---
title: OpenPets Documentation
description: Install OpenPets, connect coding agents, build desktop pets, and ship SDK v3 plugins for the open-source companion platform.
sidebar:
  label: Overview
  order: 0
---

OpenPets is an open-source desktop companion platform. It puts animated pets on
your desktop, lets local coding agents update them, and gives plugin authors a
sandboxed SDK for adding companion behavior.

<Frame caption="OpenPets is built around companion pets, plugins, and local agent integrations.">
  <img src="/openpets-logo.png" alt="OpenPets glowing paw badge logo" width="220" />
</Frame>

This documentation is built from the public OpenPets repository. The codebase is
the source of truth, and these pages explain the current contracts around the
desktop app, local IPC, pets, agent integrations, plugins, and SDK v3.

## Start here

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quickstart" href="/quickstart" icon="rocket">
    Install OpenPets, open the Control Center, pick a pet, and optionally
    connect a coding assistant.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Install OpenPets" href="/install" icon="download">
    Choose the right release asset for macOS, Windows, or Linux and launch the
    desktop app.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Architecture" href="/architecture" icon="book-open">
    Learn the runtime model: Electron desktop app, local IPC, npm packages,
    pet windows, plugin host, and integration packages.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Desktop app" href="/desktop" icon="monitor">
    Understand the tray app, Control Center, app state, pet windows, security,
    logging, and update behavior.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Official plugins" href="/official-plugins" icon="sparkles">
    See the reviewed companion plugins in the catalog, which ones are bundled,
    and the behavior rules they follow.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Agent integrations" href="/agent-integrations" icon="terminal">
    Connect Claude Code, OpenCode, Cursor, Pi, or any MCP-capable assistant to
    local pet reactions.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Plugin SDK v3" href="/sdk" icon="code">
    Build plugins with manifest v3, capability permissions, host-rendered UI,
    storage, schedules, events, AI, voice, OAuth, and the test harness.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## For users

- Install the desktop app from the latest OpenPets release.
- Choose or install pets from the built-in gallery.
- Enable official plugins for focus, reminders, virtual pet state, mood checks,
  water reminders, small games, and launcher shortcuts.
- Optionally connect an AI coding assistant through MCP or a dedicated
  integration.

## For developers

- Use `@open-pets/cli` to configure projects, check desktop connectivity, send
  reactions, run the MCP server, and scaffold plugins.
- Use `@open-pets/plugin-sdk` for SDK v3 types and the deterministic plugin test
  harness.
- Keep behavior changes and docs changes together so the public documentation
  stays aligned with the code.

## Source of truth

The most authoritative files are still the package and app sources:

- `packages/sdk/src/index.ts` defines the public SDK v3 type contract.
- `packages/cli/src/index.ts` defines CLI command routing.
- `apps/desktop/src/` implements the Electron app and plugin host.
- `plugins/official/` contains first-party SDK v3 plugin examples.