Desktop Act

Organization

Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited

desktop-act

Cross-OS computer-use MCP: multi-agent exclusive desktop leases, Xvnc pool on Linux, single-session macOS/Windows. Use for GUI/desktop automation and concurrent agent desktops.

Overview

Publisher	Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited
Repository	`claude-ops`
Skill name	`desktop-act`
Stars	543
Forks	64
Bundled files	Instructions only
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository Homepage

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
Self-contained
Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.
Open source
Published by Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Desktop Act AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
https://github.com/Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited/claude-ops/tree/main/desktop-act/skills/desktop-act
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Store

Installed

Skills

Add skills

Import one or more skills from a public GitHub folder or a local .skill or .zip archive, or SKILL.md file.

From GitHub URLFrom .skill, .zip, or SKILL.md

GitHub repo or folder

https://github.com/Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited/claude-ops/tree/main/desktop-act/skills/desktop-act

Points to a single skill folder, or any folder that contains multiple skills. Public repos only.

CancelContinue

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited/claude-ops.git /tmp/claude-ops
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/claude-ops/desktop-act/skills/desktop-act .claude/skills/desktop-act

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Desktop Act in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Desktop Act on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Desktop Act is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

desktop-act

Computer-use primitives via mcp__desktop-act__* plus act(goal) (OAuth via claude-agent-sdk — no Anthropic API key).

Multi-agent (required pattern)

text
ensure_desktop(owner_id="<agent-id>", geometry="2560x1440")  # exclusive seat
# … primitives with session_id …
heartbeat_desktop(session_id)   # long runs
release_desktop(session_id)     # on stop / idle done

If another agent holds every free seat, Linux auto-spawns a new Xvnc on the next free display/port. Leases expire (DESKTOP_ACT_LEASE_TTL); reaper frees the lock and stops pool VNC so idle seats do not thrash the host.

Architecture

Parent agent is the brain — primitives + screenshots, or hands-off act(goal).
Linux: X11 + Xvnc/websockify pool (:50–:99), file-locked leases.
macOS: single interactive session (Screen Sharing → noVNC optional).
Windows: full WinBackend (ImageGrab + pyautogui/SendInput); single interactive desktop only (no multi-seat pool). Needs a logged-in session.

Watching the desktop

Pool session returns novnc_url (port base DESKTOP_ACT_NOVNC_PORT_BASE, default 6082). Host default display (often :1) is separate and is never reaped by the idle reaper. Always prefer the returned URL over hardcoding ports.

Install

With claude-ops: desktop-act@ops-marketplace (co-installed by /ops:setup and /ops:update via plugin-dependencies.json).
Standalone: marketplace add Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited/desktop-act, then desktop-act@desktop-act.

When to use

Task	Approach
Local app you need to click/type into	`desktop-act` primitives
Concurrent agents needing isolated seats	Linux pool + `ensure_desktop(owner_id=…)`
Hands-off goal	`mcp__desktop-act__act(goal, max_iterations=…)`
Browser-only automation	Prefer browser MCP tools when no OS UI is required

Defaults

act model: claude-sonnet-5
act max_iterations: 20 (not max_steps)
Python: >=3.11

Frequently asked questions

What does the Desktop Act AI skill do?

Cross-OS computer-use MCP: multi-agent exclusive desktop leases, Xvnc pool on Linux, single-session macOS/Windows. Use for GUI/desktop automation and concurrent agent desktops.

Why use Desktop Act on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Desktop Act is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Desktop Act in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited/claude-ops/tree/main/desktop-act/skills/desktop-act. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Desktop Act?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Desktop Act?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Desktop Act with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Desktop Act AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by Lifecycle-Innovations-Limited under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

desktop-act

Multi-agent (required pattern)

Architecture

Watching the desktop

Install

When to use

Defaults

Frequently asked questions

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