ConfigsApr 2, 2026·2 min read

Puter — Open-Source Cloud Desktop in Your Browser

Self-hostable internet OS with file system, app ecosystem, and developer APIs. Privacy-first cloud desktop. 40K+ GitHub stars.

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Quick Use

Use it first, then decide how deep to go

This block should tell both the user and the agent what to copy, install, and apply first.

docker run --rm -p 4100:4100 ghcr.io/heyputer/puter

Open http://localhost:4100 — your cloud desktop is live.

Or from source:

git clone https://github.com/HeyPuter/puter.git
cd puter && npm install && npm start

Intro

Puter is an open-source internet operating system with 40,100+ GitHub stars that delivers a full cloud desktop environment in your browser. Self-hostable and privacy-first, it provides a familiar desktop UI with a file system, app ecosystem, built-in terminal, and developer APIs. Use it as a personal cloud computer accessible from any device, a platform for building web apps, or a remote desktop replacement. With Docker one-liner deployment, Puter gives you a complete computing environment that lives in the browser and costs nothing to run.

Works with: Any modern browser, Docker, Node.js. Best for developers wanting a self-hosted cloud desktop, teams building web apps, or anyone who needs a browser-based computing environment. Setup time: under 1 minute.


Puter Features

Desktop Environment

  • Full desktop UI with taskbar, window management, and desktop icons
  • Drag-and-drop file management
  • Multi-window and multi-tab support
  • Theme customization
  • Keyboard shortcuts

File System

  • Cloud-based file storage with folder hierarchy
  • File sharing via public links
  • Trash and recovery
  • Search across all files
  • File versioning

Built-in Apps

App Function
Terminal Full shell access
Code Editor Browser-based code editing
Draw Image editing and drawing
Camera Webcam access
Recorder Audio/video recording
Dev Center API documentation and testing

Developer APIs

// Puter.js SDK
const puter = require('puter');

// File operations
await puter.fs.write('/documents/hello.txt', 'Hello World');
const content = await puter.fs.read('/documents/hello.txt');

// AI integration
const response = await puter.ai.chat('Explain quantum computing');

// Key-value storage
await puter.kv.set('user_pref', JSON.stringify({theme: 'dark'}));

Self-Hosting

# docker-compose.yaml
services:
  puter:
    image: ghcr.io/heyputer/puter
    ports:
      - "4100:4100"
    volumes:
      - puter-data:/var/puter
    restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
  puter-data:

FAQ

Q: What is Puter? A: Puter is an open-source, self-hostable cloud desktop OS with 40,100+ GitHub stars. It runs in any browser and provides a full computing environment with file system, apps, terminal, and developer APIs.

Q: How is Puter different from other cloud desktops? A: Puter is fully open-source (AGPL-3.0) and self-hostable. Unlike commercial cloud desktops, your data stays on your server. It also provides developer APIs for building apps on top of the platform.

Q: Is Puter free? A: Yes, open-source under AGPL-3.0. Self-host for free. A hosted version is also available at puter.com.


🙏

Source & Thanks

Created by HeyPuter. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.

puter — ⭐ 40,100+

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