About OpenHands Agent Canvas 1.18.0 — Self-Hosted Control Center for Coding Agents
OpenHands Agent Canvas is a self-hosted control center for coding agents. From one interface you start conversations with an agent, point it at your projects, and set up automations that run on a schedule or in response to events, such as turning GitHub issues into tasks or posting reports to Slack. It is MIT licensed and developed by the OpenHands community.
This page links to the official 1.18.0 desktop builds on GitHub. Bineret did not build OpenHands and is not affiliated with it.
What it does
- Runs agents where you choose. Locally by default, or on backends in Docker containers, on VMs or inside your company’s infrastructure, with OpenHands Cloud and Enterprise as optional hosted options. Switch between backends from the same interface.
- Any agent. The open-source OpenHands agent works out of the box. Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, or any agent that speaks the Agent Client Protocol (ACP) can be used instead.
- Any model. Bring the LLM you want through model profiles.
- Automations. Workflows that integrate with Slack, GitHub, Linear, Notion and more, triggered on a schedule or by webhook events.
Mind what the agent can reach
A coding agent runs commands and edits files. The project is blunt about it: installed with npm or run from source, the agent server runs directly on your machine and the agent has full access to your filesystem. The Docker route limits it to the project folders you mount under PROJECTS_PATH. For a server that others can reach, read docs/SELF_HOSTING.md in the repository, which covers security hardening.
Ways to run it
- The desktop app, the files on this page: an installer for Windows, a disk image for Apple Silicon Macs, and an AppImage and .deb for Linux.
- npm:
npm install -g @openhands/agent-canvas, thenagent-canvas. Needs Node.js 22.12 or later anduv. - Docker with a sandboxed project folder, on port 8000 at
/canvas. - From source with
npm installandnpm run dev.
The project suggests a cloud server as the most capable setup, since agents keep running when your laptop is shut and third-party services can trigger them. One interface can talk to several backends at once, for example a shared server for code review and a personal one on your laptop.
What 1.18.0 changed
Released on 11 September 2026. Image attachments open full size when clicked. Only the person who created an automation can switch it back on, automations can be edited on cloud backends, and each one shows which identity it runs as. The Token Usage panel lost a misleading “No budget limit” line, and several cloud settings links were fixed.
Which file to download
Windows: OpenHands-Agent-Canvas-Setup-1.18.0.exe, 134 MB. macOS on Apple Silicon: the arm64 disk image, 168 MB; there is no Intel Mac build in this release. Linux: the AppImage, 185 MB, or the .deb, 141 MB.
Name changes
The repository moved from All-Hands-AI/OpenHands to OpenHands/OpenHands, and old links redirect. The interface in this release is called Agent Canvas.
When to use something else
If you want an AI app builder that turns a prompt into a web app you can preview, look at bolt.diy instead. If you only want a chat window with a model, this is far more than you need.
Key capabilities
Any agent, one interface
The OpenHands agent works out of the box, and Claude Code, Codex, Gemini or any Agent Client Protocol agent can take its place. Conversations and automations work the same whichever you pick.
Backends you control
Run agents locally, in Docker containers, on VMs or in your own infrastructure, with OpenHands Cloud as an option. Switch between a shared team server and your laptop without losing your place.
Automations that keep working
Schedule agent workflows or trigger them from webhooks, connected to Slack, GitHub, Linear and Notion. In 1.18.0 only an automation's creator can turn it back on, and each shows the identity it runs as.
Decide what the agent can touch
Installed with npm or from source, the agent has full access to your filesystem. The Docker route confines it to folders under PROJECTS_PATH. Read SELF_HOSTING.md before exposing a server.
Desktop builds, with one gap
Windows installer, Apple Silicon disk image, Linux AppImage and .deb. There is no Intel Mac build in 1.18.0, so Intel Macs use the npm or Docker route instead.
Questions & Answers
Is OpenHands free?
Yes, MIT licensed. Model usage is billed by whichever provider you connect. OpenHands Cloud and Enterprise are optional hosted offerings.
Is it the same project as All-Hands-AI/OpenHands?
Yes. The repository moved to OpenHands/OpenHands and old links redirect. The interface in this release is called Agent Canvas.
Can the agent damage my files?
It can change anything it can reach. Installed with npm or run from source, that is your whole filesystem. Use the Docker route to limit it to a projects folder, and keep work under version control.
Can I use Claude Code or Codex instead of the OpenHands agent?
Yes. Agent Canvas works with Claude Code, Codex, Gemini and any agent that supports the Agent Client Protocol.
Is there a build for Intel Macs?
Not in 1.18.0. The macOS disk image is for Apple Silicon. On an Intel Mac, use the npm or Docker route.
What can automations do?
Run agent workflows on a schedule or when a webhook fires, connected to services such as Slack, GitHub, Linear and Notion; for example, splitting GitHub issues into tasks or publishing a report to Slack.
Is Bineret connected to OpenHands?
No. This page describes OpenHands and links to the builds the project publishes on GitHub.
Tutorials
Install the desktop app
Windows: run OpenHands-Agent-Canvas-Setup-1.18.0.exe. Apple Silicon Mac: open OpenHands-Agent-Canvas-1.18.0-arm64.dmg. Linux:
chmod +x OpenHands.Agent.Canvas-1.18.0.AppImage
./OpenHands.Agent.Canvas-1.18.0.AppImage
# or on Debian and Ubuntu
sudo apt install ./agent-canvas_1.18.0_amd64.debOr install with npm
Needs Node.js 22.12 or later and uv. The agent server runs directly on your machine with full access to your filesystem.
npm install -g @openhands/agent-canvas
agent-canvasOpen http://localhost:8000. agent-canvas --frontend-only and --backend-only run the halves separately.
Or run it in Docker, sandboxed to your projects
export PROJECTS_PATH="$HOME/projects"
mkdir -p "$PROJECTS_PATH" "$HOME/.openhands"
docker run -it --rm -p 8000:8000 \
-v "$HOME/.openhands:/home/openhands/.openhands" \
-v "$PROJECTS_PATH:/projects" \
ghcr.io/openhands/agent-canvas:1.18.0Open http://localhost:8000/canvas. The agent can reach only the folders under PROJECTS_PATH. For Windows commands, see README.windows.md in the repository.
Choose a model and an agent
Set up an LLM profile in the settings. The built-in OpenHands agent works straight away; to use Claude Code, Codex, Gemini or another ACP-compatible agent, add it in the agent settings.
Add another backend
From the UI, add a remote backend, such as an agent server on a VM or in Docker, and switch between it and your local one without changing windows.
Support
Where support comes from
OpenHands is developed by its community and company. Start with the documentation, open a GitHub issue for bugs, and use the project's Slack for questions. For self-hosting, read SELF_HOSTING.md first.
What Bineret covers
This page. If a download link is broken or something written here is wrong, tell us and we will fix it. We do not host agent backends or provide model keys.
No warranty
The MIT licence provides the software as-is. An agent with shell access acts on real files and real accounts, so give it the narrowest access that gets the job done.
