BOSS Console
Open-source JVM desktop harness: BYO coding agents with browser, terminal, editor, secrets, and governed MCP tools.
BOSS Console (BOSS) is an Apache-2.0, multi-platform operator console from Risa Labs for AI coding agents. Built with Kotlin/Compose Multiplatform on the JVM (not Electron), it runs Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, or OpenCode in a workspace that includes an embedded Fluck browser, shareable BossTerm, code editor, Secret Manager, Toolbox plugins with hot-reload, and 100+ built-in `mcp__boss__*` tools with per-tool RBAC and kill-switch controls. Installers ship for macOS (Universal), Windows (x64/ARM64), and Linux (AMD64/ARM64); latest public release observed was v9.2.58 (2026-07-24).
Official resources
Selection advice
Quick comparison
BOSS is a local desktop harness that hosts your chosen coding-agent CLI and exposes the workspace itself over MCP. OpenHands is a standalone software-engineering agent runtime; E2B and Stagehand focus on sandboxed or browser execution rather than a full operator console.
| BOSS Console | OpenHands | E2B | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Operators who want one open-source desktop home for multiple coding-agent CLIs with governed tools | Teams that want an autonomous coding agent to edit repos and run commands in a sandbox | Products that need ephemeral cloud sandboxes for untrusted agent code |
| Primary surface | Native JVM desktop app + MCP toolbox (browser, terminal, editor, secrets, plugins) | Open-source coding-agent runtime with shell, files, and browser tools | Cloud sandbox SDK/API for executing agent workloads |
| Agent model | Bring your own Claude Code, Codex, Gemini, or OpenCode session | OpenHands is the agent; you prompt and supervise its runs | You embed E2B inside your own agent or orchestration layer |
| Tradeoff | Rich local console and governance; you still supply the agent CLI and model access | Strong autonomous coding loop; less of a multi-vendor operator console | Excellent isolation for execution; not a desktop harness or MCP workspace UI |
Best for
- BYO multi-vendor coding agents in one desktop workspace
- local-first agent ops with embedded browser and shareable terminal
- per-tool MCP RBAC, kill-switch, and secret-scoped automation
- JVM/native desktop preference over Electron agent IDEs
Not ideal for
- teams that want a single bundled autonomous coding agent instead of a harness
- pure cloud-sandbox execution without a local desktop console
- environments that cannot run a JVM desktop application
Core concepts
Minimal implementation shape
Install with `brew install --cask boss` (or the platform installer from BossConsole-Releases), open a terminal in BOSS, start Claude Code/Codex/Gemini/OpenCode, attach the BOSS MCP endpoint (`claude mcp add --scope user --transport sse boss <url>` or the Codex/Gemini equivalents), then let the agent use built-in browser, terminal, and workspace tools under your RBAC settings.