Docs · Guide

OpenBot on any model

OpenBot is an Electron workspace that runs Codex, Claude, OpenCode and other agents. Its model picker lists the OpenAI-compatible endpoints you add yourself. magpie adds one named magpie, so the picker lists the models in magpie: DeepSeek, GLM, Kimi, Qwen, GPT or a ChatGPT subscription.

Set up OpenBot

  1. Add a provider in magpieAdd an API key on the Providers page, or sign in to a subscription.
  2. Set OpenBot's provider to magpie on the Agents pagemagpie writes its endpoint into OpenBot's custom endpoints file.
  3. Restart OpenBot and pick a model in its own pickermagpie's models show as magpie/<id>.
Terminal
magpie openbot provider magpie

Where the file is

OpenBot keeps custom endpoints in Electron's userData folder:

Terminal
macOS:   ~/Library/Application Support/OpenBot/openbot-custom-providers-v1.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\OpenBot\openbot-custom-providers-v1.json
Linux:   ~/.config/OpenBot/openbot-custom-providers-v1.json

What gets written

Terminal
{
  "version": 1,
  "providers": [
    …your own endpoints, left as they are…,
    {
      "id": "magpie",
      "name": "magpie",
      "baseUrl": "http://127.0.0.1:3425/agent/openbot/v1",
      "models": [
        {"id": "deepseek/deepseek-v4-pro", "name": "DeepSeek V4 Pro", "contextWindow": 1000000},
        …
      ],
      "secret": null
    }
  ]
}

version must be 1. A file OpenBot can't parse leaves it with no endpoints and refuses every save, so magpie leaves alone a file it can't read either.

OpenBot keeps each endpoint's key and headers together in secret, sealed with Electron's safeStorage (the Keychain, DPAPI). magpie doesn't open it, so magpie's endpoint has no key (secret is null). OpenBot hands it to OpenCode keyless, and the gateway takes a request with no key from this computer.

OpenCode sends the requests, with OpenCode's User-Agent. The /agent/openbot in the address tells the gateway they are OpenBot's, and they are counted as OpenBot's. A name, harness or key you give magpie's endpoint in OpenBot stays. Your other endpoints stay as written.

Which models show

OpenBot's list check fails closed: one endpoint or model it wouldn't accept empties the whole list. So magpie writes only the models picked for OpenBot in magpie, and:

  1. At most 64That is OpenBot's limit for one endpoint; a longer list hides them all.
  2. Ids OpenBot acceptsASCII letters, digits and ._:/[],=-, at most 160 characters with the magpie/ prefix.
  3. Context windows in rangecontextWindow is written only between 1,024 and 100,000,000.

When it takes effect

OpenBot reads the file once, when it starts. It writes the file whole from what it holds only when an endpoint is saved, edited or removed there. So a change shows after a restart. An endpoint saved in OpenBot before the restart writes magpie's endpoint out again. While OpenBot is running, magpie reminds you to restart it before adding or editing an endpoint there.

MCP servers live in OpenBot's SQLite database, which magpie doesn't write. To use magpie's own MCP servers (/mcp/magpie/…), add them in OpenBot by hand as HTTP servers.

Switching back

Switching back removes only magpie's endpoint. When nothing else is left in the file, magpie removes the file, since OpenBot starts with an empty list without one.

Terminal
magpie openbot default

FAQ

How do I use DeepSeek, GLM or a ChatGPT subscription in OpenBot?

Set OpenBot's provider to magpie on magpie's Agents page, restart OpenBot, then pick a magpie/ model in its model picker.

Why does magpie's endpoint have no API key?

OpenBot seals each endpoint's key with the system keychain, which magpie doesn't open. The gateway takes keyless requests from this computer, and /agent/openbot in the address tells it they are OpenBot's.

Why don't I see every magpie model?

magpie writes only the models picked for OpenBot, at most 64, and skips ids OpenBot wouldn't accept. One bad model would make OpenBot empty the whole list.

Why hasn't the change shown up?

OpenBot reads custom endpoints only at start-up, so restart it. Don't save an endpoint in OpenBot before that, or it writes magpie's endpoint out.

More desktop apps on the same models: Lody on any model, Cindy on any model, miniQ on any model and Tuanjie Cowork on any model. Something fails? See Fixing common errors, or ask on Discord.