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Agent Architecture

Open Interpreter

Open Interpreter is an open-source terminal coding agent for local and open models. The current interpreter (also installed as i) is a Rust fork of OpenAI's Codex, so its native config is Codex-shaped: a TOML config.toml under an isolated home, $INTERPRETER_HOME (default ~/.openinterpreter), never $CODEX_HOME.

Source reviewed #40Checked 2026-07-06
Run type
CLI
Adapter
mcp-only
Source
OSS · openinterpreter/openinterpreter
Stars
★ 68k

Archive Context

This page is one host entry inside the full architecture archive and keeps multi-surface products visible instead of collapsing them into a single run type.

42 host archive
Host page
open-interpreter
Run cohort
CLI: 30
Archive route
/agents

Host Surface Perspectives

The host is the primary architecture boundary. Each runnable surface below separates what the host owns from what agent-connector can safely install for Open Interpreter.

1 surface entry

CLI

cli
Host entry
A terminal command owns the process, current working directory, stdin/stdout, shell environment, and project file discovery.
Host owns
The CLI host owns agent loop timing, approval prompts, tool execution, session files, and how hook or MCP subprocesses are launched.
Connector role
agent-connector can only write the host's documented CLI config, prompt, memory, hook, MCP, or package files and point them at the home binary. Current wired connector surfaces: MCP server.
Implementation consequence
A CLI surface is byte-addressable and smoke-testable from a temporary HOME, but terminal UI behavior still belongs to the host process. Visible host-native gaps for this surface: Hooks, Commands, Skills, Subagents, Memory.

Verified Architecture

Source-checked on 2026-07-06. These notes are intentionally separate from the generated surface matrix below.

Sequence #40

Source pass

Current source review findings are kept as the first architecture section so readers can separate external evidence from the generated local coverage model.

  • Open Interpreter's current repository describes a new Rust version and identifies itself as a low-cost-model coding agent.
  • It is a fork of OpenAI Codex focused on harness emulation, which explains why its adapter should avoid assuming unique hook semantics.
  • The `/harness` selector can emulate native, Claude Code, Kimi CLI, Qwen Code, SWE-agent, and minimal modes, making harness choice the key host surface.

Runtime boundary

The adapter target is the local interpreter CLI. As a Codex fork it inherits Codex's agent loop, permission model, and config layout, but runs under its own home: the binary honors only $INTERPRETER_HOME, and the install script sets CODEX_COMMAND_NAME=interpreter and CODEX_HOME=$INTERPRETER_HOME.

  • The README states that Open Interpreter is a fork of OpenAI's Codex; the repository positions it for open models such as DeepSeek, Kimi, and Qwen.
  • The isolated home keeps an Open Interpreter install from reading or writing a Codex install on the same machine.
  • The row stays CLI-scoped rather than editor-extension scoped.

MCP registration

MCP is the one wired surface. The adapter writes [mcp_servers.<id>] tables into $INTERPRETER_HOME/config.toml: stdio servers carry command, args, and env; streamable-HTTP servers carry url with optional bearer_token_env_var and http_headers, the same shapes as codex-rs/config mcp_edit and mcp_types.

  • Local execution authority is the central risk boundary for any MCP tool exposed here.
  • TOML has no interpolation, so environment references resolve to literals at install time.

Hook bridge

Open Interpreter is mcp-only in the connector matrix. As a Codex fork the host inherits Codex's hook subsystem, so hooks are host-native, but the interpreter product's live wire contract and on-disk hook directory are not first-party verified, so agent-connector leaves hooks unwired rather than guess. That is a coverage ceiling, not a host limitation.

  • The same reasoning keeps commands, skills, subagents, and AGENTS.md memory host-native but unwired.
  • Provider and model choice are host settings rather than hook semantics.

Content surfaces

Inherited from Codex: prompts and skills directories, agent definitions, and AGENTS.md memory exist in the host, but none is wired by the adapter until the interpreter product documents its own paths. Local code execution keeps the safety concerns of a terminal agent rather than a cloud-hosted IDE.

  • Open-model support makes provider configuration a first-class study axis.
  • Local code execution requires clear permission and sandbox language on the page.

Marketplace and host-only affordances

The host-only affordance is local openness: users can run with open models, control their environment, and execute code locally. That makes Open Interpreter useful for comparing terminal agents against cloud and editor hosts.

  • Model openness is a host affordance, not an agent-connector feature.
  • Computer-use behavior should remain separate from MCP and hook coverage.

Host-specific shape

Open Interpreter is tracked as a Codex-derived mcp-only product surface: MCP is wired, while inherited Codex-like hooks/content/memory are treated as unverified host gaps.

  • Form factor: CLI.
  • Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Commands, Skills, Subagents, Memory.
  • Wired surfaces: MCP server.
  • Visible gaps: Hooks, Commands, Skills, Subagents, Memory.

Hooks

The host exposes a native hook-like concept, but this adapter keeps it unwired until the exact file/runtime contract is confirmed.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

The host has a memory/rules concept, but this adapter has not wired its exact file path or format.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

  • Runtime handlers: none.
  • User-visible affordances: Users see the installed connector through host-exposed MCP tools; no separate prompt, memory, or action files are wired..

Known Limits

  • Local code execution authority needs careful safety wording.
  • Hook, command, skill, subagent, and memory paths are inherited from Codex and stay unwired until verified against the interpreter product itself.
  • Open model support is not equivalent to connector plugin support.

Architecture Diagram

Host-specific flow for the CLI surface.

mcp-only
Host-owned architecture flowHost surfaceCLIRuntimemcp-onlyNative artifactsMCPConnector boundaryMCP clientUser surfaceMCP toolsagent-connector writes only documented host artifacts; the host owns the agent loop.
  1. 1
    Entry point: CLI

    Terminal agent process reads user/project config and invokes the connector home binary for runtime callbacks.

  2. 2
    Connector package

    defineConnector package declares server, hooks, content, memory, and actions.

  3. 3
    Adapter module: open-interpreter

    mcp-only renderer at src/adapters/open-interpreter/index.ts.

  4. 4
    Native host artifacts

    Adapter writes MCP config through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.

  5. 5
    Runtime boundary

    host calls MCP tools through its client

  6. 6
    User-visible surface

    Users see the installed connector through host-exposed MCP tools; no separate prompt, memory, or action files are wired.

  7. 7
    Coverage ceiling

    1/6 native surfaces wired. Hooks, Commands, Skills, Subagents, Memory are host-native but not wired yet.

Component Diagram

Static parts of the Open Interpreter integration and which side owns each one.

Components and ownershipOpen Interpreter hosthostagent-connector packageconnectoropen-interpreter adaptermcp-onlyNative artifactsartifactsRuntime bridgeruntimeUser-visible surfaceuser
  • Open Interpreter host

    CLI surface owns the model loop, UI shell, config discovery, and native lifecycle for this integration.

  • agent-connector package

    Normalizes connector declarations into MCP, hook, memory, content, and action payloads before delegating to a host adapter.

  • open-interpreter adapter

    Implements the mcp-only translation layer in src/adapters/open-interpreter/index.ts.

  • Native artifacts

    Adapter writes MCP config through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.

  • Runtime bridge

    host calls MCP tools through its client

  • User-visible surface

    Users see the installed connector through host-exposed MCP tools; no separate prompt, memory, or action files are wired.

Runtime Sequence Flow

Message order from install to runtime for the CLI surface.

User / projectagent-connectoropen-interpreter adapterOpen InterpreterAgent runtimeCoverage matrix1. Choose host adapter2. Resolve connector declaration3. Render host-native shape4. Host loads artifacts5. Run through host boundary6. Expose remaining ceiling
  1. 1 · User / project
    Choose host adapter

    Install or update starts against Open Interpreter; the selected surface is CLI.

  2. 2 · agent-connector
    Resolve connector declaration

    The package reads connector metadata and routes it to the open-interpreter adapter instead of exposing a generic host contract.

  3. 3 · open-interpreter adapter
    Render host-native shape

    Adapter writes MCP config through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.

  4. 4 · Open Interpreter
    Host loads artifacts

    host calls MCP tools through its client

  5. 5 · Agent runtime
    Run through host boundary

    Users see the installed connector through host-exposed MCP tools; no separate prompt, memory, or action files are wired.

  6. 6 · Coverage matrix
    Expose remaining ceiling

    1/6 native surfaces wired. Hooks, Commands, Skills, Subagents, Memory are host-native but not wired yet.

Architecture Archive

The same five study axes are rendered for every host: runtime shape, hooks, MCP, memory, and host-only affordances.

Host-specific shape

Open Interpreter is tracked as a Codex-derived mcp-only product surface: MCP is wired, while inherited Codex-like hooks/content/memory are treated as unverified host gaps.

  • Form factor: CLI.
  • Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Commands, Skills, Subagents, Memory.
  • Wired surfaces: MCP server.
  • Visible gaps: Hooks, Commands, Skills, Subagents, Memory.

Hooks

The host exposes a native hook-like concept, but this adapter keeps it unwired until the exact file/runtime contract is confirmed.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

The host has a memory/rules concept, but this adapter has not wired its exact file path or format.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

  • Runtime handlers: none.
  • User-visible affordances: Users see the installed connector through host-exposed MCP tools; no separate prompt, memory, or action files are wired..

Special Feature Inventory

Host-specific capabilities separated from the generic surface matrix: lifecycle hooks, MCP registration, memory/rules, marketplace delivery, and UI or content affordances owned by the host.

Lifecycle hooks

Host-native gap

The host exposes a native hook-like concept, but this adapter keeps it unwired until the exact file/runtime contract is confirmed.

MCP registration

Wired

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory and rules

Host-native gap

The host has a memory/rules concept, but this adapter has not wired its exact file path or format.

Marketplace delivery

Direct files

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Host-only affordances

0/3 wired

Wired host affordances: none. Host-native gaps: Commands, Skills, Subagents. Not confirmed: Statusline handler, Action affordances.

Source Review Notes

Latest source pass for host-specific architecture details. This is separate from generated adapter coverage and local drift guards.

Checked 2026-07-06Open review source
openinterpreter/openinterpreter repository
  • Open Interpreter's current repository describes a new Rust version and identifies itself as a low-cost-model coding agent.
  • It is a fork of OpenAI Codex focused on harness emulation, which explains why its adapter should avoid assuming unique hook semantics.
  • The `/harness` selector can emulate native, Claude Code, Kimi CLI, Qwen Code, SWE-agent, and minimal modes, making harness choice the key host surface.

Evidence Map

Each host page ties public source evidence to the local adapter and drift guards that keep the rendered archive aligned with code.

Public source: openinterpreter/openinterpreter

Primary public repository or product source used for current host status and source links.

external
Open source

Local adapter implementation

Defines the install/uninstall behavior, native config rendering, capability flags, and any runtime parse/format bridge for this host.

local
src/adapters/open-interpreter/index.ts

Platform metadata and host-native matrix

Records the form factor, public source target, ranking source, native host surfaces, and current agent-connector coverage cells.

local
site/src/platform-data.ts

Architecture drift guard

Asserts that every registered host has a page, diagram, host-specific brief, source link, form-factor band, and adapter-aligned surface data.

local
tests/docs/platform-drift.test.ts

Runtime Shape

The host accepts MCP registration, but has no confirmed hook bridge for agent-connector to call.

MCP registration
Wired through this adapter
Hook bridge
Native gap

Connector Surfaces

Static content

MCP server

Runtime handlers

No runtime handler surfaces wired

Surface Matrix

Wired means agent-connector installs it now. Host native marks support we know about but have not wired yet.

SurfaceStatus
MCP server
Static content
agent-connector installs this surface today.
Wired
Hooks
Static content
The host appears to offer this, but this adapter has not wired it yet.
Host native
Commands
Static content
The host appears to offer this, but this adapter has not wired it yet.
Host native
Skills
Static content
The host appears to offer this, but this adapter has not wired it yet.
Host native
Subagents
Static content
The host appears to offer this, but this adapter has not wired it yet.
Host native
Memory
Static content
The host appears to offer this, but this adapter has not wired it yet.
Host native
Statusline handler
Runtime handler
No confirmed host-native surface.
N/A
Action affordances
Runtime handler
No confirmed host-native surface.
N/A