LibreAI / AI Agents / ZCode
// agents · zai-org/ZCode

ZCode

ZCode — Z.ai's AI coding workspace: desktop app, browser interface and terminal agent in one open-source harness

★ 7.9k stars⑂ 2.4k forksApache-2.0updated 2026-10
▦ visual — this project's README ships no embeddable screenshot,
so here's a placeholder. The guide below is complete regardless.
// project facts

Project facts

ZCode is an open-source ai agents project by zai-org (zai-org/ZCode on GitHub). It has 7,854 GitHub stars and 2,413 forks, is released under the Apache-2.0 license, and was last updated on GitHub on 10 October 2026.

Repository
zai-org/ZCode
GitHub stars
7,854
Forks
2,413
License
Apache-2.0
Last updated on GitHub
10 October 2026
Category
AI Agents
Listing
Full install guide
Official site
Official site
// how it works

How it works

  1. Pick your surface

    Use the desktop app for a full workspace, the browser interface for remote work, or the terminal Agent CLI for headless sessions — all three share the same runtime.

  2. Set up the workspace

    Install Git, Node.js 24.14.0 and pnpm 10.33.2 (versions pinned in mise.toml), clone the repo and run pnpm bootstrap from the root.

  3. Connect a model and start coding

    Bootstrap installs dependencies, prepares the local desktop runtime assets and builds; then launch your surface of choice and point the agent at your project.

// features

Why people love it

Three interfaces, one agent

Desktop app, browser UI and terminal CLI are surfaces over the same Agent CLI and runtime, so sessions and behaviour stay consistent.

Full source, not a wrapper

Clients, backend services, shared UI and the agent runtime are all in this repo — nothing essential is a closed download.

Actively versioned

Releases land in quick succession (v3.14.3 on 2026-09-23, v3.15.1 on 2026-10-10), with a public changelog in the README.

Community channels

Feishu and Discord communities are linked from the repo for support and discussion.

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// run it

Run it yourself

  1. Clone the repository

    The Agent CLI and runtime live in apps/zcode-cli/ and come along with a normal clone.

    git clone https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode.git
    cd ZCode
  2. Bootstrap the workspace

    Installs workspace dependencies, prepares local desktop runtime assets and runs build:bootstrap.

    pnpm bootstrap
  3. Build everything (optional)

    Recursively runs every workspace package build script, including resource preparation.

    pnpm build
// use cases

What you can build

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// faq

Questions, answered

Who maintains ZCode?

zai-org — Z.ai, the team behind the GLM models.

Is it free?

Yes, Apache-2.0 licensed and open source; model usage follows your own Z.ai or provider plan.

Does it need a paid API key?

The software itself is free; the agent needs model access, which you supply through your own account or key.

How does it compare to a well-known alternative?

Unlike terminal-only agents, ZCode ships desktop, browser and terminal surfaces over one runtime, with the complete source — services and UI included — in a single repo.

How do I get started?

Clone the repo, install the pinned Node.js and pnpm versions from mise.toml, run pnpm bootstrap, and launch the desktop, browser or CLI surface.

// keep exploring

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// alternatives

Alternatives in AI Agents

The most-starred other AI Agents projects in the LibreAI catalogue — the realistic shortlist if ZCode is not the right fit.

Get ZCode

Free and open — grab the source, star the repo, and start creating.