://app.omnara.com/mcp` to launch and manage Omnara
agents. You sign in through the browser, so there are no tokens to paste. In
Claude, add it from the
[connectors directory](https://claude.ai/directory/app-omnara-com). Omnara is
also listed in the official MCP Registry as `com.omnara/omnara`.
```sh
claude mcp add --transport http omnara https://app.omnara.com/mcp
codex mcp add omnara --url https://app.omnara.com/mcp
```
Then sign in with `/mcp` in Claude Code or `codex mcp login omnara` in Codex.
See [Connecting MCP clients](https://docs.omnara.com/api/authentication#connecting-mcp-clients).
**CLI.** [`omnara`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/omnara) manages agents,
profiles, machines, model providers, secrets, skills, and cron triggers from
your terminal or your coding agent's shell. Run `npx omnara --help` to start.
**Setup skill.** [`skills/setup-omnara-agent`](skills/setup-omnara-agent/SKILL.md),
also served at [omnara.com/SKILL.md](https://www.omnara.com/SKILL.md), walks a
coding agent through setting up Omnara for your project.
**Docs for LLMs.** [docs.omnara.com/llms.txt](https://docs.omnara.com/llms.txt).
## FAQ
**What is Omnara?** The open-source managed agent platform for running AI
agents in production on any model and any machine, hosted on Omnara Cloud or
self-hosted.
**How is Omnara different from Claude Managed Agents and OpenAI's Agents API?**
Those are proprietary services that run one company's models and store your agents'
history on that company's cloud. Omnara is open source under Apache 2.0, works
with any model on your own keys, runs on any machine, and can be self-hosted in
full, so the agent loop and its history stay on your infrastructure.
**How much does it cost?** Nothing to self-host. Omnara Cloud has no platform
fee. You can bring your own model keys and machines for free, or pay as you go
for our models at provider token rates and our sandboxes by active time and
retained storage. See [pricing](https://www.omnara.com/pricing).
**Can I self-host it?** Yes. Run it with Docker Compose locally, then follow
the [self-hosting guide](https://docs.omnara.com/self-hosting/deployment) for
production. Or we can deploy and manage it for you in your own cloud (BYOC) or
on premises: [book a call with the founders](https://cal.com/ishaan-sehgal-8kc22w/chat-with-omnara). The API, CLI, SDK, and config format
are the same on Omnara Cloud and self-hosted deployments.
**Which models work?** Any model behind an OpenAI Responses, OpenAI Chat
Completions, or Anthropic Messages compatible endpoint, including OpenAI,
Anthropic, OpenRouter, Amazon Bedrock, LiteLLM, and Ollama.
## Development
Source development requires the Go version declared in [`go.mod`](go.mod),
Node.js 24 or newer with Corepack, ripgrep, and Docker with Compose. Run the
fast repository gate with `make verify`. See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md)
for the full test suite, generated-code workflows, and pull request
expectations.
## Community
[Discord](https://discord.gg/Dc46sYk6e3) ·
[GitHub Issues](https://github.com/omnara-ai/omnara/issues) ·
[X](https://x.com/omnaraai) ·
[Security](SECURITY.md)
## License
[Apache License 2.0](LICENSE)