OpenHands is an open-source platform designed to automate software development through AI agents that can interpret tasks, write code, run tests, and deploy changes. Built as a modular system with a Python SDK at its core, it allows developers to define agents in code and run them locally or scale to thousands in the cloud. Unlike traditional coding assistants, OpenHands enables full end-to-end task execution—such as fixing bugs or implementing features—without constant human intervention. It’s designed for developers, DevOps teams, and engineering leaders looking to reduce manual toil in software development by leveraging autonomous agents powered by LLMs like GPT and Claude.
The platform offers multiple interfaces: a lightweight CLI for quick task execution, a local GUI for visual agent interaction (similar to Devin or Jules), and a cloud-hosted version with collaboration features. All core components are MIT-licensed, while enterprise users can self-host a feature-rich version with RBAC and integrations via Kubernetes. OpenHands is not just a tool—it’s an ecosystem for rethinking how software is built by automating the repetitive, iterative parts of development.
What You Get
- Composable Python SDK - A modular library that lets you define, customize, and chain AI agents in code. You can build custom workflows by extending Agent classes, configuring tools (e.g., shell executor, file editor), and integrating with external APIs.
- CLI for LLM-powered development - A command-line interface that lets you run AI agents with commands like
openhands run --task "Fix the login bug in src/auth.py" --model gpt-4o. It supports GPT, Claude, and other LLMs via API keys.
- Local GUI with React frontend - A desktop-friendly interface with a chat-like UI to interact with agents. It includes a REST API endpoint (default:
http://localhost:3000) and real-time logs for debugging agent behavior.
- OpenHands Cloud (SaaS) - A hosted platform with GitHub/GitLab auth, Slack/Jira/Linear integrations, multi-user support, and collaboration features like shared agent conversations. Start with $10 free credit at https://app.all-hands.dev.
- Enterprise self-hosting - Deploy the full cloud stack in your VPC using Kubernetes. Includes RBAC, audit logs, and extended support. Source code is available in the enterprise/ directory under a commercial license.
- SWE-bench benchmark integration - Evaluate agent performance on real GitHub issues with a standardized test suite. Achieves 77.6% success rate on SWE-bench tasks.
Common Use Cases
- Building a CI/CD pipeline with autonomous bug fixes - When a GitHub issue is opened, OpenHands CLI triggers an agent to analyze the code, write a patch, run tests, and open a PR—all without human intervention.
- Creating a mobile-first e-commerce platform with 10k+ SKUs - DevOps teams use OpenHands SDK to automate product page generation, image optimization, and inventory sync by defining agents that interact with Shopify APIs and CMS systems.
- Problem: Manual code reviews slow down deployment → Solution: OpenHands agents auto-review PRs, suggest fixes, and run unit tests before approval - Agents parse code changes, identify potential bugs or style violations using LLMs, and propose corrections directly in the PR.
- Team: Remote engineering teams managing microservices across AWS and GCP - Engineers use OpenHands Cloud to assign agent tasks (e.g., “Deploy service X with new Redis config”) and track execution history across environments with role-based access control.
Under The Hood
OpenHands is an enterprise-grade AI agent platform designed to automate software development workflows by integrating with popular tools like GitHub, GitLab, Jira, and Slack. It combines open-source AI capabilities with robust enterprise infrastructure to enable intelligent automation and experimentation.
Architecture
OpenHands adopts a modular, layered architecture that cleanly separates frontend and backend concerns while supporting complex enterprise integrations. The system is built around a core AI agent framework with distinct runtime, authentication, and extension layers.
- Uses strategy-based integration handling to support multiple platforms seamlessly
- Implements component-based frontend rendering with clear separation of UI and logic
- Employs telemetry-driven monitoring for system observability and performance tracking
- Follows SOLID principles to ensure maintainable and scalable code organization
Tech Stack
The project leverages a modern tech stack with Python and TypeScript at its core, integrating cloud-native and enterprise-grade tools for robust functionality.
- Built predominantly in Python with FastAPI for backend services and TypeScript/JavaScript for React-based frontend
- Relies on SQLAlchemy, Alembic, Stripe, and PostHog for database operations and third-party integrations
- Uses Vite for frontend builds, Poetry and uv for Python dependency management, and Husky for pre-commit hooks
- Employs pytest, vitest, and Playwright for a comprehensive testing ecosystem across frontend and backend
Code Quality
OpenHands demonstrates strong code quality practices with extensive test coverage and consistent error handling across modules.
- Features comprehensive testing strategies including unit, integration, and end-to-end tests for both frontend and backend components
- Applies consistent try/catch blocks and exception handling to ensure robust error management
- Maintains a high degree of code consistency in style and structure with clear separation of concerns
- Shows evidence of technical debt in duplicated logic and areas where refactoring could improve maintainability
What Makes It Unique
OpenHands stands out through its unique combination of AI agent automation and enterprise-grade telemetry, enabling A/B testing of LLM configurations.
- Combines multi-platform support for development and project management tools with AI-driven automation capabilities
- Offers a sophisticated experiment management system that allows A/B testing of LLM configurations in real-world environments
- Integrates seamlessly with SaaS platforms like Slack and Jira to deliver intelligent workflow automation
- Features a modular architecture that blends open-source AI tools with enterprise-grade infrastructure and observability