Open Dots: Open-Source Alternative to OpenAI Dots

An independent developer released Open Dots, an open-source, self-hosted AI workspace positioned as an alternative to OpenAI Dots, offering chat, a deny-by-default action gateway with approval prompts, Composio connectors, and an optional Docker/Playwright computer runtime. The project is at prototype stage and its own documentation states multi-user hosting and hostile-web isolation are not production ready. It runs on Node.js/npm and Python 3.10+, stores state in SQLite with encrypted provider credentials, and defaults to the gpt-5-mini model via a bundled inference adapter that does not implement the generic OpenAI-compatible chat completions interface.

Open Dots is an open-source alternative to OpenAI Dots: a self-hosted AI workspace for chat, tool use, approvals, connectors, and computer tasks. It brings model conversations, a governed action gateway, approval prompts, and an optional isolated browser runtime into one local-first app. Open Dots is independently built and is not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI, xAI, or any model provider. It offers a self-hostable, inspectable alternative for people looking for an open-source OpenAI Dots alternative, with local data and explicit approval for higher-risk actions. Status: Prototype / active development. Intended for local experimentation; multi-user hosting and hostile-web isolation are not production ready. - Create assistant personas with separate instructions, model IDs, and visual identities. - Stream chat responses, persist conversations locally, render Markdown, attach images, and dictate messages where the browser supports speech input. - Connect to models through the included inference adapter and choose from its configured model catalog. - Request confined workspace reads and writes or computer actions through a deny-by-default gateway. Higher-risk actions pause for approval and produce audit events. - Connect apps through Composio, with explicit OAuth and narrow GitHub issue lookup/create actions. - Run an optional bot-scoped Docker/Playwright computer runtime or connect a compatible remote computer service. - Keep application state in SQLite and encrypt provider credentials at rest. Open Dots gives developers and individuals a self-hosted AI workspace they can inspect and adapt. Use it as an open-source alternative to OpenAI Dots when you want local-first conversation storage, configurable model access, visible approval steps, and an optional computer runtime under your control. It is a separate project with its own implementation and current limitations; see the provider and runtime notes below before deploying it. - Node.js and npm - Python 3.10+ and pip - An inference API key and base URL for live model responses Clone and start the API: git clone https://github.com/Anil-matcha/open-dots.git cd open-dots/server python -m venv .venv source .venv/bin/activate python -m pip install -r requirements.txt export MODEL API KEY="your api key" export MODEL API BASE URL="https://your-inference-host.example/api/v1" python run.py The API is available at http://127.0.0.1:8000 ; interactive docs are at /docs . In a second terminal, start the web client: cd open-dots/client npm install npm run dev Open http://localhost:3000 . You can enter the provider key in App Settings instead of setting the environment variable. The server creates local session and encryption keys under its data directory on first start. The bundled inference adapter sends a prediction request to {MODEL API BASE URL}/{model id} and uploads images to {MODEL API BASE URL}/upload file . Configure it with a service that implements this request and response contract and supports the model IDs you select. This adapter does not implement the generic OpenAI-compatible chat completions interface. | Variable | Default | Purpose | |---|---|---| | MODEL API KEY | empty | Provider key fallback when no key is saved in settings | | MODEL API BASE URL | empty | Required base URL for the configured inference API | | DEFAULT MODEL | gpt-5-mini | Initial model for new assistants | | COMPOSIO API KEY | empty | Optional connector credential | | DATA DIR | ~/.open-dots | SQLite state and local keys | | APP ENCRYPTION KEY | generated in DATA DIR | Optional Fernet key for encrypted credentials | | APP AUTH TOKEN | generated in DATA DIR | Bearer token for direct or non-loopback API access | | WORKSPACE ROOT | project root | Directory boundary for approved workspace actions | | COMPUTER PROVIDER | fake | Computer provider: fake , docker , or remote | | HOST / PORT | 127.0.0.1 / 8000 | API bind address | For non-loopback access, set APP AUTH TOKEN , configure the client with NEXT PUBLIC API TOKEN , use HTTPS, and set a narrow CORS ORIGINS list. Do not expose generated tokens in logs or source control. The default fake adapter is for local development and deterministic behavior. To enable the Docker/Playwright computer provider: docker build -t open-dots-computer:1.62.1 ./runtime export COMPUTER PROVIDER=docker export COMPUTER DOCKER IMAGE=open-dots-computer:1.62.1 The daemon must be running. Containers use a separate workspace per assistant, a read-only root filesystem, dropped capabilities, and resource limits. Computer navigation and other higher-risk operations go through the action gateway and approval flow. This is not a hardened sandbox for hostile websites; review network egress, image provenance, and credential exposure before using it with untrusted content. For a remote computer service, configure COMPUTER PROVIDER=remote and the COMPUTER REMOTE variables in server/app/config.py . Next.js client ── HTTP + SSE ── FastAPI API ├── SQLite + encrypted settings ├── configurable inference adapter ├── Composio connector adapter └── action gateway + approvals + audit ├── confined workspace tools └── fake / Docker / remote computer The main code areas are client/ Next.js UI , server/app/routers/ HTTP API , server/app/services/ providers, persistence, approvals, and tools , and runtime/ Docker computer driver . - One local owner; user provisioning, roles, and multi-user grants are not implemented. - SQLite is local state; coordinated multi-instance storage and backup workflows are not included. - The bundled inference adapter expects a specific prediction API contract; a generic provider plugin interface is not implemented. - The computer runtime is opt-in and is not a hardened security boundary for arbitrary web content. - Connector actions are intentionally narrow; arbitrary tool discovery and writes are not implemented. - There is no mobile or desktop client, durable memory service, or scheduled routine engine. Issues and pull requests are welcome. Keep the documentation aligned with behavior, avoid committing credentials or local transcripts, and describe API or persistence changes clearly. MIT. See LICENSE https://github.com/Anil-matcha/open-dots/blob/main/LICENSE .