ghost-os
Ghost OS is a macOS-native tool that enables AI agents to see and control any application on your computer through the accessibility tree, with optional visual fallback. It learns workflows as reusable JSON recipes, eliminating repetitive reasoning and supporting any macOS app—not just browsers.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | ghostwright/ghost-os |
| Owner | ghostwright |
| Primary language | Swift |
| License | MIT — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 1.6k |
| Forks | 152 |
| Open issues | 9 |
| Latest release | v2.2.1 (2026-03-12) |
| Last updated | 2026-03-23 |
| Source | https://github.com/ghostwright/ghost-os |
What ghost-os is
Swift-based MCP server that exposes 29 tools for accessibility tree introspection, element interaction (click, type, drag, scroll), and local vision fallback (ShowUI-2B). Captures user actions via CGEvent tap to synthesize learnable recipes. Designed as MCP-compatible interface for Claude Code, Cursor, and VS Code.
Get the ghost-os source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/ghostwright/ghost-os.gitcd ghost-os# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires macOS 14+, Swift 6.2, and MCP client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, or compatible). Verify your environment meets these before deployment.
- Input Monitoring permission must be configured via `ghost setup`. Test on target Macs to ensure permission dialogs are approved; cannot be automated remotely.
- Vision model (ShowUI-2B) is downloaded during setup. Bandwidth and storage must be accounted for; model size not documented. Verify download succeeds in your network environment.
- Recipes are JSON—review them before execution to understand all actions your agent will perform. Establish approval workflows if agents run in regulated or sensitive environments.
- Accessibility tree richness varies by app. Web apps and third-party tools may fall back to vision model. Test critical workflows with your specific app set before relying on this in production.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- You need cross-platform or Windows support — MacOS 14+ only. No Linux or Windows versions documented. If multi-OS is required, this is not suitable.
- Your workflows depend on third-party vision APIs — Ghost OS uses a local vision model (ShowUI-2B) for fallback. If your compliance or architecture requires cloud-based vision services, this design may conflict.
- You cannot grant Input Monitoring permission — Recipe learning requires macOS Input Monitoring permission. Restricted endpoints or hardened security policies may prevent setup. Verify permissions can be granted before deployment.
- You need production-grade uptime guarantees — Project is ~1 month old (created Feb 2026), with 1571 stars but limited real-world deployment data. Not suitable for mission-critical automation without extensive internal testing.
License & commercial use
Licensed under MIT License. Permissive OSI-approved license: allows commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution. No copyleft obligations. License is unambiguous.
MIT License explicitly permits commercial use. However, project is extremely young (created Feb 2026, latest release March 2026) with limited adoption data and no documented SLAs or commercial support. Assess production readiness independently. Recommended: evaluate as internal tool or pilot with vendor support before critical business reliance.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Strong |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Low |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | Medium |
Ghost OS grants AI agents broad control over your Mac via accessibility APIs. Key considerations: (1) Input Monitoring permission enables recording of all keystrokes and mouse events—sensitive in multi-user or shared systems. (2) Recipes are JSON; audit them before running to prevent unintended actions (data exfiltration, credential exposure). (3) MCP client (e.g., Claude Code) must be trusted; Ghost OS has no built-in authentication or access control—an agent can perform any action you can perform. (4) Local vision model and user action data remain on-device, but accessibility tree and recipe parameters may be logged. (5) No explicit security audit, key rotation, or vulnerability disclosure process documented. Assess for your threat model and data sensitivity. Recommended: run on isolated machines or user accounts when automating sensitive workflows.
Alternatives to consider
Anthropic Computer Use (via API)
Screenshot-based; cloud-hosted; works on any platform and app. Trade-off: slower (vision inference cost), less structured data, no recipe learning. Suitable if cross-platform support is critical.
OpenAI Operator
Browser-focused computer use. Cloud-dependent; no native app support; no recipe concept. Lighter-weight if you only need web automation and cost is not a primary concern.
OpenClaw
Browser DOM + accessibility tree; MIT licensed; local execution. Narrower scope (browsers only) but similar philosophy. Consider if you don't need native macOS app automation.
Build on ghost-os with DEV.co software developers
Start with a pilot on non-critical tasks. Review recipes before execution. Assess input monitoring permissions and MCP integration with your environment. Contact our team to discuss production readiness and security posture.
Talk to DEV.coRelated open-source tools
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ghost-os FAQ
Can I use Ghost OS on Windows or Linux?
Does Ghost OS send my data to the cloud?
Can I share recipes between team members?
What happens if the accessibility tree doesn't expose an element?
Work with a software development agency
Need help beyond evaluating ghost-os? DEV.co is a software development agency offering software development services and web development for teams of every size. Our software developers and web developers build custom software, web applications, APIs, and mcp servers integrations — and maintain them long-term.
Ready to automate your macOS workflows?
Start with a pilot on non-critical tasks. Review recipes before execution. Assess input monitoring permissions and MCP integration with your environment. Contact our team to discuss production readiness and security posture.