Documentation

OpenConduit Docs

Everything you need to install, configure, and extend OpenConduit.

Getting Started

1 — Install

Download the build for your platform from the Downloads page or from GitHub Releases .

  • macOS — Extract the .zip and drag the app to Applications.
  • Windows — Run the .exe installer and follow the wizard.
  • Linux — Install the .deb or .rpm package with your package manager.

2 — First launch

On first launch, OpenConduit shows the Welcome screen. Select Add Provider to connect your first AI model. You can skip this and add providers later via Settings → Providers.

Connecting a Provider

OpenConduit supports OpenAI, Anthropic, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint (e.g. LM Studio).

OpenAI

  1. 1 Open Settings → Providers.
  2. 2 Click Add Provider → OpenAI.
  3. 3 Paste your API key from platform.openai.com.
  4. 4 Choose a default model (e.g. gpt-4o) and Save.

Anthropic

  1. 1 Open Settings → Providers.
  2. 2 Click Add Provider → Anthropic.
  3. 3 Paste your API key from console.anthropic.com.
  4. 4 Choose a default model and Save.

LM Studio

  1. 1 Start LM Studio and load a model.
  2. 2 Enable the local server (default port 1234).
  3. 3 In OpenConduit, click Add Provider → LM Studio.
  4. 4 Enter the base URL: http://localhost:1234/v1 and Save.

Adding an MCP Server

MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers extend the AI with external tools — filesystem access, web search, custom APIs, and more.

HTTP-SSE server

  1. 1. Start your MCP server and note its base URL (e.g. http://localhost:8080 ).
  2. 2. In OpenConduit, go to Settings → MCP Tools.
  3. 3. Click Add Server → HTTP-SSE, paste the URL, and Save.
  4. 4. The server's tools appear in the chat toolbar automatically.

stdio server

  1. 1. Go to Settings → MCP Tools → Add Server → stdio.
  2. 2. Enter the command and arguments, e.g. npx @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path.
  3. 3. OpenConduit spawns the process and communicates over stdin/stdout.

Browse community MCP servers at modelcontextprotocol.io .

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Action
⌘ / Ctrl + N New conversation
⌘ / Ctrl + K Focus chat input
⌘ / Ctrl + , Open Settings
⌘ / Ctrl + W Close current conversation
⌘ / Ctrl + Shift + C Copy last AI response
⌘ / Ctrl + / Toggle sidebar
Esc Cancel streaming response

FAQ

Is OpenConduit free?
Yes — it is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. You supply your own API keys for cloud providers. A commercial license is available for proprietary use — see LICENSE-COMMERCIAL in the repository.
Does OpenConduit send my data anywhere?
No. API keys are stored encrypted on your device. The app only communicates with the provider endpoints you configure. There is no telemetry.
Can I use it offline?
Yes, with LM Studio. Point OpenConduit at your local LM Studio server and everything runs 100% on-device.
What is MCP?
Model Context Protocol is an open standard for connecting AI models to external tools and data sources. OpenConduit supports both HTTP-SSE and stdio transports.
Where do I report bugs?
Open an issue at github.com/OpenConduit/Client/issues.