Content
<p align="center">
<img src="docs/assets/lcu-icon.svg" width="120" height="120" alt="LCU logo">
</p>
<h1 align="center">LCU</h1>
<p align="center"><strong>Codex computer use, decoupled from the Codex app.</strong></p>
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bd9d0809-8a6c-4931-a51c-b98daf05cb5f
LCU exposes Codex's original computer-use runtime to your harness without requiring Codex authentication. The official ChatGPT desktop app must still be installed locally: it supplies the runtime and instructions, while LCU handles setup and harness integration.
## Quick start
Copy this into your agent:
```text
Install and configure LCU for this harness using the latest release.
Follow https://raw.githubusercontent.com/0xpolarzero/lcu/main/docs/INSTALLATION.md
Check my OS, architecture, and prerequisites, then guide me through any required permissions.
```
## Features
- **Desktop apps:** read windows, click, type, and take screenshots.
- **Chrome, when enabled:** read and control tabs through the official extension, with site approval.
- **In your harness:** adapters are available for Pi, Codex CLI, and Claude Code, with experimental Oh My Pi and Hermes integrations. See [setup and verification limits](docs/ADAPTERS.md).
## Requirements
Install [the official ChatGPT desktop app](https://chatgpt.com/download/), Python 3.12+, and your harness first. LCU checks the installed app for compatibility and uses its original runtime. For Codex CLI, [update before setup](docs/ADAPTERS.md#codex-cli) to get the required hook support.
| Platform | Requirements |
| --- | --- |
| Linux ARM64 or x86-64 | Ubuntu 24.04-compatible glibc system, an active X11 desktop, and D-Bus |
| macOS on Apple Silicon | The signed ChatGPT app, with Accessibility and screen-recording permissions approved during first use |
Windows 11 x64 remains a [candidate](docs/INSTALLATION.md#windows-11-x64-candidate-deferred-from-this-delivery). Intel Macs, native Wayland, and musl Linux are unsupported. See [verification and limits](docs/PARITY-STATUS.md) for tested behavior.
## Install manually
Download the archive and matching `.sha256` file from the [latest release](https://github.com/0xpolarzero/lcu/releases/latest):
| Platform | Archive |
| --- | --- |
| macOS on Apple Silicon | `lcu-<version>-darwin-arm64.tar.gz` |
| Linux ARM64 | `lcu-<version>-linux-arm64.tar.gz` |
| Linux x86-64 | `lcu-<version>-linux-x64.tar.gz` |
Follow the [installation guide](docs/INSTALLATION.md) to verify the checksum, extract the archive, and register LCU in your harness. Setup offers an agent chooser and desktop-readiness guidance. Chrome and computer-audio recording are opt-in.
For development, see [building from source](docs/DEVELOPMENT.md#building-from-source).
## Enable Chrome
Ask your agent:
```text
Enable Chrome control in my LCU setup using the installation guide:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/0xpolarzero/lcu/main/docs/INSTALLATION.md#desktop-and-browser
```
Enable the official extension in your Chrome profile and restart your harness. Then ask it to use LCU to list Chrome tabs. Sites still require approval. Claude Code's Chrome support remains experimental because some interruptions do not trigger tab cleanup; see [adapter limitations](docs/ADAPTERS.md).
## Enable computer-audio recording
Pass `--audio` when setting up a maintained harness, for example:
```sh
~/.local/share/lcu/current/bin/lcu setup --agent pi --audio
```
The installer does not add `lcu` to your `PATH`; run its installed path (`/opt/lcu/current/bin/lcu` on Linux). See [the `lcu` command](docs/INSTALLATION.md#the-lcu-command).
This enables the installed original runtime's optional computer-audio recording API and its original approval flow. LCU does not add audio-specific instructions, and a saved recording is not audio delivered to the model. See the [audio opt-in verification record](docs/verification/audio-opt-in-2026-09-27.md).
## Pi commands
In interactive Pi, `/lcu stop` requests original Computer Use Stop for a selected app during the active LCU turn (macOS only). `/lcu pick` selects an original app or browser target and appends it to the editor draft while Pi is idle; review and submit the draft yourself. See [adapter command behavior and limits](docs/ADAPTERS.md#pi-extension).
## Documentation
- [Installation](docs/INSTALLATION.md): downloads, harness setup, permissions, sessions, and upgrades.
- [Harness adapters](docs/ADAPTERS.md): custom clients, approvals, lifecycle, and result handling.
- [Verification](docs/PARITY-STATUS.md): tested behavior and remaining gaps.
- [Development](docs/DEVELOPMENT.md): source builds and isolated desktop tests.
LCU is [MIT licensed](LICENSE). Release archives contain LCU and third-party setup dependencies. The OpenAI app and its instructions come from your local installation and retain their own terms; see [dependency provenance](docs/PROVENANCE.md).