Aiden
A durable local work engine that executes and verifies multi-step computer tasks.
What does this agent do, and when should you use it?
Aiden is an autonomous work engine for computer tasks, exposed through an operator TUI, one-shot CLI mode, an opt-in daemon, channel adapters, and MCP. It represents a request as a Job and runs it through fenced Attempts with generations, leases, budgets, and cancellation state. Consequential operations are recorded as Effects, while Evidence, Verification, Verdicts, and Proof separate execution from a claim of success. Its Codebase Mode snapshots repository and VCS state before making conflict-safe changes and recording structured test, build, and diagnostic results. The runtime uses Node.js, TypeScript, SQLite, Playwright, and Chromium, with stated support for Windows, Linux, WSL, and macOS API mode.
Start the interactive Operator TUI with aiden, or submit a one-shot task with aiden -q "...". Aiden can read and write files, execute shell commands and code, manage processes, search and fetch web content, automate a browser through Playwright/Chromium, call APIs and MCP servers, and work with supported applications and channels. In Codebase Mode, it snapshots repository root and VCS state, branch, HEAD, dirty and untracked files, manifests, lockfiles, and build/test commands before mutations; each change is tied to an Attempt, source snapshot, and Effect, then read back with hashes and diffs. TestRun, BuildRun, and Diagnostic records retain commands, parsed outcomes, artifacts, failures, and verification state, while Git branch, stage, commit, fetch, pull, push, and tag actions are reconcilable Effects. With AIDEN_DAEMON=1, file watchers, webhooks, email polling, and schedules can dispatch agent turns through a SQLite-backed trigger bus.
- A maintainer of a Node.js repository can ask Aiden to snapshot the repo, diagnose failing tests, apply safe edits, rerun relevant tests and builds, and retain verification evidence.
- An operations user handling a browser-based back-office process can have it navigate supported sites, fill forms, handle tabs and dialogs, and capture outcomes.
- A Windows, Linux, or WSL user can use the terminal interface for file organization, system inspection, and repeatable shell procedures.
- A team that needs work triggered by incoming text files can enable the daemon and register a watched inbox with `aiden trigger add file`.
- A researcher who needs a saved deliverable can ask it to search, compare sources, collect findings, and produce a structured Markdown report.
- A user breaking down a larger job can delegate focused work to isolated sub-agents with intersected toolsets and evidence-required returns.
What are this agent's strengths and limitations?
- Completion is evidence-oriented: Jobs, Attempts, Effects, Evidence, Verification, Verdicts, and Proof are tracked as distinct states rather than trusting a command exit code or model response.
- Codebase Mode snapshots repository and VCS state before writes and blocks stale bases, unsafe paths, symlink escapes, and conflicting user edits.
- The documented model path spans 19 providers, Ollama, custom OpenAI-compatible endpoints, and ChatGPT OAuth subscription routing where supported.
- Interactive, one-shot, daemon, channel, MCP, and browser surfaces share durable execution authority and restart/recovery protections.
- Adoption requires Node.js ≥18, npm, provider credentials, and a suitable model; model quality and budget materially affect complex-work outcomes.
- It can read and write files, execute shell commands, access the web, and connect to external services, so permission scope, credentials, and backups need deliberate handling.
- macOS support is stated as API mode, and some capabilities are explicitly described as experimental or platform-dependent.
- The documented known issue is cosmetic activity-row artifacts during aggressive terminal resizing, although the project reports no duplicate execution or durable-state corruption.
- Daemon, email, webhook, and browser workflows need further configuration; daemon mode is off by default.
How do you install or deploy this agent?
Requires Node.js ≥18, npm, and authentication for the provider you choose. Install and start:npm install -g aiden-runtimeaiden
The first launch opens setup, where you select a provider, retrieve available models where supported, and run a connection probe. To run without a global installation:npx aiden-runtime@latest
Verify with aiden --version; use aiden doctor to diagnose providers, authentication, configuration, and environment.
How do you use this agent?
Give Aiden a complete goal in the TUI, or run:aiden -q "Inspect this repository, explain how it works, identify the three highest-risk areas, and support the findings with repository Evidence."
Use /model to select a provider and model, or set AIDEN_DEFAULT_PROVIDER and AIDEN_DEFAULT_MODEL. For triggered background work:export AIDEN_DAEMON=1aiden trigger add file --path ~/Documents/inbox --label "watch-inbox" --include "*.txt"aiden
Inspect triggered activity with aiden runs list. The daemon binds to 127.0.0.1 by default; a non-loopback bind requires AIDEN_API_KEY.